Memorable works of F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. He is best known for his depiction of grandiosity and extravagance of the Jazz Age in his works. Interestingly, it was Fitzgerald himself, who coined the term ‘Jazz Age’ and used it for the first time in his short story collection ‘Tales of the Jazz Age’ (1922). It could be described as the period in the 1920s and 1930s in which jazz music and dance gained nationwide popularity in the US.Though Fitzgerald’s literary career was short-lived and spanned for only twenty years (1920-1940), he managed to produce some outstanding works. His novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925) is widely praised and often labelled as the “Great American Novel”. Today, on his 124th birth anniversary, here’s a look at some memorable works by F. Scott Fitzgerald.1. This Side of Paradise (1920)The debut novel of Fitzgerald, it talks about the aftermath of World War I and examines the lives and morality of the post-war American youth. Its protagonist is Amory Blaine, an attractive student studying at Princeton University. The main theme prevalent in the novel is love distorted by greed and status-seeking.2. The Beautiful and Damned (1922)The novel presents the elite society of New York and its café culture during the Jazz Age and after World War I. Similar to many of Fitzgerald’s novels, the characters in this novel are materialistic, money-minded, and complex. Moreover, they struggle with marriage and intimacy.

3. The Great Gatsby (1925)The novel is set in the 1920s New York and centres on Jay Gatsby. It examines the American culture and the corrupting influence of money. At a time when money is above everything, the novel presents Gatsby as the only person who remains unaffected by it.

4. Tender is the Night (1934)It is the final novel that Fitzgerald completed. It is a novel based on the rise and fall of Dick Diver, a promising young psychiatrist, and his wife, Nicole, who is also one of his patients. Actually, the novel mirrors Fitzgerald’s and his wife, Zelda’s life while she was hospitalized for schizophrenia. 5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (1922)It is a short story which was initially published in Collier’s Magazine. It revolves around a boy, Benjamin, who is born with the physical appearance of an 80-year-old man. The story was later adapted into the 2008 namesake film and the 2019 stage musical. 6. Winter Dreams (1922)It is also a short story which was first published in Metropolitan Magazine. It was based upon Fitzgerald’s unsuccessful romantic pursuit of socialite Ginevra King. As per critics, it is one of Fitzgerald’s finest works “for poignantly portraying the loss of youthful illusions.” 7. Babylon Revisited (1931)The short story is based on Fitzgerald’s own experiences and is set in the year after the stock market crash of 1929. Furthermore, it depicts many references to the Great Depression and how it affected the central character of the story.