The Beautiful and Damned discussion

The Beautiful and Damned offers insight into the revelry of the 20's and the effect of life and love on Anthony Patch. Fitzgerald's character development and vivid descriptions, many of which parallel to his life with his wife, Zelda, make up for the slow start to the book. Fitzgerald masterfully crafts Anthony's character and describes his arrogance in such great detail that, as a reader, you start to feel like you know him personally. Anthony's work ethic, or lack thereof, is based off of his belief that he is better than everyone else--that he is essentially too smart for the world. Though all Anthony really does is rant about his intelligence and potential, he fails to make any effort to get a job. He feels that he will one day accomplish great things, but that he owes it to himself to enjoy his youth. Fitzgerald describes his painfully nonchalant attitude, saying : "In this state he considered that he would one day accomplish some quiet subtle thing that the elect would deem worthy and, passing on, would join the dimmer stars in a nebulous, indeterminate heaven half-way between death and immortality. Until the time came for this effort he would be Anthony Patch - not a portrait of a man but a distinct and dynamic personality" Born into a family of wealth, Anthony uses his anticipation of inheriting his Grandfather's fortune as another excuse to not work.
Anthony eventually meets Gloria and makes it his goal to be with her. His attempts to swoon Gloria are significant because it is the first time in the novel Anthony actually makes an effort to work for something. Anthony eventually marries Gloria, and is for the first year, very happily married. Gloria, who shares many similar personality traits with Daisy Buchanan of "The Great Gatsby", is beautifully described by Fitzgerald. She is vain, beautiful, and spontaneous. She, like Anthony, cherishes her youth and possesses a strong dislike for work.
After they are married, the two jetset around the world. They live a fabulously extravagent life and spend money as if is unlimited.

Grand read. Not to be missed.