Most of us may think of The Great Gatsby in connection with F. Scott Fitzgerald, but Fitzgerald wrote over 160 short stories during his 20-year career and many reflected the post-World War I era’s newfound prosperity, consumerism, and shifting sexual mores—the period known as “the Jazz Age.” In our 8-week course, we will explore 24 of these pieces as well as examine the life of Fitzgerald and its impact on his writing. A tragic figure, it is said that Fitzgerald’s fiction seems to be anticipating his life, and we will look for these connections as we explore this 20th century American writer.
Each week will include about a 15-20 minute presentation followed by discussion of three short stories. Guided reading questions will be provided. Occasionally I may use articles found online. Weekly preparation time should be about 1 ½ hours.