F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Last Tycoon

Fitzgerald’s unfinished masterpiece that was published posthumously is considered to be one of his finest works. Firstly, the novel succeeds at what Fitzgerald does best, employing pop culture references and various other techniques to give the reader a great feeling for the time & place. In this case the time & place is 1930s Hollywood though Fitzgerald uses it as a greater allegory for the American Dream. The last tycoon in the novel’s title refers to Monroe Stahr, a flawed hero and, at first glass, the epitomy of American success. The flaws, however, become more glaring as the narrative proceeds and begin to be seen as a greater critique of society itself.

Stahr wields huge power within his circle and, it would seem, he could have anything and anyone he desires… but love eludes him as does happiness, his job is taking its toll on his health and slowly killing him, his new house is not completed, seemingly due to apathy, and lacks a roof… The lack of roof is one of the many symbols in the book used to describe the fake emptiness of the society and, overall leads up to an ending that sums up the damning indictment the book is on the Hollywood establishment and American society of the time.

What I like about Fitzgerald is his aforementioned grip on the times, the Zeitgeist if you will, and his ability to use many references and allegories to make the narrative feel “real” and placed. In that sense, one can see how his writing influenced Murakami. Although the writing is unemotional and cold at times, the plot is still quite compelling. Check it out.

Advertisement