The Bridal Party
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Mrs. Zotto
Grade 11 Period A,C,D
9/20/2013
HISTORY
• F. Scott Fitzgerald born 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota into a
family of little wealth but great social ambition
• Fitzgerald’s mother had high expectations and sent her
children to the best schools so that they can socialize with the
upper class.
• Fitzgerald was not an “A student” at Princeton University; due
his involvement in Drama Club , and a Journalist for the
University’s newspaper. Fitzgerald socialized too much.
• Fitzgerald left college in his junior year and decided to enlist
in the Army.
• Fitzgerald met his wife while serving in the Army. Her name
was Zelda.
HISTORY
• Fitzgerald did not receive a lot of
money in the Army and decided to
leave and settle in New York City. He
was suffering financially until his first
published work came about called
This Side of Paradise.
• This overnight success gave him the
financial opportunity to marry Zelda.
• In the 1920’s F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote
many short stories and novels with
the setting taking place in the United
States and Europe.
• His most successful work was The
Great Gatsby ( 1925) which he wrote
while visiting France and Italy.
HISTORY
• Zelda maintained a very high style of living and spent money
excessively which caused a lot of tension in their relationship.
• In 1929, the stock market crashed and Fitzgerald’s private life and
prosperous career crashed.
• His wife suffered a series of nervous breakdowns. Fitzgerald’s
writings in major magazines became less frequent due the economic
crash which brought on the Great Depression.
• In the 1930s, Fitzgerald struggled with alcoholism and his marriage
to Zelda.
• This time in his life brought about the short story “The Bridal Party”.
• Fitzgerald did some time in Hollywood as a screenwriter and began
working on his fifth novel The Last Tycoon. However he was unable
to complete his novel due to a heart-attack at the age of forty-four.
History
• The 1920s has been known as The Jazz Age. The Jazz Age brought
about new musical form that was popular during the era due to the
vibrant and rebellious rhythms.
• Many young people during that time were rebelling due to the social
rules of the previous generation.
• Economic prosperity fed into the decade’s party atmosphere. Business
was booming and some people made huge profits on their
investments People were spending money recklessly.
• October 29, 1929 “Black Tuesday” the stock market collapsed and
stocks became worthless. Mergers with smaller companies increased
by the end of the decade and only small number of corporations were
earning nearly half of the nation’s income. The Great Depression was
the worst economic hardship in U.S History and dragged into the next
decade.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ud6haTTfFY
The Reading: The Bridal Party
Literary Elements
Characterization - is the way the author reveals personality of a character
Direct Characterization- the writer makes statements about a character’s
personality
Indirect Characterization- the writer reveals the personality of a character
through physical description and the actions, thoughts, speech or perceptions of
that character’s personality.
Fitzgerald shows Michael's impressions of Hamilton and Caroline through the use
of indirect characterization
Foreshadowing- to give a suggestion of (something that has not yet happened)
The Reading: The Bridal Party
Summary:
Michael hopes to marry Caroline, but felt his poverty and her family’s disdain cause
them to break up. While living in Paris, where Caroline is visiting, he receives a note
announcing her imminent marriage.
Later he runs into Caroline and her wealthy fiancé, Hamilton, and is invited to several
nuptial parties. Michael is convinced that Caroline still loves him.
After learning that he has inherited $250,000, he decides to fight for her.
He leaves Hamilton’s bachelor party to talk to Caroline. Soon after, Hamilton arrives
and announces he has lost all his money.
Caroline says it doesn’t matter.
At the wedding reception, Michael realizes he is “cured” of his love.
The Reading: The Bridal Party
Class Discussion Questions:
• What kind of job does Michael have?
• Do you think the arrival of the telegram is too coincidental and is it necessary to
the plot?
• What do you think of Michael’s character based on his conversation? ( Look at pg.
655, Scene II second column)
• What is Hamilton's view of the marriage?
• What is the motif to the plot?
* Motif- an important idea or subject that is repeated throughout the book or story.
• What is the significance of the second woman. How will her appearance affect the
characters?
The Reading: The Bridal Party
• What does the phrase “ House of Cards “ mean and why Michael
thinks it is about to fall?
• Hamilton has made two important announcements before Michael
and Caroline. What are they? Give me your opinion of Hamilton’s
actions
• Climax: Caroline’s actions is the climax to plot : What did she do
regarding her decision between Michael and Hamilton. Pg.661
• What do you think of Hamilton’s move to have an extravagant
reception despite his devastating financial losses? Is this consistent
with his character?