A Study of the Impact of the Authors’ Experiences in Fiction through F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises.

Abstract

Understanding the extent of the author’s reflection in fiction subsequently proves the significance of studying their biography for context of a work. The notion of “death of an author” can obscure the interpretation of allusions and intended purposes of a work, making the ideas seem even absurd at times. Looking into the author’s life provides a solid foundation behind fictional works while opening scope for critical perception. The extent of such connections between fiction and an author’s life is studied through The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, in accordance to Sean Burke’s theory of the author as the central concept, using textual, documental and observational evidences. Along with ideologies and beliefs, many events, characters and factors could be placed at a parallel with the author's life. Thus, reclusion of any information beside the main text which is preached nowadays, possesses the risk of losing its literary significance. The paper re-explores the necessity of studying a work through biographical lens in order to avoid misinterpretation and achieve a deeper look into the literary significance, specifically of the particular time it was crafted.