Alyssa Strauss 4th hour AP Lit 1/14/14

Compare and Contrast Essay

When reading novels written by such a well known author, its very distinct in seeing the similarities and differences in F. Scott Fitzgeralds work. The Great Gatsby and The Beautiful and Damned are two of the most popular novels in Fitzgeralds career. When comparing the two, we can understand the multiple similarities that lie within both pieces. The relationships, setting, and alcohol abuse in both novels are clearly alike. Most of the events that take place are even directly related to Fitzgeralds life. However, the central themes, symbolism, and time Fitzgerald wrote the novels contrasts. Recognizing these similarities and differences between two of Fitzgeralds greatest pieces of literature is key when making connections and understanding both novels. Fitzgerald was born in 1896 in Saint Paul, Minnesota to an upper-middle-class family. "Well, three months before I was born," he wrote, "my mother lost her other two children ... I think I started then to be a writer." (Fitzgerald, 184). After graduating from school in 1913, he decided to continue artistic development at Princeton University. He later dropped out 1917 to join the US Army. While enlisted, he met Zelda Sayre at a country club, whom he fell in love with. After the war ended, he got a job in advertising to convince Zelda to accept his marriage proposal. After some time, he was unable to convince her that he could support her, leading to the break off of their engagement.

Many pieces of literature written by Fitzgerald is an assumed reflection of his own life. He incorporates his own struggles and events into his characters and plots. These recurring themes give the reader a clear picture of his life and his relationship with Zelda. Since they are repeated so frequently, these come off to be parallel to Fitzgeralds life, and an essential piece of knowledge to understand while reading. One of the most obvious connections between The Great Gatsby and The Beautiful and Damned is that they are solely based on a relationship. The Beautiful and Damned is centered around Anthony and Gloria, who in turn resembled Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda. The Great Gatsby is a story on Gatsbys relationship with Daisy, as well as Toms relationship with Daisy. Both relationships involve a great amount of jealousy, causing them to ultimately fail. Both novels capture two relationships that are corrupted by their own selfish needs. Anthony and Tom also hold a lot of similarities. Fitzgerald crafts Anthony's character and describes his arrogance through the chapters. Anthony's lacking work ethic is based off of his interpretation that he is better than everyone, and that he is too smart for the world. Anthony feels as though he can do whatever he wants because he owes it to himself. Tom holds these same traits. He believes he is essentially smarter and brighter than everyone else because of his money, and allows himself to do un-morally right things to others because of his arrogance. Fitzgerald kept both novels settings in the Jazz Age. The Beautiful and Damned explores a New York Cafe Society in the 1920s. The Great Gatsby takes place in New York also, during the roaring 1920s. In both novels the people were rich, and had a lot of leisure time to consider what people thought of them socially. They are both right after World War I, when alcohol was in the middle of prohibition. This didnt stop two of the main characters from each book, however, to push through and use alcohol to help them.

Alcohol plays a huge part in both of the novels. Anthonys downfall of the novel The Beautiful and Damned was when he didnt receive his inheritance and fell into alcoholism as a vice to cope. In Anthonys eyes, he says Here's to alcohol, the rose colored glasses of life. (Fitzgerald, 87). Jay Gatsbys flaw to Tom Buchanan and other characters was that he came from new money, that he created being a bootlegger. He became rich with tons of fortune and beautiful things through his money he made illegally with alcohol. Both Tom and Anthony abused the alcohol and turned into different people while they were drinking. This caused problems for a lot of characters in both novels. The first thing that is noticeably different between the books is the time they were written. Fitzgerald published The Beautiful and Damned in 1922. It was his second novel out of the five novels that were published. The Great Gatsby followed three years later in 1925, making it his third novel published. The Beautiful and Damned has a recognizable theme of the presence of failure. Through each chapter, Anthony and Gloria find themselves overwhelmed by the depressive world that surrounds them. The Great Gatsby, however, is centered around the American Dream. The story is portrayed of skewed values and greed. The original American Dream was based on ideas, discovery, and the pursuit of happiness, but we learn throughout the novel those ideals are declining.