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Birth
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is born in St. Paul, Minnesota to parents Edward and Molly Fitzgerald. Picture shown depicts Fitzgerald's birthplace. -
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University
Fitzgerald attends Princeton. He focuses on growing his literary skill and contributes to the Princeton Tiger, a humor magazine. However, he neglects his academic duties. -
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The Army
Fitzgerald is placed on academic probation in 1917, afterwards joining the Army. During his time in the Army, he writes his first novel, "The Romantic Egotist," which is rejected by publishers. In1918, he is stationed in Montgomery, Alabama where he meets Zelda Sayer. He is discharged in 1919. -
Rewritten Novel
Fitzgerald goes back to St. Paul and re-writes "The Romantic Egotist", turning into "The Side of Paradise". Picture shown is the cover of the rewritten novel. The new novel centers around main character Amory Blaine and is set at Princeton. The novel pulls inspiration from Fitzgerald's own life. -
Broken Off Engagement
After being discharged from the Army, Fitzgerald goes to New York to marry Zelda only to discover that she has canceled the engagement due to his small salary. Picture shown is of Zelda Sayre. -
Novel Accepted by Publishers
Editor Maxwell Perkins of the Charles Scribner's Sons publishing company accepts Fitzgerald's rewritten novel. Picture shown is of Maxwell Perkins. -
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“The Side of Paradise” and Fitzgerald’s Marraige
“The Side of Paradise” is published in March of 1920. He marries Zelda Sayre a week later. -
First and Only Child is Born
The Fitzgerald move back to St. Paul for the birth of their only child, Frances Scott Fitzgerald, who is born in October 1921. Picture depicts Frances. -
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The Great Gatsby
The Fitzgeralds move to France in the spring of 1924, where Fitzgerald writes “The Great Gatsby”. Fitzgerald edits the book while in Rome in the fall and winter of 1924 to 1925, which is then published while the family is en route to Paris. The novel was highly praised but did not sell well. -
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Fitzgeralds in America
The Fitzgerald’s move back to America from France where they rent out a house in Delaware. This is for Fitzgerald to focus on writing and for Frances to train to be a professional dancer. They move back to France in 1929 after Frances’s intense ballet training damages her health. -
Zelda’s Health Declines
Zelda experiences a health breakdown in September of 1931 and is treated at a clinic in Switzerland. -
Fourth Novel
Fitzgerald finishes his fourth novel, “Tender is the Night”, in 1934. The novel depicts the relationship between an American psychiatrist and a wealthy mental patient, which draws inspiration from Fitzgerald’s own relationship at the time. Picture depicts the cover of the novel. -
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“The Crackup Years”
From 1936 to 1937, Fitzgerald develops an intense state of alcoholism and is unable to write commercial stories. -
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Fitzgerald and MGM
Fitzgerald moves to Hollywood alone in 1937 and works as a screenwriter with MGM until 1938. He goes from MGM to being a freelance scriptwriter for Esquire. -
Death
F. Scott Fitzgerald dies of a heart attack on December 24, 1940 while he is over halfway done with his novel, “The Live of the Last Tycoon”. Picture depicts Fitzgerald’s tombstone,