F. Scott Fitzgerald: Life, Works, and Literary Analysis

Did Fitzgerald ever regain the early financial success of The Great Gatsby?

No; his later works never matched the acclaim or financial success of The Great Gatsby.

What career did Fitzgerald attempt alongside writing novels?

Screenwriting in Hollywood.

What was Zelda Fitzgerald's main creative pursuit after moving to France in 1928?

Ballet lessons.

When did Zelda Fitzgerald experience her first acute mental breakdown?

1930

Where did Zelda receive mental health treatment in 1931?

A Swiss hospital.

When was Fitzgerald's fourth novel, Tender Is the Night, published?

1934

How was Tender Is the Night received by critics and the public?

Mixed reviews; it sold worse than The Great Gatsby.

Which contemporary writer outshone Fitzgerald in the 1930s?

Ernest Hemingway.

What personal struggles contributed to Fitzgerald's decline in reputation?

Excessive drinking, public embarrassment, and Zelda's illness.

What series did Fitzgerald publish in Esquire in 1936?

Autobiographical essays about his "crack-up."

How did the 1936 New York Post interview portray Fitzgerald?

As a washed-up alcoholic, struggling to regain former glory.

Who helped publish Fitzgerald's final novel posthumously?

Edmund Wilson.

What was Fitzgerald's final unfinished work of fiction?

The Last Tycoon.

When did F. Scott Fitzgerald die, and of what cause?

1940, from a heart attack at age 44.

How many short stories did Fitzgerald write?

Approximately 180.

How many novels did Fitzgerald publish during his lifetime?

Four completed novels; one published posthumously.

Which editors and friends helped preserve Fitzgerald's literary reputation?

Max Perkins, Edmund Wilson, Dorothy Parker.

How did critics describe Fitzgerald's unique literary talent?

Capturing longing and the pursuit of dreams, especially the American Dream.

Which characters in The Great Gatsby reflect Fitzgerald and Zelda?

Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby reflect Fitzgerald; Daisy Buchanan reflects Zelda.

What does Lionel Trilling suggest Gatsby represents?

America itself and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Who narrates The Great Gatsby?

Nick Carraway, an affluent Midwesterner.

Where does Nick move after World War I, and why?

Long Island, West Egg, for a career in finance.

How does Nick describe his tendency to reserve judgment?

He usually gives people the benefit of the doubt but eventually grows tired of them.

Who are the first major characters Nick meets in East Egg?

Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, and Jordan Baker.

How are East Egg and West Egg contrasted?

East Egg represents old money; West Egg represents new money and imitation.

What early character flaw is revealed about Tom Buchanan?

Arrogance, limited intelligence, and racist beliefs.

What symbol appears in Nick's first view of Gatsby?

The green light at the end of Daisy's dock, symbolizing longing and dreams.

How does Nick perceive Daisy's personality?

Charming yet wistful, insincere at times.

What is the "valley of ashes," and what does it symbolize?

A desolate industrial area between West Egg and New York City, symbolizing moral decay and social neglect.

Who lives in the valley of ashes, and what is their connection to Tom?

Myrtle Wilson and her husband George; Myrtle is Tom's mistress.