Alcoholism In The Great Gatsby

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The novel, “The Great Gatsby” emulated much of F. Scott Fitzgerald's life. Including Fitzgerald’s marital problems, opinions about alcoholism, and Fitzgerald's desires for success.The correlations between “The Great Gatsby” and F. Scott Fitzgerald are undeniable. We suddenly see life experiences become fiction.

There are many parallels between Scott Fitzgerald’s life and his novel, “The Great Gatsby.” One likeness that is shown, is between the fictional character, Jay Gatsby and the author, Fitzgerald. Both, whom desperately wanted to attain wealth and success. For Fitzgerald, he always had this longing that one day he would be a famous author and he would be able to flourish in his wealth. For the fictional character, Jay Gatsby, it wasn’t …show more content…
Which both Jay Gatsby and Scott Fitzgerald had different views on. Jay Gatsby for instance, was a non-alcoholic. Throughout the novel, Gatsby had many extravagant parties, with an inconceivable amount of alcohol. Although there was booze, he never drank any of it. We also learn, that part of Gatsby’s early life, he dealt with people that were drunk all the time. And with that, Gatsby saw how it affects someone. But unlike Gatsby, Fitzgerald was a heavy alcoholic: “First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.”(10cities/10years) Although, Fitzgerald did attempt abstinence when his health was beginning to deteriorate. But the pull towards alcohol was too great. The joy that came from being inebriated was too thrilling for Scott Fitzgerald and there was no stopping it: “here's to alcohol, the rose colored glasses of life!” (Bio) Gatsby’s attempts to stay away from alcohol, was a way for Fitzgerald to try and stop drinking. To live a life without being intoxicated all the time and not lie to himself and others about his drinking problem. It was almost like Fitzgerald’s escape from alcohol. In way, Fitzgerald wanted to become the man that had a dislike for alcohol, like his fictional character Jay
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