Question

discuss how understanding F. Scott Fitzgerald’s real life is key to understanding The Great Gatsby. How did he use his own life experiences in plotting and writing the novel?

Answer 1

Some parallels between Fitzgerald and Gatsby:
-Fitzgerald's love interest was a woman named Zelda. She rejected him because he was not in the same class as she was. Gatsby's love interest was Daisy
-Fitzgerald lived in Great Neck, Long Island; similarly, Gatsby lived in West Egg, Long Island. Both were home to many wealthy people during the 1920's, and scholars have drawn comparisons between Great Neck and West Egg.
-Gatsby and Fitzgerald both met love interests at dances, and both while stationed in the army.
-After meeting Daisy, Gatsby left for the war and they never got back together again. After meeting Zelda, Fitzgerald left to try and earn enough money to marry Zelda.
-Both Fitzgerald and the characters of the Great Gatsby were caught in the 1920's party scene, a world of rich people with complex love interests and way more problems than anyone knew.

Those are just some ideas for the ways that Fitzgerald drew on his own life experiences to craft "The Great Gatsby."