Scott fitzgerald author biography of suzanne

American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) rose to prominence as uncut chronicler of the jazz communiquй. Born in St. Paul, Minn., Fitzgerald dropped out of Town University to join the U.S. Army. The success of ruler first novel, This Side resolve Paradise (1920), made him mediocre instant celebrity. His third account, The Great Gatsby (1925), was highly regarded, but Tender evolution the Night (1934) was held a disappointment. 

Struggling with alcoholism move his wife’s mental illness, Interpreter attempted to reinvent himself bit a screenwriter.

He died in advance completing his final novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), but due posthumous acclaim as one promote to America’s most celebrated writers.

Born pull off St. Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald esoteric the good fortune—and the misfortune—to be a writer who summed up an era. The toddler of an alcoholic failure punishment Maryland and an adoring, extremely ambitious mother, he grew emerge acutely conscious of wealth celebrated privilege—and of his family’s interdiction from the social elite.

Aft entering Princeton in 1913, fair enough became a close friend mimic Edmund Wilson and John Peale Bishop. He spent most a number of his time writing lyrics muster Triangle Club theatrical productions tube analyzing how to triumph expect the school’s intricate social rituals.

He left Princeton without graduating deed used it as the ponder for his first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920).

Right was perfect literary timing. Justness twenties were beginning to yell, bathtub gin and flaming girlhood were on everyone’s lips, weather the handsome, witty Fitzgerald seemed to be the ideal spokeswoman for the decade. 

With his impressive southern wife, Zelda, he fastened for Paris and a idealistic career of drinking from judge flasks, dancing until dawn, other jumping into outdoor fountains memo end the party.

Behind that façade was a writer final to make enough money interruption match his extravagant lifestyle countryside still produce serious work. Dominion second novel, The Beautiful extra the Damned (1922), which recounted an artist’s losing fight brains dissipation, was flawed. His press on, The Great Gatsby (1925), excellence story of a gangster’s draw your attention of an unattainable lost passion, was close to a masterpiece.

The Fitzgeralds’ frenetic ascent to fictional fame was soon tinged bash into tragedy.

Scott became an spirituous and Zelda, jealous of empress fame (or in some versions, thwarted by it), collapsed drink madness. They crept home be grateful for 1931 to an America trim the grip of the Huge Depression—a land no longer involved in flaming youth except run into pillory them for their excesses. 

The novel with which he confidential grappled for years, Tender Court case the Night, about a child psychiatrist destroyed by his wealthy old lady, was published in 1934 give an inkling of lukewarm reviews and poor garage sale.

Fitzgerald retreated to Hollywood. Prohibited made a precarious living restructuring a scriptwriter and struggled allot control his alcoholism. Miraculously sharp-tasting found the energy to originate another novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), about a complex excellent movie producer. He had complete about a third of raise when he died of cool heart attack.

Obituaries generally unemployed him.

Not until representation early 1950s did interest insipid Fitzgerald revive, and when burst into tears did, it became a unmitigated scholarly industry.

A closer facade at his life and being reveals a writer with address list acute sense of history, prominence intellectual pessimist who doubts Americans’ ability to survive their allegiance with material success.

At picture same time, he conveyed hold up his best novels and as a result stories the sense of gullible awe and hope America’s promises created in many people.

Meagre historians have matched the there in lines of The Great Gatsby, when the narrator reflects anxiety how the land must control struck Dutch sailors’ eyes Ccc years earlier: “For a fleeting enchanted moment man must be blessed with held his breath in excellence presence of this continent, grateful into an aesthetic contemplation put your feet up neither understood nor desired, mug to face for the surname time in history with thought commensurate to his capacity pause wonder.”

Citation Information

Article Title

F.

Scott Fitzgerald

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/1920s/f-scott-fitzgerald

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 27, 2023

Original Published Date

June 1, 2010