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The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940). Background Information The 1920’s. World War I ended in 1918 America becomes a stronger, more powerful nation after the war, people were full of energy had been in a repression due to a formerly poor economy

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The Great Gatsby

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  1. The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940)

  2. Background InformationThe 1920’s • World War I ended in 1918 • America becomes a stronger, more powerful nation • after the war, people were full of energy • had been in a repression due to a formerly poor economy • money was saved for possible hard times because of the war • now that the war was over, protest and violence followed • National prohibition and the “witch hunt” against anyone who disagreed with the majority of Americans provided fuel to keep the rebellion going.

  3. Prohibition (1919 – 1933) • the restricted sale and use of liquor • original purpose was to abolish saloons which were thought to be immoral and dangerous to society • brought about bootleggers • people who made and sold liquor illegally • they often ran drugstores and other “front” businesses just to sell liquor

  4. The Roaring Twenties • a carefree time of wild parties, illegal drinking, extravagant lifestyles • especially for the young people in America • a time of change in fashion and music • “The Jazz Age” • use of saxophone

  5. Literature of the 1920’s • also showed a mood of rebellion with alarming topics • more freedom in language and descriptions • new and freer attitudes toward the representation of sex

  6. F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography • born in St. Paul, Minnesota • spent four years at Princeton, left before graduating to join the army during WWI • first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920) an autobiographical piece that made him temporarily rich and famous • later in 1920, married Zelda Sayre • she was also an aspiring writer

  7. they lived an extravagant life in New York City and Fitzgerald tried to support them with writing • 1924 they moved to Europe • because it was cheaper to live there • he met Ernest Hemingway • published The Great Gatsby (1925) which was a critical success but not a financial success

  8. problems: • debts • alcoholism • first of Zelda’s mental breakdowns (1930) • returned to U.S. and wrote Tender is the Night (1934) which led to his own breakdown • wrote screen plays for Hollywood (1937-1940) • Zelda confined to a mental hospital in North Carolina

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