Literary Analysis of Fitzgerald

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Sam Joseph Mrs. Stratton English 11 20 May 2012 F. Scott Fitzgerald: Lost In His Winter Dreams It has been said that personal truth is best expressed through writing. In many cases this proves to be true. Whether or not what is written is autobiographical or fictional, the personal thought throughout the work is undeniable. This is especially true about legendary author F. Scott Fitzgerald. From a young age, Fitzgerald was plagued by his never ending desire for money, love, and popularity. His endless strive towards living a luxurious and elite social lifestyle and the effects of attempting to accomplish this led to the inspiration for his own classic literary works. Fitzgerald’s hopes and aspirations are best reflected in his shorter works such as “Winter Dreams” and “Bernice Bobs Her Hair.” In “Winter Dreams,” Fitzgerald writes about a young man named Dexter Green who from a young age wants to be wealthy and have the affections of the beautiful Judy Jones. He achieves the feat of attaining wealth and his dreams are kept alive so long as Judy Jones remains beautiful and unattainable by one man alone. In “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” a young, pretty yet dull girl named Bernice attempts to gain popularity by following the teachings of her more popular Cousin Marjorie. By doing this, Bernice easily gains the interest of all the boys that she speaks to. Consequently, Fitzgerald’s characters reflect who he was and what kind of person who he aspired to be. Similarly, the themes of his stories reflect his own aspirations and values that he wanted for himself. Lastly, the setting of each of his stories reflects the type of atmosphere Fitzgerald had a deep longing and love for. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s stories can be viewed as fictional assessments of the dreams and values of his own life. Fitzgerald’s characters in his fictional stories are key to understanding the
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