Francis Scott Fitzgerald Essay, Research Paper

OUTLINE

Thesis: Francis S. Fitzgerald was a talented writer; his only flaw was that he liked the

combination of alcohol and the night life.

I. Introduction

A. Birth

1. September 24, 1896

2. St. Paul, Minnesota

B. Family

1. Edward and Mary Fitzgerald

2. Zelda Sayre and Frances S. Fitzgerald

C. Early Life and Education

1. St. Paul?s Academy

2. Newman Catholic Prep School

3. Princeton University

4. Fitzgerald joins the Army

5. Fitzgerald meets Zelda Sayre

D. Influences

1. Zelda Sayre and Father Sigourney Fay

2. How Fitzgerald?s life influenced his novels

E. Major works

1. This Side of Paradise

2. The Beautiful and the Dammed

3. The Great Gasby

4. The Last Tycoon

F. Death

1. December 21, 1940

2. Hollywood

II. Tender is the Night

A. Setting

1. June, 1925

2. The French Riviera

B. Characters

1. Dick Diver

2. Nicole Diver

3. Rosemary Hoyt

4. Devereux Warren

5. Baby Warren

6. Tommy Barban

7. Other Characters

C. Action

1. Nicole?s secret

2. Dick and Nicole Warren?s marriage

3. Dick Warren?s fall

D. Theme:

A brief history of the Warrens

E. Point of View:

The second person?s point of view

F. Figures of Speech

1. The metaphor behind the murder of the Englishman

2. The metaphor behind the title of the film Daddy?s Girl

III. Critics:

The character Rosemary Hoyt

IV. This writer?s opinion

One of the most widely recognized writers of the 1920?s and 1930?s was Francis

Scott Fitzgerald (Beebe 339). He followed his dreams of being a writer, until he finally

succeeded. Francis Scott Fitzgerald was a talented writer; his only flaw was that he liked

the combination of alcohol and the nightlife (Coale 190). He spent his life writing and

trying to be happy with his wife, Zelda Sayre. His life served as a resource for his novels.

Perhaps writing about his life helped him deal with his grief.

Francis Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 24, 1896.

(Coale 190). Francis Scott was the only child of Edward Fitzgerald and Mary Mollie

McQuillan (Beebe 339). Fitzgerald was named after a distant member of his father?s

family (Beebe 339), who happened to be the author of ?The Star Spangled Banner?

(Bruccoli xix).

Edward Fitzgerald was the father of Francis S. Fitzgerald. Edward?s business, the

production of wicker furniture in St. Paul, Minnesota, failed. (Bruccoli xix). Due to this,

his family moved to Buffalo, New York, in 1908 (Bruccoli xix). In New York he became

a salesman for Procter & Gamble; in 1908 he was dismissed (Bruccoli xix). After his

dismissal they returned to St. Paul and moved in with Mary Mollie McQuillan?s mother

(Bruccoli xix). Her mother was an Irish immigrant who became wealthy as a wholesaler

grocer in St. Paul, Minnesota (Bruccoli xix).

When the family finally decided to stay in St. Paul, Minnesota, was when

Fitzgerald was encouraged to study at the St. Paul Academy (Beebe 339). From 1911 to

1913 Fitzgerald attended the Newman School, a Catholic prep school in New Jersey

(Bruccoli xix). Later he pursued a literary apprenticeship education at Princeton

University (Bruccoli xix). He showed no interest in his education; he preferred writing for

a show for the Triangle Club (Beebe 339). During his junior year he was placed on

academic probation (Beebe 339). At this time the United States joined World War I, and

Fitzgerald took the opportunity to drop out of school and accept a commission in the

Army (Beebe 339). Having time on his hands, he decided to revise a novel he had drafted

during his time at Princeton (Beebe 339-340). A New York publisher rejected the novel

(Bruccoli xix). In 1918, Fitzgerald met the lady who would later be his wife (Eble[13] ).

She was the daughter of a judge form Montgomery, Alabama (Eble [13] ). During 1919,

Fitzgerald was discharged form the Army (Bruccoli xx). He worked for and advertising

agency in New York (Bruccoli xx). It was at this time that Zelda broke their engagement

(Bruccoli xx). Fitzgerald was determined to earn money so that he could marry Zelda

(Beebe 340). Once his first novel, This side of Paradise, was finished, it was an instant

success (Beebe 340). One month later Francis Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre married

(Beebe 340). Their honeymoon was in New York City (Beebe 340). New York was the

perfect city for the young and popular couple. During their stay in New York they

indulged in all-night parties accompanied by alcohol (Beebe 340). They became a

scandalous couple in debt (Beebe 340). Fitzgerald found time to work on his writing;

since the success of his first novel, he had easy access to the popular magazines of the time

(Beebe 340). In 1921, Frances Scott Fitzgerald, daughter of Francis Scott Fitzgerald, was

born (Eble [14] ). After the birth of their daughter, Francis S. Fitzgerald?s family lived

between America and Europe (Beebe 340). They became part of the lost generation of

American expatriates (Beebe 340).

