Gatsby Context

F.Scott Fitzgerald

• Went to Princeton, but struggled academically and only enjoyed writing

• He wanted to live life intensely and write emotionally, like the romantic poets

• Dropped out of University in 1917 to join the war

• Fell in love with Zelda who refused to marry him until he had more money

• Zelda wanted him to write more short stories as they brought more money, but FSF wanted to be a serious writer

• They rented a house near Great Neck, Long Island

• The Great Gatsby was his third novel

• He and Zelda partied wildly and he drank too much

1920s America

• The population doubled in the 50 years prior to the novel’s publication

• Ideas relating to brand, need and fashion grew

• In 1920s USA was a predominantly urban nation for the first time

• There was a huge economic boom due to new industries, bringing new inventions to American homes

• Advertising industry began to flourish, adverts were put on billboards - consumer society

• Inflation and expensive good meant most people could not afford to buy goods outright, so credit cards became popular and debt was normalised

• 1% population controlled 50% of nations financial resources

• 5% population controlled 1/3 nations wealth by the end of the decade

• Population grew by 25%

• Nation’s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929