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Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, to a middle-class family. His birth marked the beginning of a life that would leave a lasting mark on American literature. -
Fitzgerald began attending Princeton University, where he developed a love for writing and literature. He struggled academically but became active in the college’s social scene and literary clubs. -
Fitzgerald enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War I, though he never saw combat. His experiences in the army, and the loss of his chance for a romantic relationship with Zelda Sayre, greatly impacted his later writing.
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Fitzgerald's debut novel, This Side of Paradise, was published and became an immediate success. It captured the disillusionment and confusion of post-World War I youth, making Fitzgerald famous.
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Fitzgerald married Zelda Sayre, a Southern belle, after a long courtship. Their tumultuous relationship would inspire much of his writing, though it also caused personal difficulties. -
Fitzgerald’s second novel, The Beautiful and Damned, was published. It explored themes of wealth, love, and moral decay, reflecting Fitzgerald’s own struggles with fame and fortune.
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Fitzgerald moved to Paris with Zelda in 1924, where he began writing The Great Gatsby. The novel would go on to become one of the most important works in American literature, though it was not immediately successful. -
Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby, which focused on the American Dream and the Jazz Age. Despite its lack of initial success, the novel would later be recognized as his masterpiece.
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Zelda Fitzgerald’s mental health worsened, leading to several hospitalizations. This strained their marriage and had a significant impact on Fitzgerald’s personal life and writing.
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Fitzgerald published Tender Is the Night, a semi-autobiographical novel about the breakdown of a marriage. The novel received mixed reviews but showed his deepening understanding of personal and social conflict. -
Zelda was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was admitted to a mental hospital. Fitzgerald’s own writing and health were deeply affected by the stress of her illness.
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Fitzgerald moved to Hollywood to work as a screenwriter. While he wrote several scripts, he struggled with the Hollywood lifestyle and found little professional success.
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Fitzgerald began writing The Last Tycoon, a novel about the movie industry, but he died before completing it. The unfinished manuscript was published posthumously and is often considered one of his last great works.
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After Fitzgerald's death, his works gained greater recognition. Today, he is considered one of the greatest American writers, with The Great Gatsby hailed as a classic of 20th-century literature.
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Fitzgerald died of a heart attack at the age of 44, largely due to the strain of his personal and professional life. By then, his works were largely forgotten, though they would later experience a revival.