F . Scott Fitzgerald’s life and the 1920s as a decade of hero worship in AmericaRYAN KEANE

Who was F. Scott Fitzgerald? (Key facts)

Fitzgerald was an American author who was born on 24th September 1896 in Minnesota. He died on the 21st December 1940 in Los Angeles.

Fitzgerald incorporated alcohol into almost all of his novels and works and many believe this to be because of his supposed alcoholism which caused his wife, Zelda Fitzgerald to endure a mental breakdown.

When he was aged 13, Fitzgerald attended the St. Paul Academy. Two years later at aged 15, his parents sent him to a Catholic school called Newman school.

He joined the US army. It was his experience in the army that lead him to write The Romantic Egotist which was originally rejected by publishers.

Fitzgerald and Alcohol

Fitzgerald was soon nicknamed ‘America’s drunkest writer’ by many individuals after his addictive relationship with alcohol was revealed.

Fitzgerald despised film work but recognising it as a profitable industry, he decided to become involved with it. He suffered from debt and in an attempt to maintain a better quality of life, he moved to Los Angeles in 1937, however alcohol interfered. By 1939, he lost his contract with Metro Goldwyn Mayer and was a frequent visitor to hospitals. Ernest Hemingway claimed that by the 1930s, Fitzgerald had ‘the persona of a washed-up alcoholic.’

He was fired from the production of Winter Dreams – an adaptation of one of his own short stories.

Just four days before Christmas in 1940, he suffered from a heart attack and died. Some claim it was down to excessive alcohol consumption and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Zelda Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda was a sufferer of mental health issues and like her husband, was consistently in and out of hospitals.

It was imposed that Zelda in fact had a romance with a French Pilot and she too accused her husband of adultery – with Ernest Hemingway.

F Scott and Zelda once lived in times of prosperity and hope but soon, due to economical and social situations such as the Great Depression, they experienced the decline of America and the austerity that followed.

Zelda died after being trapped in a hospital fire in 1948. Many people believe it was Zelda’s mental health issues that pushed

Fitzgerald into alcoholism and depression amongst other factors.

The Decade of Hero Worship

Celebrities and models had become the general idol and hero in this era. The 1920s possessed the nickname of the ‘age of heroes.’

In the 1920s, there was the introduction of national magazines and radio and also tabloids. Agents did not hesitate to push people into the limelight and to also give them recognition.

Movie star Clara Bow is reported to have received over 45,000 fan letters in a single week.

A Hollywood heartthrob called Rudolph Valentino died in 1926, several women actually committed suicide after being unable to cope with the tragedy.

There were also sport stars in the limelight. For example, Bobby Jones and Bill Tilden.

Clara Bow

The Idolisation of 1920s Stars

Many Americans fell in love with the celebrities and sport stars of the 1920s era because they sought after the luxurious lifestyle the stars were reported to have.

Celebrities were known for their glamour and lifestyle in this era and so for those who tried to emulate these stars, they too adopted the lifestyles they lead which included alcohol consumption and partying which lead to another nickname for the time period – the Roaring 20s.

Many people also became infatuated with these stars because of the power and status they possessed. Celebrities like Coco Chanel encouraged the movement of feminism and individuality and urged people to be their own person.