The Beautiful and Damned, published in 1922, is one of five novels written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Anthony Patch and Gloria Gilbert are a couple living in the exciting 1910s. Yet, they suffer from many problems from the many mistakes they made. As time goes on and what love they had for each other wears off, any personal victories they could've achieved only slips away as they lose sight of what really should matter.
This novel aims to explore and portray New York society and the American Elite during the Jazz Age before and after the Great War.
It also has been purportedly based on the early relationship between the author and his wife Zelda.
This book provides examples of:
- Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: While training for the army, Anthony has an affair with Dot.
- The Alcoholic: Anthony becomes this at the end.
- Alliterative Name: Gloria Gilbert, before she married Anthony.
- Awful Wedded Life: Anthony and Gloria's marriage enters a downward spiral as they indulge themselves while waiting for Anthony to get his inheritance.
- The Beautiful Elite: This starts out with this in play until the main couple's awful life choices start catching up with them.
- Celebrity Paradox: One character mentioned a new book called This Side of Paradise that's just been released.
- Disinherited Child: Anthony's grandfather disinherits his grandson after finding out how he has been living his life.
- The Hedonist: Anthony and Gloria, who indulge in parties and alcohol.
- Raised by Grandparents: Anthony was raised by his grandfather after he lost his parents as a child.
- The Vamp: Parodied with Muriel Kane. She wants to be seen as a vamp (and happens to look like Theda Bara) but tries far too hard.
