Gcontext pmt Flashcards
what was fitzgeralds early life like?
Fitzgerald was raised in minnesota and went to a new jersey boarding boarding school in 1911., Fitzgerald came from a middle-class background, with a father who struggled financially and a mother from a wealthier family. He had a sense of longing for social status, much like the character of Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, who also comes from a modest background and is drawn to the world of wealth and privilege.
he was not very academic but still manage to egt enrolled at princeton university.
when and why did he join the army?
he dropped out of university to join the army towards the end of ww1 in 1917. in the war he was promoted to second luteient and met his wife zelda 17. zelda is southern and he was rejected form army first time.
why did zelda marry him?
Instead, their marriage was likely driven by their intense romantic connection, shared ambition, and the allure of Fitzgerald’s literary success, which matched her own desire for excitement, status, and a life of cultural prominence. Zelda was also drawn to the idea of living the glamorous, bohemian lifestyle that Fitzgerald’s fame and their relationship promised. his newfound fame and wealth played a role in their decision to marry.
how was fitzgerald similar to gatsby?
his alcholism and his extragent lifestyle, with all the riches and fame, the fitzgeralds fell into a reckless wild lifestyle of parties and hedonism. also zelda and daisy
why did zelda and fitzgerlad fight?
whilst fitzgerald was working himeslef out fo debt, zelda had an affair which was described by the novel tender is the night and her novel save me the waltz. fitzgerald romantic dreams were crushed, they continued to be together
how did the great gatsby change fitzgerlads life? how did it affect his marriage?
Gained more wealth and fame. That year was when its their relationship was the most turbulent. Zelda returned to ballet and seeing a famous dancer flirt with fitzgerlad she threw herself down the stairs. Most of their socila outing reuslted in voilence. they argued in a hotle room and she burnt her clothes in the bath.
what was zelda like?
in 1930, zelda suffered her first nervous breakdown, and after two years she suffered another. after she recovered they ended their relationship .
what was the fitzgerald doing in his last few years?
he continued to write thrughout his thirtees despite his alcholism. he left for hollywood to write screenplays and he got a new wife who was a succesful hollywood journalism.
when did he die?
in 1940, while working on a novel, he died of a heart attack. they believed alcoholism was triggered by alcoholism.
first world war
the war shook alot of people, twenties was a time of growth and prosperity with a lot of cynicism and corruption, this gave birth to the jazz age a time of hedonism and fastpaced care-free.
how are gatsby and nick similar?
the extravagence of gatsby’s parties the lavish and golden decade. ‘old money’ ruled whilst ‘new money’ that bear the brunt of the ruthlessness of the ‘old money.’
what is the lost generation?
gertrude stein, an american writer, referred to the post-ww1 world. this is the generation that felt powerless and saw life as pointless in the aftermath the great war. these feelings of loss and emptiness are filled with alcohol and indulgence.
what is flappers?
many of fitzgerald’s short stories give an insight into the world of youthful hedonism and young liberated women called flappers.
what were flappers like?
they subverted social and gender norms with the short skirts, short hair, bold makeup. in addition, the 19th amendmant enacted in 1920s gave women rights to vote and thus their independence provided neccesary.
how did women re-invent themselves in the 20’s?
- they gave up wearing corsets and (to look masculine and childless
who is the flapper in gatsby?
Both Jordan and Baker are names of cars which suggest her lack of femininity. She subverts all traditions of femeninity in her job as a profesional golfer. she is unmarried and childless. shes daisy’s literary foil.
what is the american dream?
the american dream was when america was advertised as ‘the land of opportunity’ to settlers, a place where if u worked hard you could be succesful and wealthy regardless of your social background.
what did fitzgerald do with the american dream?
Fitzgerlad and a group of other writers beleived the american dream was boiled down to the pursuit of wealth. he ironically wrote about widespread materialism
who personifies the american dream in gatsby?
Gatsby personifies the american dream, the personifies the verve that the american dream inspires in american society, interestingly he does not achieve the american dream despite being more invested in it’s promise than other characters. Whilst gatsby became wealthy, daisy is a proxy for wealth and the american dream
who is an example of the failed american dream?
myrtle is an exmaple of the failed american dream, she showcases the lower class desire and ‘frenetic quest for wealth.’ she clings on to the american dream whose cold/hard metal life hit her. Gatsby’s car symbolises the american dream as it is associated with restlessness and power. myrtle’s death is a product of the AD.
what was media and mass market like in the roaring 20’s?
The great gatsby is written against the backdrop of exponential growth in commodities available for purchase.
what did the eyes of dr t. eckleberg represnt?
the eyes of dr t eckleburg symbolised the power of advertising in the 1920s america and also tensions between reality and appearence. the odl billboard was also a symbol of religion.
how were the eyes of dr t eckleburg seen as a religious symbol.
George Wilson when myrtles dies remarks that ‘god sees everything’ whilst ‘looking into the eyes of dr t eckleburg’ chapter 8. perhaps if god is an advertisment then capitlaism is religion for gatsby and his friends.
who was watching over the charcaterers and judges their decisions in this novel?
The eyes of dr t eckleburg looks over the valley of ashes perhaps judging people like God did. Dr t Eckleburg represnts the ill that capitalism gave birth to in American society. Fitzgerald’s use of advirtisment as a proxy for God exposes America’s dimished faith in conventional religion and divinity.
