Introduction
At first glance, it may appear that F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, was inspired by his relationship with his wife, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. Like Jay Gatsby in the novel, Fitzgerald met and fell in love with a beautiful and rich young woman, Zelda, only to have her leave him due to his lack of money at the time. Unfortunately for Fitzgerald, Zelda’s initial rejection of him was not the first time a woman left him because of his lack of money. There was a girl before Zelda. A beautiful Chicago debutante named Ginevra King. As young teenagers, King and Fitzgerald were infatuated with one another. But King’s desire to be a wealthy socialite ended their relationship. Ginevra may have left Fitzgerald heartbroken, but it was her that inspired him to create the character Daisy Buchanan in one of the greatest books of all time, The Great Gatsby.
At first glance, it may appear that F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, was inspired by his relationship with his wife, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. Like Jay Gatsby in the novel, Fitzgerald met and fell in love with a beautiful and rich young woman, Zelda, only to have her leave him due to his lack of money at the time. Unfortunately for Fitzgerald, Zelda’s initial rejection of him was not the first time a woman left him because of his lack of money. There was a girl before Zelda. A beautiful Chicago debutante named Ginevra King. As young teenagers, King and Fitzgerald were infatuated with one another. But King’s desire to be a wealthy socialite ended their relationship. Ginevra may have left Fitzgerald heartbroken, but it was her that inspired him to create the character Daisy Buchanan in one of the greatest books of all time, The Great Gatsby.
Zelda Fitzgerald
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald was a southern belle, born in Montgomery, Alabama. When she first met F. Scott Fitzgerald she was unimpressed by his low income. So much so that she broke off their engagement in order to find a wealthier man. When Fitzgerald published his first book, This Side of Paradise, he started receiving recognition. Only after becoming famous did Zelda change her mind about him and decided to marry Fitzgerald. The two were never a perfect fit. Both abused alcohol and engaged in domestic violence. Perhaps it was because Fitzgerald had another lost love on his mind…
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald was a southern belle, born in Montgomery, Alabama. When she first met F. Scott Fitzgerald she was unimpressed by his low income. So much so that she broke off their engagement in order to find a wealthier man. When Fitzgerald published his first book, This Side of Paradise, he started receiving recognition. Only after becoming famous did Zelda change her mind about him and decided to marry Fitzgerald. The two were never a perfect fit. Both abused alcohol and engaged in domestic violence. Perhaps it was because Fitzgerald had another lost love on his mind…
The Big Four
The “Big Four” was a group of four Chicago debutantes that formed in 1914. In the group were Ginevra King, Edith Cummings, Courtney Letts, and Margaret Carry. They were famed for their beauty and two of them, King and Cummings, were used as inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. The four of them frequently went to parties and played tennis together.
The girls were well known socialites in Chicago. In this quote from Gatsby, Daisy, who was inspired by King, is willing to drop everything and move back to Chicago, showing that she must have received lots more attention in Chicago than in New York:
“I told her how I had stopped off in Chicago for a day on my way East, and how a dozen people had sent their love through me.
‘Do they miss me?’ she cried ecstatically.
‘The whole town is painted black as a mourning wreath, and there’s a persistent wail all night along the north shore.’
‘How gorgeous! Let’s go back, Tom. To-morrow!’”(Page 9)
Although the girls had many talents, Cummings was a golfer and Letts was a writer, they were only ever really noted for their beauty. In this quote from Gatsby, Daisy seems to reflect on this sadly by saying all a girl can be is “a beautiful little fool.”:
“I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling, and asked the nurse right away if it was a boy or a girl. She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head and wept. ‘All right,’ I said, ‘I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool- that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’”(Page 17)
The “Big Four” was a group of four Chicago debutantes that formed in 1914. In the group were Ginevra King, Edith Cummings, Courtney Letts, and Margaret Carry. They were famed for their beauty and two of them, King and Cummings, were used as inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. The four of them frequently went to parties and played tennis together.
The girls were well known socialites in Chicago. In this quote from Gatsby, Daisy, who was inspired by King, is willing to drop everything and move back to Chicago, showing that she must have received lots more attention in Chicago than in New York:
“I told her how I had stopped off in Chicago for a day on my way East, and how a dozen people had sent their love through me.
‘Do they miss me?’ she cried ecstatically.
