Francis Scott Fitzgerald

(1896-1940)

Belonged to the group of American writers known as a lost generation who:

a) rebelled against traditional values

b) found no goal worth fighting for

c) feeling of loneliness pervaded their looks

Coined the term “the Jazz Age”. It expressed the mood of insecurity and instability mixed with a desire to find an escape in pleasure – seeking

Main works:

“This Side of Paradise”

“The Beautiful and the Damned”

“The Great Gatsby”

“Tender is the Night”

“The Tales of the Jazz Age”

Themes:

In most of his works Scott Fitzgerald depicts:

a) the tragedy of disillusioned young men of the post war generation who have lost their ways in the inadequate world.

b) deteriorating effects of wealth on personality

Style:

ü rich elegant dense in metaphors, similes, symbols

ü has the evocative beauty of poetry

“The Great Gatsby” (1925)

Gatsby rises from rages to riches. His wealth and success had bought him neither love nor friendship.

Ernest Hemingway

(1899-1961)

ü one of the greatest American literary icons;

ü The Pulitzer Prize in 1952;

ü The Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954 for the development of the new style in literature;

ü Drew heavily upon his own personal experiences:

· involvement in the wars

· extensive travels

· love for the primitive emotions inspired by fishing, hunting, bull fighting;

ü introduced the idea of “lost generation”;

ü his characters are often like himself;

ü there are two basic types of characters close to the author: one is a “a man of code”: honest, brave, strong- an ideal hero; the other one is a lyric hero- feeling, emotional, suffering- but he doesn’t show up, we learn about his troubles through his behavior, not words;

ü -defeat is an integral part of the human condition.

Style:

ü is laconic;

ü iceberg principle: if the author knows the subject matter well, he shouldn’t give detailed descriptions as with an iceberg- only 1/9 is seen on the surface, the rest is under the water;

ü -the emphasis is put on inner dialogues, monologues and undercurrent (arresting and profound), human feelings and emotions which are not voiced out directly;

ü -the composition of his stories and novels is very clear, without any introductory parts or long descriptions.

Works:

“A Farewell to Arms”

“The Sun also Rises”

“The Snows of Kilimanjaro”

“For Whom The Bell Tolls”

“The Old Man and The Sea”