F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby have a lot in common when it comes to life stories, both had first loves they could never get while never having a proper education due to never finishing college. However, the reasons for not finishing are different. Fitzgerald was kicked out of college and asked to not return due to bad grades and attendance. They both were at war and wanted to move to New York to gain wealth so they could marry the woman they first loved. When they couldn’t marry their first loves, their life stories differed the most. Fitzgerald went on with life, continuing to write books and only focusing on his career until he met Zelda. Zelda and Fitzgerald were engaged once but Zelda ended it due to his lack of success in writing. Although the engagement ended they did end up getting married a week after he published his book “The Side of Paradise” and stayed married.
When Gatsby was in England, he decided to attend college in oxford but while attending he received a letter from Daisy that she married another man who comes from a rich family. When he found this out, he obsessed over making money and becoming rich to win her back no matter what it takes. He bootlegged alcohol to gain wealth and got a house across the bay from her throwing extravagant parties to get her attention and win her back. Which then led to his leading to his death in the end.
When you compare their life and where it went complete opposite it would make sense that Jay Gatsby’s life is what F. Scott Fitgerald’s life would have ended up being like if he never found Zelda. Fitzgerald may not have intended it, but he might believe he would have ended up like Gatsby if he kept going for his first love by only focusing on making money to win her back. It’s a remarkable story and could have such a deeper meaning and showing maybe the American dream ended for him in that moment making him feel betrayed and showing what an outcome of the American dream being presented to someone and ripped away in an instant.
