The Diamond as Big as the Ritz

Name: The Diamond as Big as the Ritz
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Wealthy and influential family, the Braddock Washingtons, own a diamond mine on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The mine's existence is unknown to the outside world, and the family uses its immense wealth and power to maintain secrecy. The story revolves around John T. Unger, a young man who becomes infatuated with the family's daughter, Kismine, and eventually uncovers their secret.

By F. Scott Fitzgerald · First published 1922 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Satire, Fantasy · 11 chapters · 17,868 words

First lines

John T. Unger came from a family that had been well known in Hades -- a small town on the Mississippi River -- for several generations. John's father had held the amateur golf championship through many a heated contest; Mrs. Unger was known "from hot-box to hot-bed," as the local phrase went, for her political addresses; and young John T. Unger, who had just turned sixteen, had danced all the latest dances from New York before he put on long trousers. And now, for a certain time, he was to be away from home. That respect for a New England education which is the bane of all provincial places, which drains them yearly of their most promising young men, had seized upon his parents. Nothing would suit them but that he should go to St. Midas's School near Boston -- Hades was too small to hold their darling and gifted son.

What this Textopian page supports

The Diamond as Big as the Ritz 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, Satire, Fantasy, Adventure, Coming-of-Age
Length: 17,868 words
Structure: 11 chapters, 363 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Diamond as Big as the Ritz?
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

Genres

Literary Fiction — The book explores complex themes of wealth, morality, and the human condition through rich, descriptive prose and character development.
Satire — It critiques the excesses of wealth and the American upper class, using humor and irony to highlight societal flaws.
Fantasy — The existence of a mountain made entirely of diamond introduces fantastical elements that challenge reality.
Adventure — The protagonist's journey to the hidden estate and the exploration of its opulence provide an adventurous narrative.