As far as influences are concerned, Fitzgerald was first influenced by his parents to

enter St. Paul?s Academy in Minnesota (Beebe 339). Later, when he enrolled in the

Newman Catholic prep school, he was influenced by Father Sigourney Fay, who

encouraged his ambitions and personal achievements (Bruccoli xix). When Fitzgerald fell

in love with Zelda Sayre he began to write his first novel to try to earn enough money to

marry the young and beautiful Zelda Sayre (Beebe 340). It may seem at times that

Fitzgerald used his own life to influence his novels. For example, in the novel This Side of

Paradise, Fitzgerald wrote about a wealthy young man form the mid-west who attended

Princeton (Beebe 340). The character in the novel was also a ladies? man who fell in love

with a woman who rejected him for another with more money (Beebe 340). In relation to

the novel, Francis Scott Fitzgerald was from Minnesota, his family inherited a fortune, and

he too attended Princeton (Bruccoli xix). In his life, Zelda Sayre broke off their

engagement, to marry him later after his success with his first novel (Beebe 340). The

similarities between the novel and his life resemble an almost exact coincidence, therefore

showing that Fitzgerald portrayed his life in his novels.

It is considered that Fitzgerald?s first novel was his breakthrough, but not his best

work (Coale 190). The novel This Side of Paradise was immature work from a young and

talented writer (Coale 190). After the novel?s success, Fitzgerald?s work was easily

recognized and accepted (Coale 190). The novel This Side of Paradise described the life

of a young Armory Blaine, who came form the mid-west and attended Princeton (Meyers

57). The character falls in love with a woman who rejects him for another with more

money (Beebe 340). The novel reflects a bit on Fitzgerald?s life. The novel was a success

for Fitzgerald; it gave him recognition.

The next novel that Fitzgerald wrote was The Beautiful and the Damned in 1922

(Meyers 85). The novel describes a young wealthy man who is an alcoholic, and his life is

torn apart (Beebe 340). In the novel, Anthony Patch lives a luxurious life without much

work (Meyers 86). After going into debt, he marries the young Gloria Gilbert to save his

financial state (Meyers 87). Gloria Gilbert marries him, but is not happy (Meyers 87).

Due to this she is led to Joseph Bloechman (Meyers 126). This novel was also based

partially on Scott and Zelda?s life. Scott acquired his wealth through his first novel, ?This

Side of Paradise? (Beebe 340). In real life Fitzgerald and his wife were unhappy in their

marriage (Meyers 72). This novel was an improvement in Fitzgerald?s writing (Beebe

340).

On April 10, 1925, The Great Gasby was published; this novel was F. Scott

Fitzgerald?s masterpiece (Coale 190). After his novel he was recognized to have literary

importance (Coale 190). This novel represents the time when Scott found out about

Zelda?s love for Jozan, which is similar to the characters of Tom and Daisy, when Daisy

fell in love with Gasby, and Tom found out (Meyers 126). The novel had love, mystery,

murder, and corruption, all that makes a wonderful story.

Fitzgerald?s last novel was the The Last Tycoon. During 1939, Fitzgerald began

to write the novel (Bruccoli 326). He was interrupted briefly, while writing scripts for

films. Francis Scott Fitzgerald had not finished the novel by the time he died on December

21, 1940 (Beebe 340). Edmund Wilson, a college friend from Princeton, edited writings

from the novel the The Last Tycoon and published them in ?The Crack Up? (Beebe 341).

This novel marks the end of Francis S. Fitzgerald?s career as a writer.

By 1930, Fitzgerald suffered from physical exhaustion, due to working hard and

partying (Beebe 340). At this time his wife Zelda suffered a nervous breakdown; she was

required to be institutionalized in a Swiss sanitarium (Beebe 340). Her incurable

schizophrenia left her incapable of leading a normal life (Beebe 340). In 1937, Fitzgerald

moved to Hollywood, where he wrote unsuccessful scripts (Beebe 340). An important

strength in his final years was the love of Sheila Graham, but unfortunately their love came

too late (Beebe 340). Francis Scott Fitzgerald died on December 21, 1940, of a heart

attack (Beebe 340). His wife had to be in and out of mental institutions until her death in

a hospital fire in Ashevelle, North Carolina, in 1947 (Beebe 340). The 1930?s is believed

to have been the downfall of Fitzgerald?s life and career as a writer (Beebe 340).

As the reader can see, Francis Scott Fitzgerald was a talented writer. He wrote

several novels before perfecting his masterpiece The Great Gasby (Coale 190). The fact

that he drank and partied severely affected his writing potential (Coale 190). Also his

wife? illness worried him and at the same time threatened him and his writing (Coale 190).

