Reading 1001 discussion

Critics and scholars see Tender Is the Night as partially autobiographical, tracing F. Scott's and Zelda's marriage. Do a little research and discuss how the book parallels the Fitzgeralds' own lives.

Even though the novel was initially based upon the relationship of the author's friend, the characters of Dick and Nicole seem to resemble F. Scott and Zelda more and more as the novel progresses. Zelda herself was diagnosed with schizophrenia around the time that the book was written and had many of the same traits and interests as Nicole. Fitzgerald also battled alcoholism and was unfaithful in his marriage to Zelda. Rosemary may have been based on a 17-year old silent film star named Lois Moran that Fitzgerald may have had an affair with.

I am inspired to learn more about Fitzgerald after reading this book. I also now want to watch the Amazon series Zelda.

It does, Zelda was hospitalized for schizophrenia. Fitzgerald was struggling with his own devils.

Dick, the glamorous, effortless host, descends into alcoholism and loses his glamour after an affair with a young actress. Nicole suffers from mental illness but recovers, with Dick's help and forms a new relationship. Fitzgerald, the glamorous effortless writer, descends into alcoholism and writes short stories rather than novels to pay for the hospitalisation for his wife's mental illness. Zelda gets worse after Fitzgerald's affair with a young actress. Maybe Nicole's outcome is what Fitzgerald would have wished for Zelda?