Essay Questions

Show how F. Scott Fitzgerald highlights the theme of family ties in This Side of Paradise.

The novel-write clearly brings out the theme of family ties and love in his novel This Side of Paradise. Having been born into an affluent family, Amory’s mother, Beatrice Blaine, raises him in luxury. As a child, Amory and his mom travel the world, exploring and learning about its people. However, the boy becomes increasingly disobedient and spoilt a situation that causes his mother to suffer a nervous breakdown. However, after her recovery, Beatrice does not give up on her son as she enrolls him into a Catholic boarding school in an attempt to ensure that he grows up a sensible human being, which he does. After he grows up, even though the teachers perceive him as a relatively practical person, Amory is lazy. Throughout the novel, her mother is presented as being caring despite the trouble that the boy initially causes him, such as the nervous breakdown. She ensures that her son always has the best, including education.

Discuss the character traits that are central to Amory Blaine.

Blaine is the protagonist of this story. Amory lives with his mother in wealth and affluence and as such is spoilt and disrespectful to her mom. This causes her mother, Beatrice Blaine to suffer a nervous breakdown. This causes her mother to send him off to the boarding school. Later, Blaine grows up as quite sensible but still spoilt and his teachers consider him lazy. The story revolves around his life.

F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the theme of unreciprocated love in This Side of Paradise. Illustrate the truthfulness of this statement.

In the second part of the novel, Amory has moved to New York, and while there, his roommate Alec is of the idea that Rosalind would be a good fit for him, given that the two characters are both proud. When the two finally meet, Amory falls in love with her immediately. However, Rosalind is not interested in having a relationship with him as she wishes to marry a more affluent man—Gillespie. Amory being unresponsive of the idea that Rosalind is not interested in having a relationship with him, decides to force her into pretending that she does, a thing which she does but later breaks his heart. Initially, Amory feigns, understanding the situation. However, he later takes to alcohol, despairs, and becomes depressed. Amory even later entertains the idea of committing suicide. The love that Amory has for Rosalind remains unreciprocated and haunts him throughout the novel.