The story Tender is the Night begins in June, 1925, on the beach of the French

Riviera. The beginning of the story takes place in the Gausse?s Hotel. This hotel is

owned by a friend of the Divers. It remains open off season to accommodate the Divers

friends. The story also, takes place in the Villa Diana in the upper Riviera. Villa Diana is

a house reconstructed by the Divers.

Dick Diver is one of the central characters; he is a young American psychiatrist.

He was educated at Yale University. Dick?s family is from Virginia. Dick is supposed to

cure Nicole of her illness, but he falls in love with her and marries her before she is cured.

Nicole Diver is a young and beautiful American from Chicago, Illinois. Her father,

Devereux Warren, committed incest; therefore, Nicole is being treated by Dick for her

mental illness. Rosemary Hoyt is an American actress, who is in love with Dick Diver.

She had succeeded in Hollywood films; one film in particular was Daddy?s Girl. Devereux

Warren is Nicole and Baby Warren?s father. They are a wealthy family from Chicago,

Illinois. He abused his daughter Nicole, and then took her to a psychiatrist to treat her

illness. Baby Warren is the wealthy unmarried sister of Nicole Warren. She did not like

the idea of Dick and Nicole getting married. Tommy Barban is a friend of the Divers?

who seduces and then marries Nicole. The rest of the characters are not central, but they

help build the suspense of the story.

The action of the story begins with the reason why Nicole was taken to a

psychiatrist t be treated. The effects of the events led her to her illness. Dick was the

doctor who would help her overcome her illness. The reason for Nicole?s illness was that

her father had abused her after her mother?s death. Nicole was a young and beautiful

woman; Dick found himself in love with her. Due to this, Dick decided to marry her, but

he did it before she was cured. This led Nicole to feel that Dick was not only her doctor,

but her husband too. This event would cause conflicts in their marriage.

After Nicole and Dick?s marriage came wonderful things for Dick, such as a more

elite class of patients, a better location for his business, and overall success. They both

enjoyed the luxuries that money can buy. Baby Warren objected to this marriage; she did

not think that Nicole was ready. Dick and Nicole stayed together for six years; in these

years they had two children Lanier and Topsy, a boy and a girl.

Dick Diver?s downfall was that he had an interest in money. He was the father

figure to Nicole, her physician, and her husband. This eventually overwhelmed him. By

the end of the story Dick and Nicole get a divorce. Nicole marries Tommy Barban and

stays in Europe. As for Dick, he returns to the United States where he moves around

from place to place. He kept in touch with Nicole from time to time to see his children.

The story explains the life of a young and talented psychiatrist who marries one of

his patients. She was a wealthy woman who had been abused by her father. They loved

each other deeply, but Dick always treated Nicole as his patient. Then Dick has an affair

with Rosemary Hoyt, a young and beautiful actress. He never wanted to be with her, until

one day she finally seduced him. Rosemary had been in love with Dick, since she saw him

one day at the beach. Nicole then later falls in love with Tommy Barban she and Dick

finally divorce. Then she marries Tommy. Rosemary would seem to marry one of her

leading men in a film later in the story. As for Dick, he would later live with a woman in

the United States.

The point of view of the story is seen through Rosemary?s view. The narration is

done in the second person?s point of view.

The first figure of speech is the metaphor that the Englishman?s murder brings to

the story. The fact that Maria Wallis murdered her lover will affect other relationships

between other men and women in the novel.

The second metaphor is the fact that incest appears in the story by Nicole?s father

towards her, it is emphasized by the title of the film Daddy?s Girl. Also, seen in the way

Dick Diver was involved with Nicole and Rosemary, two young women who saw Dick as

a father figure.

The only critic about the novel is why Fitzgerald chooses Rosemary Hoyt to be the

first character to appear in the story. This led the reader to believe that she will be a

central character, which in fact, she was not.

The novel Tender is the Night is well written novel. Fitzgerald used events in his

life to influence his writing, such as in this novel. The characters of Dick Diver and Nicole

Diver somehow resemble Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre. Dick Diver resembles Fitzgerald by

being young and talented. Nicole Diver resembles Zelda Sayre by both being the force

that held them back.

583

Beebe, Maurice. ?Francis Scott Fitzgerald?.

Encyclopedia Americana. Deluxe Library

Ed. 1996.

Bruccoli, Matthew J., and Judith Baughman. A Life

in Letters: F. Scott Fitzgerald. New York.

Simon & Schuster Inc. 1994.

Coale, Samuel Chase. ?Francis Scott Fitzgerald?.

The World Book Encyclopedia. Scott Fetzer

Company, 1996.

Eble, Kenneth. F. Scott Fitzgerald. New York.

Twayne Publishers Inc, 1963.

Meyers, Jeffrey. Scott Fitzgerald: A Biography.

New York. Harper Collins Publishers Inc,

1994.