Born on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald was raised in an upper-middle-class family. He showed a talent for writing at a young age and pursued his passion throughout his life.
Fitzgerald’s first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920), was a success and catapulted him to fame. It depicted the post-World War I generation, capturing the spirit of young Americans during the Jazz Age.
Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby became Fitzgerald’s most famous work. It’s a tragic story of love, ambition, and the American Dream, set against the backdrop of the roaring 1920s. Today, it is considered a cornerstone of American literature.
A recurring theme in Fitzgerald’s work is the disillusionment with the American Dream. In The Great Gatsby, the pursuit of wealth and status leads to tragedy, reflecting the darker side of ambition.
Fitzgerald’s tumultuous relationship with his wife, Zelda Sayre, heavily influenced his writing. Their passionate yet troubled marriage became a symbol of the Jazz Age’s excesses and the challenges of fame.
Fitzgerald is often called the “chronicler of the Jazz Age.” His works capture the vibrant, carefree spirit of the 1920s, while also revealing the emptiness and moral decay beneath the surface of the era.
Despite his literary success, Fitzgerald faced financial difficulties throughout his life. He struggled to balance the demands of writing with his lavish lifestyle and Zelda’s health issues, leading to personal and professional challenges.
Fitzgerald’s later works, including Tender Is the Night and unfinished The Last Tycoon, reflect a deeper sense of loss and the decline of his own personal and professional life. These works garnered mixed reviews but have since been re-evaluated as important contributions to his legacy.
Though Fitzgerald died in 1940 at the age of 44, his works continue to resonate with readers worldwide. His exploration of love, ambition, and the human condition makes him one of the most enduring voices in American literature.