‘The whole town is painted black as a mourning wreath, and there’s a persistent wail all night along the north shore.’
‘How gorgeous! Let’s go back, Tom. To-morrow!’”(Page 9)
Although the girls had many talents, Cummings was a golfer and Letts was a writer, they were only ever really noted for their beauty. In this quote from Gatsby, Daisy seems to reflect on this sadly by saying all a girl can be is “a beautiful little fool.”:
“I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling, and asked the nurse right away if it was a boy or a girl. She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head and wept. ‘All right,’ I said, ‘I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool- that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’”(Page 17)
Edith Cummings
The character Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby is very obviously modeled after golfer Edith Cummings. Cummings was best friends with Ginevra King and was a member of the “Big Four Debutantes”. Cummings also had a privileged upbringing. Like Jordan Baker, Cumming was an acclaimed golfer. Golf was a sport that mainly wealthy people played. She was the first golfer and the first female to appear on the cover of TIME magazine. Outside of the sport, Edith was a socialite. In 1923 she lost in the second round of the Women’s National Golf Championship and many people rumored it was due to “too much dancing, too much bootleg liquor”. Even though her character Jordan Baker was known as a shady golfer, Cummings had a reputation of being an honest player.
How Fitzgerald describes Jordan in the book:
“I enjoyed looking at her. She was a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet. Her gray sun-strained eyes looked back at me with polite reciprocal curiosity out of a wan, charming, discontented face. It occurred to me now that I had seen her, or a picture of her, somewhere before.” (Page 11)
Both Jordan and Edith were well-known golfers. The “picture of her” that Nick saw could have been Edith on the cover of TIME magazine
Although most of Jordan’s characterization is based off of Edith, there are some things Fitzgerald created himself:
“‘Jordan’s going to play in the tournament to-morrow,’ explained Daisy, ‘over at Westchester.’
‘Oh- you’re Jordan Baker.’
I knew now why her face was familiar- its pleasing contemptuous expression had looked out at me from many rotogravure pictures of the sporting life at Asheville and Hot Springs and Palm Beach. I had heard some story of her too, a critical, unpleasant story, but what it was I had forgotten long ago.” (Page 18)
Unlike Jordan, Edith Cummings was known to be an honest golf player. Fitzgerald most likely added this in to show how corrupt people are in the East and how they will do almost anything for fame and money.
The character Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby is very obviously modeled after golfer Edith Cummings. Cummings was best friends with Ginevra King and was a member of the “Big Four Debutantes”. Cummings also had a privileged upbringing. Like Jordan Baker, Cumming was an acclaimed golfer. Golf was a sport that mainly wealthy people played. She was the first golfer and the first female to appear on the cover of TIME magazine. Outside of the sport, Edith was a socialite. In 1923 she lost in the second round of the Women’s National Golf Championship and many people rumored it was due to “too much dancing, too much bootleg liquor”. Even though her character Jordan Baker was known as a shady golfer, Cummings had a reputation of being an honest player.
How Fitzgerald describes Jordan in the book:
“I enjoyed looking at her. She was a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet. Her gray sun-strained eyes looked back at me with polite reciprocal curiosity out of a wan, charming, discontented face. It occurred to me now that I had seen her, or a picture of her, somewhere before.” (Page 11)
Both Jordan and Edith were well-known golfers. The “picture of her” that Nick saw could have been Edith on the cover of TIME magazine
Although most of Jordan’s characterization is based off of Edith, there are some things Fitzgerald created himself:
“‘Jordan’s going to play in the tournament to-morrow,’ explained Daisy, ‘over at Westchester.’
‘Oh- you’re Jordan Baker.’
I knew now why her face was familiar- its pleasing contemptuous expression had looked out at me from many rotogravure pictures of the sporting life at Asheville and Hot Springs and Palm Beach. I had heard some story of her too, a critical, unpleasant story, but what it was I had forgotten long ago.” (Page 18)
Unlike Jordan, Edith Cummings was known to be an honest golf player. Fitzgerald most likely added this in to show how corrupt people are in the East and how they will do almost anything for fame and money.
