Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction
Publication date: March 1, 1922
Format: Audiobook, Ebook
Publisher: Canterbury Classics
Narrator: Don Hagen
Book Description: The Beautiful and the Damned followed Fitzgerald's impeccable debut, This Side of Paradise, thus securing his place in the tradition of great American novelists. Embellished with the author's lyrical prose, here is the story of Harvard-educated, aspiring aesthete Anthony Patch and his beautiful wife, Gloria. As they await the inheritance of his grandfather's fortune, their reckless marriage sways under the influence of alcohol and avarice. A devastating look at the nouveau riche, and the New York nightlife, as well as the ruinous effects of wild ambition, The Beautiful and the Damned achieved stature as one of Fitzgerald's most accomplished novels. Its distinction as a classic endures to this day. Pocket Book's Enriched Classics present the great works of world literature enhanced for the contemporary reader. Special features include critical perspectives, suggestions for further read, and a unique visual essay composed of period photographs that help bring every word to life.
Thoughts:
I am no literary critic, and I will never claim to be. But this story felt off. The characters are unlikable. They're tragic yes, but also pathetic and selfish, between them (Gloria and Anthony) they could not make a responsible adult to save their lives and they showed it too.
The whole story can be summed up in: Two people fall "in love" with the idea of marriage and in their minds, it means enjoying companionship while traveling around and partying. The pair on their own were already shallow and vain. Together they just had a tumultuous and abusive relationship towards one another. They were obsessed with one another, they confused love and care with possession. This is a very good example of the faults of people born to privilege who don't understand the concept of working to earn a living.
There are mentions of good topics:
Misogyny
The idea against women working, they're struggling to pay their dues but oh god forbid the wife to try to work. That would only mean she's not a committed wife of course.
Alcoholism is brought up, and when they were already in a precarious economic situation that just made them go deeper into the whole.
We have cheating, Anthony of course sees as cheating the fact that his wife allows herself to be taken out and flattered as the worst of the faults. He is doing nothing wrong when he has a full-fledged mistress.
There isn't character growth and overall feels like it's lacking in a story plot. I don't know how this is considered a classic. Horrible writing and concept.
I don't understand why so many people love it so much, but we can't judge personal taste.
I gave this
This was used for the following challenges:
Classics
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