Fitzgerald quiz Flashcards
Where and when was F. Scott Fitzgerald born?
He was a Catholic boy who was born in September 24th 1896 in a small town Midwestern town of Saint Paul Minnesota
What sort of upbringing did he have?
The son of an alcoholic failure from Maryland and an adoring, intensely ambitious mother, he grew up acutely conscious of wealth and privilege—and of his family’s exclusion from the social elite
What were his parents’ like–class status of each?
-His father was not much of a businessman
-In 1908 he was fired from a sales job
-Was not successful in life/broke
-Couldn’t Rebound after this
-His mother came from a wealthy family
from Saint Paul minnesota
How did his upbringing impact his plans for his future?
-It affected his upbringing because he was aware of what wealth looked like, but also through his father he knew what failure looked like.
-This made him not want to be a failure
like his father but rather be successful
and rich
What talent did F. Scott Fitzgerald have in life?
He had a talent for writing poems and stories
Which prestigious university did F. Scott Fitzgerald attend?
After graduating from Newman highschool in 1917 he went on to go to Princeton college
What kind of college student was Fitzgerald? Explain.
-He tried out for the football team but was cut due to his weight
-Joined the Triangle club and the writing program
-Used his writing skills to impress his peers
-Had a drinking problem
-Places on academic probation due to the fact that he spent more time making plays and his excessive drinking
-He then withdrew from Princeton University in 1917
When did Fitzgerald enlist in the army? What happened?
-Fitzgerald joined the Army in 1917
-He enlisted because he had failed his chance at Princeton and now has another chance to be a success and be named a “War Hero”
-The war was over before he even got the chance to fight in the war
Who is Zelda Sayre? Where did Fitzgerald meet her? What attracted him to her?
-Zelda Sayre was 17 years old
- an infatuation about her that all men liked her
-Was a southern belle
-Was not the typical prim and proper Southern belle; She was wild
-At 17 she was already smoking, drinking, and driving
-Fitzgerald and Zelda met at a dance in the Montgomery country club in 1918
-Zelda Sayre was a vivacious and free-spirited woman, and she had a charm of her that made her be the “Golden girl”
How is Zelda Sayre described? What is meant by the description of her as “The Golden Girl”?
-Zelda Sayre is described as a southern belle
although she was not the typical prim and proper Southern belle; She was wild at 17 she was already smoking, drinking, and driving
-The description of the Golden Girl means a girl that every man wants but cannot have
Why did Zelda, at first, refuse to marry F. Scott Fitzgerald? What changed her mind?
Zelda refused at first to marry R.Scott Fitzgerald because he was not making enough money for the both of them. After she changed her mind because he made a book that was very successful and made a lot of money which is why she decided to marry him because he was now financially stable.
What sort of marriage did they have? Note some of the hardships they experienced.
-Married Zelda in April 3rd 1920 in St.Patrick’s cathedral because he was now wealthy and famous
-Partied a lot
-Huge alchoholics
-February 1921 Zelda became pregnant and only had one daughter
-Named her after her father: princess Scott -Fitzgerald: October 16 1921
What was life like in Europe for the Fitzgerald’s?
-He moved to France Europe in spring of 1924
lived in France for about five to eight years
-He was very alcoholic mostly partied, and even became a mad alcoholic
-He wrote The Great Gatsby during the summer and fall in Valescure near St. Raphael, but the marriage was damaged by Zelda’s involvement with a French naval aviator.
What sort of reviews did Fitzgerald’s novels receive when they were first published?
1.This Side of Paradise
2.Tender is the Night
3.The Great Gatsby
-First novel he wrote was in 1920:
-This side of paradise
-It was completely sold out by the end of
the day
-A big success
-Considered very risque
-talked about crazy teenage life (illuting
to how his life was when he was a
teenager)
-The Second book he wrote was in 1934:
-Tender is the Night
-It had to do with a physiatrist that
married one of his wealthy but mentally
disturbed patients (reflects his life with
zelda whom was diagnosed as
schizophrenic at the time)
-The book did not sell due to the
depression
-The Great Gatsby was published in 1925
-Fitzgerald knew it was going to be his
greatest masterpiece
-It took a lot of drafts for it to be
published
-It failed to sell as well as his first two
novels→did not get great reviews
Who is Sheila Graham? What sort of relationship does she have with Fitzgerald?
-Fitzegreald first met Sheila Graham (a young hollywood gossip columnist) in a party where he was drinking soda in the corner
-Sheila and Ftizegerald became a couple
in June of 1937
Although during this time Fitzgerald was
still a married man meaning he was
having an affair
-Afterward when they were together he
became very alcoholic and would usually
have a lot of fights