Ginevra King
Ginevra King was the heartbreaker that inspired Daisy Buchanan. She was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first love. The two met in St. Paul, Minnesota when she was 16 and he 19. The two of them used to write love letters to each other. At the time, Fitzgerald was a poor college student while King was a wealthy debutante. King’s father once told him “poor boys shouldn’t think of marrying rich girls.” King eventually dumped Fitzgerald and went on to marry a millionaire. When they broke up, Fitzgerald asked King to burn all of his love letters, which she did. But he kept hers and passed them down to his daughter Scottie. In these letters, written by King, Daisy comes to life. It is very easy to see how King inspired The Great Gatsby.
Description of Daisy in The Great Gatsby:
“ I looked back at my cousin, who began to ask me questions in her low, thrilling voice. It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down, as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be players again. Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth.”(Page 9)
As Daisy’s cousin, Nick Carraway describes Daisy in that moment in a very affectionate way. This could be because these words are Fitzgerald’s, not Nick’s and he is not describing Daisy Buchanan, but Ginevra King. King was known for having a very melodic voice and for being very beautiful.
Ginevra King was the heartbreaker that inspired Daisy Buchanan. She was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first love. The two met in St. Paul, Minnesota when she was 16 and he 19. The two of them used to write love letters to each other. At the time, Fitzgerald was a poor college student while King was a wealthy debutante. King’s father once told him “poor boys shouldn’t think of marrying rich girls.” King eventually dumped Fitzgerald and went on to marry a millionaire. When they broke up, Fitzgerald asked King to burn all of his love letters, which she did. But he kept hers and passed them down to his daughter Scottie. In these letters, written by King, Daisy comes to life. It is very easy to see how King inspired The Great Gatsby.
Description of Daisy in The Great Gatsby:
“ I looked back at my cousin, who began to ask me questions in her low, thrilling voice. It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down, as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be players again. Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth.”(Page 9)
As Daisy’s cousin, Nick Carraway describes Daisy in that moment in a very affectionate way. This could be because these words are Fitzgerald’s, not Nick’s and he is not describing Daisy Buchanan, but Ginevra King. King was known for having a very melodic voice and for being very beautiful.
Love Letters to Scott
Ten years after F. Scott Fitzgerald died his daughter Scottie, who had received Ginevra King’s love letters, returned them to King. King’s daughter and granddaughters donated them to Princeton University, where Fitzgerald once studied. Many of the things King writes in her letters can be compared to things said and done in The Great Gatsby.
For Example:
Jay Gatsby moves to West Egg to win back his love, Daisy Buchanan. He lives in a beautiful house and holds elaborate parties. In one of King’s love letters, she writes to Fitzgerald about wanted to reunite in a similar setting:
''The moon is on my head again tonight! Scott if only our perfect hour comes true. Oh Scott, why aren't we at a dance in summer now with a full moon in a big lovely garden and soft music in the distance.''
This description was recreated in The Great Gatsby:
“Almost the last thing I remember was standing with Daisy and watching the moving-picture director and his Star. They were still under the white-plum tree and their faces were touching except for a pale, thin ray of moonlight between…
’I like her,’ said Daisy, ‘I think she’s lovely.’”(Page 107)
Fitzgerald once wrote to King and asked her if she would be angry if he kissed her. ''The truth is,” she wrote “I'm afraid I wouldn't have been. Of course, I would have led you to believe I was. I’m afraid I wouldn't have had strength of character enough to have resisted you.'' When Daisy and Gatsby kiss for the first time, “At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower”(Page 111). This reflects how King fell for Fitzgerald just as much as he fell for her.
“His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable vision to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God…Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.”(Page 111)
After King and Fitzgerald broke up, King moved on and married a man named Bill Mitchell. King wrote to Fitzgerald proclaiming her love for Mitchell.
''To say I am the happiest girl on earth would be expressing it mildly,'' she wrote.
In the only letter written by Fitzgerald that was not burned by King, Fitzgerald replied saying:
'From all I've heard of him he must be one of the best ever. Doesn't it make you sigh with relief to be settled and think of all the men you escaped marrying? As Ever, Scott.''
Although Fitzgerald sounded congratulatory, he truly believed that King was meant to be with him. He expressed this frustration in Gatsby when Gatsby actually expresses his feeling straight to Daisy’s husband, Tom Buchanan.
