F. Scott Fitzgerald Background Research

  • F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Birth

    F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Birth
    F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota.
  • Education at Princeton University

    F. Scott Fitzgerald attended Princeton university, where he wrote for the college’s literary magazine and began to develop his writings skills.
  • World War I Service

    Fitzgerald enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 during World War I but never saw combat.
  • Meeting Zelda Sayre

    Meeting Zelda Sayre
    Fitzgerald met Zelda Sayre, a Southern debutante, in 1918. Their relationship would become one of the most famous in literary history.
  • The Jazz Age and the Lost Generation

    Fitzgerald became a central figure in the Jazz Age and was associated with the “Lost Generation” of American writers.
  • Struggles with Alcoholism

    Fitzgerald’s struggles with alcoholism began to worsen during the 1920s, affecting both his personal life and professional output.
  • Publication of “This Side of Paradise”

    Publication of “This Side of Paradise”
    Fitzgerald’s debut novel, This Side of Paradise, was published in 1920. It was a huge success and locked in his literary reputation, making him a celebrity.
  • Marriage to Zelda Sayre

    Fitzgerald married Zelda Sayre on April 3, 1920, in a high-profile wedding in New York.
  • Birth of Daughter

    Birth of Daughter
    Fitzgerald and Zelda had their only child, Frances Scott Fitzgerald (nicknamed Scottie), born on October 26, 1921.
  • Publication of “The Beautiful and the Damned”

    Publication of “The Beautiful and the Damned”
    Fitzgerald’s second novel, The Beautiful and the Damned, was published in 1922.
  • Publication of “The Great Gatsby”

    Publication of “The Great Gatsby”
    Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby on April 10, 1925. Although it was not immediately successful, it later became regarded as one of the greatest American novels.
  • Zelda’s Mental Health Issues

    Zelda was diagnosed with schizophrenia in the early 1930s, and her mental health deteriorated, leading to multiple stays in psychiatric hospitals.
  • Publication of “Tender Is the Night”

    Publication of “Tender Is the Night”
    Fitzgerald published Tender Is the Night on April 12, 1934. The novel was semi-autobiographical and focused on the complexities of marriage and mental illness.
  • Move to Hollywood

    In 1937, Fitzgerald moved to Hollywood to work as a screenwriter, which was a financially strained period for him, as his work was not particularly successful in the film industry.
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Death

    F. Scott Fitzgerald died of a heart attack on December 21, 1940, at the age of 44 in Hollywood, California.