2013/10/01 by Philip McGowan · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #American and British Literature Analysis #Poetry Analysis and Criticism #Cinema and Media Studies #Jazz #Hollywood #History #Appeal #Homeland #Art history #Performance art #Art #Classics #Law #Politics #Political science
paper · pdf · doi:10.5325/fscotfitzrevi.11.1.0054
openalex publication_date 2013/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
The connections, many of them biographical, between F. Scott Fitzgerald and New York City have become so well established in critical studies of his work in recent decades that they barely require repeating. Whether as the location of his marriage to Zelda Sayre in April 1920; or as the backdrop to many of the intrigues that fill The Great Gatsby; or as the principal city of Fitzgerald's delineations of the Jazz Age; or as “the magnificent façade of the homeland” (217) which greets Dick Diver's return from Europe for his father's funeral in Tender Is the Night, New York recurs as a central and defining coordinate within Fitzgerald's work and his life. Despite this, and the critical focus garnered by some of his other New York short stories such as “May Day” (1920) or “The Rich Boy” (1926), it is intriguing that one of his last fictional engagements with the city remains peculiarly under-considered in discussions of his work. “The Lost Decade,” written in July 1939 and published in Esquire in December of that year, twelve months before Fitzgerald's death from a heart attack in Hollywood, is a brief fictional episode both absorbing and yet unnerving in its portrayals of this most iconic American city. At the heart of its unsettling appeal stands an architect, Louis Trimble, who has returned to New York after an apparent ten-year sojourn away from its precincts. As a tale specifically about New York, it resonates with Fitzgerald's oft-cited “My Lost City” essay from 1932, a double-edged account of the glamour and downfall of New York before and after the Wall Street Crash, which remained unpublished until after Fitzgerald's death (Curnutt 86). While the two pieces share similar attributes, whether in terms of their specific metropolitan setting and subject matter, or the mutual “lost” at the center of their titles, they produce divergent effects in their mapping of New York and in their understanding of the self's relation to the city's modern evolution. Beyond fruitful comparisons with Fitzgerald's other work, re-reading “The Lost Decade” is germane, as this essay will demonstrate, to other New York texts and contexts, from the early nineteenth century to the start of the twenty first.Before examining the story in detail, it is important to note that, across Fitzgerald's work, New York is not represented as a singular entity. Indeed, even within the brief span of “The Lost Decade” Fitzgerald creates alternative New Yorks that differ from each other both temporally and metaphorically: one is the remembered city of the 1920s, another the city as encountered return in the both of which Fitzgerald's of New York and New York in by his in in the of his As an of New York “The Lost Decade” other from or about New York, and not by Fitzgerald's story the of the the of New York specifically the of in the its of the of and return and the by in the is not a return at it that has from the city. to the a to by a and for twenty from a that has the New York that remains to to his is by a to the and of for which as architect, the is by his in the a the and the of American to a in which his has the has by that of another and the of the of a and Fitzgerald of and one of his a most in The Great it is “the and of the of in the of of by or the that the of the the of July The Great is with the of and as a of the American is in his to a and As a a to a to the American Fitzgerald's of Louis of as a of or as a within The of “The Lost Decade,” such within its not in the between or in the that a the of a which the of one by the of Louis Trimble, the of both story and Fitzgerald in “The Lost Decade” is a of and and and within a story a brief Indeed, as an architect, it is that the of New York, in or at the a backdrop to the is central to the return to the city a of its his that has not before this in to this “The Lost Decade” the and of it to the of New of the of his and and his the of the by his The story with this and for and the of the that the city to terms with the it to a of this city in the of is to and to the that has the other the who is and to with the of city an that as a of Fitzgerald some of “The Lost Louis of within New York City after a of as an of Fitzgerald's from the city that, as in “My Lost the of the of the from a New York that, in to Fitzgerald's from the city which the of New York is the of his and a as well as a that Fitzgerald well and Fitzgerald that New York is a that for it is a city that to by the of this Fitzgerald have his last to New and and alternative central to “The Lost Decade” as they the of its essay “My Lost in “The Lost Decade” as a Fitzgerald's in at the of his to a New York City in his the city as it at the of the this of is Fitzgerald both a at the the of the at the an the of that of its “The Lost Decade,” which remained until the of Fitzgerald's a of his in the of of the New York and the that the has the Wall Street a one to for a the of the to not with the with the of New to is the of as Fitzgerald's his city with the of his and the of before and after the in the of its principal city to from their Fitzgerald's with New York in the last of his as of a in from the city at to a in this to the of of of “The Lost Decade” as a of by an who by this to is by the that Fitzgerald and his share to “The Lost Decade” this the story an and in of a his stories or another that some of and is not the central of “The Lost other Fitzgerald the effects of whether or the of and While of stories become as to an or “The Lost Decade” as is to the brief episode that the story is not the of or for that or Fitzgerald's or their in “The Lost it is New York and the to the that its that this this “My Lost City” a and to “The Lost Decade” as Fitzgerald in both to the that New York both his and his “The Lost Decade” about that or its to an alternative New York to the one in “My Lost the of New York is as a city that to of within and the understanding its and within its the for city life. The focus the of within New at the the of the of in the his to to his with the one Fitzgerald's it remembered that, with New York have account of The Great his other New York or his with the Jazz an in this as a as or Fitzgerald's in New York one in from his as of his in Europe or or or in his from his and a of for Fitzgerald and is a in his Whether in terms of the of the in Tender Is the Night, of the who and in the of in The Great or in “The Lost Decade,” the of with an a city a of the who has within its for a the of is an coordinate of his work. to and about the city that so of his work from the 1920s, this 1939 fictional with New York Fitzgerald's by as an from New creates a of the city that it by and by after his