The Beautiful and Damned
The novel revolves around the lives of Anthony and Gloria Patch, a wealthy and glamorous couple living in New York City during the 1920s. The story explores their decadent lifestyle, excessive drinking, and reckless behavior, which ultimately leads to their downfall. Through the Patches' experiences, the novel critiques the excesses of the Jazz Age and the empty, morally bankrupt lives of the wealthy elite.
By F. Scott Fitzgerald · First published 1922 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Modernist, Social Commentary · 9 chapters · 151,304 words
First lines
In 1913, when Anthony Patch was twenty-five, two years were already gone since irony, the Holy Ghost of this later day, had, theoretically at least, descended upon him. Irony was the final polish of the shoe, the ultimate dab of the clothes-brush, a sort of intellectual "There! " -- yet at the brink of this story he has as yet gone no further than the conscious stage. As you first see him he wonders frequently whether he is not without honor and slightly mad, a shameful and obscene thinness glistening on the surface of the world like oil on a clean pond, these occasions being varied, of course, with those in which he thinks himself rather an exceptional young man, thoroughly sophisticated, well adjusted to his environment, and somewhat more significant than any one else he knows.
What this Textopian page supports
The Beautiful and Damned is listed on Textopian as a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, dated 1922 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Date: 1922 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Modernist, Social Commentary, Tragedy, Romance
- Length: 151,304 words
- Structure: 9 chapters, 3,733 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Beautiful and Damned?
- How does this novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The novel explores complex characters and themes, focusing on the intricacies of human relationships and societal expectations.
- Modernist — Fitzgerald employs modernist techniques, including stream of consciousness and a focus on the inner thoughts of characters, reflecting the disillusionment of the era.
- Social Commentary — The narrative critiques the American upper class and the moral decay associated with wealth and privilege during the Jazz Age.
- Tragedy — The story embodies tragic elements, depicting the downfall of characters due to their flaws and societal pressures.
Tags
Romance · Tragedy · Novel · Classic · Literary Fiction · American Literature · Jazz Age · Wealth · Privilege · Decadence · Morality · Marriage
Contents
- Anthony Patch
- The Radiant Hour
- A Matter of Civilization
- Portrait of a Siren
- Symposium
- A Matter of Aesthetics
- The Connoisseur of Kisses
- The Broken Lute
- No Matter!