Introduction

F.Scott Fitzgerald had many friends,and one love in his life, Zelda. People were awestruck in their presence. He lived the themes of his novels and short stories. As you research for the answers to these questions in the given websites, note the similarities between Fitzgerald, Zelda, their friends and the characters in Gatsby. Does fiction imitate life?

Questions

1. Who were three of Fitzgerald's friends who were writers?
   What did they do for fun?
   
   
2. How old was Fitzgerald when he first published a novel?
   What was his first novel?
   Who was his first publisher?
   What college did Fitzgerald attend?
   What kind of grades did Fitzgerald make?
   
   
   
3. Describe Fitzgerald.
   Describe Zelda.
   Do they look like they held jobs? What was Fitzgerald's highest paying job?
   
   
4. What did Hemingway think of Scott? Where did these men meet?
   Were they life-long friends?
   
   
5. Where did Scott and Zelda live when they were in their 20's? What ages were Scott and Zelda in the 1920's?
   
   
6. When did Scott and Zelda begin to have marital trouble? How did Scott respond to these problems? How did Zelda respond to these troubles?
   
   
7. What are some details about Zelda that hint to her egocentric character?
   
   
8. What avocation did Zelda train for when she was in her 20's?
   
   
9. What does the initial 'F' stand for in Fitzgerald's name?
   
   

The Internet Resources

• University of South Carolina Homepage on Fitzgerald
• Pictures from Fitzgerald's life
• The Legend of Zelda
• Quotes by or about F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Biography of Fitzgerald
• Biography of Fitzgerald
• Zelda Fitzgerald's papers
• F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The couple's biography

The Big Question

Fitzgerald writes about people who are unreal to people in this generation on one level, but in some ways just like us. What aspects of his characters keep people interested in reading his works one hundred years after his birth? Give your opinion and support it with at least three examples from Fitzgerald's text.