“ ‘She never loved you, do you hear?’ he cried. ‘She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me!’”(Page 130)
Ten years after F. Scott Fitzgerald died his daughter Scottie, who had received Ginevra King’s love letters, returned them to King. King’s daughter and granddaughters donated them to Princeton University, where Fitzgerald once studied. Many of the things King writes in her letters can be compared to things said and done in The Great Gatsby.
For Example:
Jay Gatsby moves to West Egg to win back his love, Daisy Buchanan. He lives in a beautiful house and holds elaborate parties. In one of King’s love letters, she writes to Fitzgerald about wanted to reunite in a similar setting:
''The moon is on my head again tonight! Scott if only our perfect hour comes true. Oh Scott, why aren't we at a dance in summer now with a full moon in a big lovely garden and soft music in the distance.''
This description was recreated in The Great Gatsby:
“Almost the last thing I remember was standing with Daisy and watching the moving-picture director and his Star. They were still under the white-plum tree and their faces were touching except for a pale, thin ray of moonlight between…
’I like her,’ said Daisy, ‘I think she’s lovely.’”(Page 107)
Fitzgerald once wrote to King and asked her if she would be angry if he kissed her. ''The truth is,” she wrote “I'm afraid I wouldn't have been. Of course, I would have led you to believe I was. I’m afraid I wouldn't have had strength of character enough to have resisted you.'' When Daisy and Gatsby kiss for the first time, “At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower”(Page 111). This reflects how King fell for Fitzgerald just as much as he fell for her.
“His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable vision to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God…Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.”(Page 111)
After King and Fitzgerald broke up, King moved on and married a man named Bill Mitchell. King wrote to Fitzgerald proclaiming her love for Mitchell.
''To say I am the happiest girl on earth would be expressing it mildly,'' she wrote.
In the only letter written by Fitzgerald that was not burned by King, Fitzgerald replied saying:
'From all I've heard of him he must be one of the best ever. Doesn't it make you sigh with relief to be settled and think of all the men you escaped marrying? As Ever, Scott.''
Although Fitzgerald sounded congratulatory, he truly believed that King was meant to be with him. He expressed this frustration in Gatsby when Gatsby actually expresses his feeling straight to Daisy’s husband, Tom Buchanan.
“ ‘She never loved you, do you hear?’ he cried. ‘She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me!’”(Page 130)
Conclusion
The love F. Scott Fitzgerald had for Ginevra King never truly went away. Fitzgerald’s marriage to Zelda Sayre was filled with bumps and the same went for King and her husband Bill Mitchell. King left Mitchell and their children and remarried another rich man. In 1937 King and Fitzgerald reunited in Hollywood. Fitzgerald wrote to his daughter Scottie and said that “She was the first girl I ever loved and I have faithfully avoided seeing her up to this moment to keep that illusion perfect.” At the time, Fitzgerald was an alcoholic and when they met at a bar King asked him which of his characters were modeled after her, to which he replied, “Which bitch do you think you are?” Fitzgerald’s treatment of King left her in shock and the two never rekindled their relationship after that.
Although this reunion happened 12 years after The Great Gatsby was published, it ended in a similar fashion. Upon reuniting with King, Fitzgerald realized that the image he had of her has been forever changed and he should have just left her in the past. The Great Gatsby ended with Nick Carraway coming to this same conclusion about Gatsby and Daisy:
“’I had thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.” (Page 180)
The love F. Scott Fitzgerald had for Ginevra King never truly went away. Fitzgerald’s marriage to Zelda Sayre was filled with bumps and the same went for King and her husband Bill Mitchell. King left Mitchell and their children and remarried another rich man. In 1937 King and Fitzgerald reunited in Hollywood. Fitzgerald wrote to his daughter Scottie and said that “She was the first girl I ever loved and I have faithfully avoided seeing her up to this moment to keep that illusion perfect.” At the time, Fitzgerald was an alcoholic and when they met at a bar King asked him which of his characters were modeled after her, to which he replied, “Which bitch do you think you are?” Fitzgerald’s treatment of King left her in shock and the two never rekindled their relationship after that.
Although this reunion happened 12 years after The Great Gatsby was published, it ended in a similar fashion. Upon reuniting with King, Fitzgerald realized that the image he had of her has been forever changed and he should have just left her in the past. The Great Gatsby ended with Nick Carraway coming to this same conclusion about Gatsby and Daisy:
“’I had thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.” (Page 180)