F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist and short-story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age-a term he popularized in his short story collection Tales of the Jazz Age.
During his lifetime, he published four novels, four story collections, and 164 short stories. Although he achieved temporary popular success and fortune in the 1920s, Fitzgerald received critical acclaim only after his death and is now widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.
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Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1896. He attended Princeton University, where he befriended future literary critic Edmund Wilson. Owing to a failed romantic relationship with Chicago socialite Ginevra King, he dropped out in 1917 to join the United States Army during World War I.
After the war, Fitzgerald returned to Princeton and finished his degree. He then moved to New York City, where he began to write short stories for magazines.
In 1920, he published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, which was a critical and commercial success. The novel introduced the character of Jay Gatsby, who would later become the protagonist of Fitzgerald's most famous novel, The Great Gatsby (1925).
In 1920, Fitzgerald married Zelda Sayre, a beautiful and talented young woman from Montgomery, Alabama. The couple became part of the expatriate community on the French Riviera, where they lived a lavish lifestyle. However, Zelda's mental health began to deteriorate, and she eventually suffered a mental breakdown.
Fitzgerald's own life was also troubled by alcoholism and financial problems. He continued to write, but his later novels, such as Tender Is the Night (1934), were not as successful as his earlier works. In 1937, he moved to Hollywood to write film scripts. He died of a heart attack in 1940 at the age of 44.
Family Overview
F. Scott Fitzgerald came from what seemed to be a wealthy family but had struggles.
His father battled alcoholism, which then was picked up by his son, who also battled the same thing for the rest of his life.
F. Scott Fitzgerald had a complicated relationship with his wife. In her later years, she suffered from mental illness.
He had a daughter who died in the 80s and was an adamant supporter of the Democrat party.
Family Tree Chart
Parents:
Edward Fitzgerald (1853 -1931) - Edward was a businessman and an alcoholic. He was born in Syracuse, New York, and he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, when he was a child. He struggled in business, but he was also a heavy drinker.
Mary McQuillan (1857-1932) - She is known for being the mother of American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald. Mary's family was established in St. Paul high society, with their family home located on 481 Laurel Avenue in the wealthy Summit Avenue neighborhood. She married Edward Fitzgerald, a businessman whose career was marred by failure. Mary’s family, the McQuillans, provided financial support for the family. This dynamic is said to have contributed to the themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novels.
Spouse:
Zelda Sayre (1900 - 1948) - She was an American novelist, painter, playwright, and socialite. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, to a wealthy Southern family, she became locally famous for her beauty and high spirits. In 1920, she married writer F. Scott Fitzgerald after the popular success of his debut novel, This Side of Paradise. The novel catapulted the young couple into the public eye, and she became known in the national press as the first American flapper. Due to their wild antics and incessant partying, she and her husband became regarded in the newspapers as the enfants terribles of the Jazz Age. Alleged infidelity and bitter recriminations soon undermined their marriage. After traveling abroad to Europe, Zelda's mental health deteriorated, and she had suicidal and homicidal tendencies, which required psychiatric care. Her doctors diagnosed Zelda with schizophrenia, although later posthumous diagnoses posit bipolar disorder.
Children:
Frances Scott Fitzgerald (1921 - 1986) - She was an American writer and journalist and the only child of novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. She matriculated from Vassar College and worked for The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and other publications. She became a prominent member of the Democratic Party.
Siblings:
Annabel Fitzgerald (1901 - 1987) - She married and had one child with her husband. She died a year after her niece passed away.