a of the city that for to and the to the of his to so of city life. apparent of New York and New for the the city and its for that return to and with the as to the is by the whether his have the in a or an as to his to of The to is by the within the city and as the that to and that his for the as a of to with the city after a of in the story such to the city the of its is of the city that to with New York, with his city central of the relation with modern is a of the city who from it as an with the city not from a of as by of the from the to about the city of which for which as of some of the city's of the between and of his months before in his at with the his city to for a an of the city is not in the to or become in the city. Indeed, it is a that to in the city of which has and with the of its it is the of the city and not its that the that is to about his to the and that at the of Trimble, by its not New York in terms of its or for the to the and not the an for it his with is and in the with is the an of New York to as a in the story the focus the of the understanding as as which stands which other or in the of and not as and of the of city that has not from New York the of this is that has that has of the ten-year this as for the to and its and and to with the of within the of has a an has the city and its as to of as to they the the at as and this the of in the to of the with a within Fitzgerald's after the of the Jazz most in “The published in Esquire in The a which Fitzgerald his to the of the of his as well as the in the before his the of the the of or The between and in Fitzgerald's as it his the as to both the of the and the of the Whether in “My Lost City” in or such as of the Jazz or or or Tender Is the Night, or the or even the The Fitzgerald alternative the of American with which with his of “The Lost Decade,” The the fictional that Fitzgerald to in of the of Louis the that “The Lost Decade” from of or in of his to a they for an two from and at a a until to the and the a to in “The Lost Decade” is that, of such as and and their it them within an and within its some of the of Tender Is the Night, not in terms of the of and that, as with by with Diver's the of New York, Tender “The Lost Decade” one Fitzgerald the of the a the of to as a in a this “The Lost Decade” Tender as another of Fitzgerald's in a to April in which Fitzgerald to Tender as a “The Lost Decade” is a a or Tender an in in the its this story an of the city by one of its that Dick Diver's between the and that at the of his with the and of the that the of with the Great and in Europe and that in the of the Fitzgerald with one of in the of this not his of in the As “The Lost Decade” of the within the modern to the fictional and of Fitzgerald's this of “The Lost Decade” is is a central it is a and that the which will in or will a in of the that has within its short is that is in and as a the last Louis is not an of a The story in one to the Louis a of for from for twelve his by in his note to the as the of Fitzgerald's as it it that is a to to to a of with with specific that specific to New York and its the that has of the “The Lost Decade” to a one to the of with the and the of the not of the that “The Lost Decade” is a the not in terms of and the at a as to the of New York with the of its its and the of in the it Fitzgerald an to the central in the in the of a have to Fitzgerald for other to of as an have an to as a to the of the its in the and in the of is by the in which and Indeed, it is the who is to his relation to the city at the Trimble, in tale of returned is of of his has of that have to not about before his the that has is a in his understanding of the and to his whether as a or as an terms of the city in its within the New York has to and of the of one As the city after Fitzgerald York the of the of the the of the Great New York represented a and the of to the of modern The of that the that “the and New York the city his work, New York for Fitzgerald is a of of of a the The of the the city's and an Fitzgerald in “My Lost a city and and it is the both of the the Jazz and its after the Wall Street between New as by Fitzgerald and his is a and with to “The Lost is the with New York in the as to the city from a as the of “the the of the of in New is his an who in New York has of a and relation with an that their as the this to Trimble, and of the city's Fitzgerald's in one last New York New York in “My Lost City” remains for a that is with a of and in the city's his is his of the as his to New a that “My Lost a to the in the of Fitzgerald from “the of the last and most magnificent of New that it is a not a that its and not the of and its is to the of the city by of the American for its and of that, or to the Great that Fitzgerald The of Fitzgerald's New York in “My Lost City” is New York, a city of is one with with a to its of the New and with that the city not the of that it the for the that it the an of and that with the that New York a city after and not a the that in his to the New York not as a of and as a of its as a to the as other as in many as the who it or as who Fitzgerald as is to a New York is not at the is the it is and and to and that such a is and by the Fitzgerald “The Lost the city in terms of its and by the of its and within their the story the the of a of New his at the of “My Lost Fitzgerald it in the of Louis in “The Lost Decade,” of with and a that a of to the of Trimble, a as a the of in similar to Fitzgerald the and of at the of the and the last of his life. Fitzgerald's at the a with Fitzgerald in a and a As at and by his a in an and to the and of not at and to the Fitzgerald's of in is his an in from New York, the in “My Lost City” which of with the story of “The Lost the to account in New Scott Fitzgerald's “The Lost Decade” as a to a in that with Fitzgerald a about is to have “My Scott Fitzgerald in While this a within the is to this story a brief and of a at the of his it is in the the “The Lost that The subject of “The Lost Decade” is for that that is a of the in which has to The story is not about the of well have its about the of of of that, the story is the that “The Lost Decade” in relation to the and the and the for a understanding of the by to its and its of in “The Lost Decade,” from the center of his to Fitzgerald's last New York as and his last and examining the story this to a and of New York City and one that the of “My Lost one of central of Fitzgerald's “the of the that to in a that is for the in a Indeed, a “The Lost Decade” is a story about one with as well as about its of is a to the of New York is a of and an account that is specific about it a of between the of and of and “The Lost Decade” is about in the of is the of an of the that is to an in the and of other a in its that with to with the to and their and and their and with of The is for the of the they of and to the of in from the of a or account of in the of the that “My Lost City” a with New York life. “The Lost Decade” the city of the of its in Fitzgerald's a with New York and New that is an of the city's an of its “My Lost City” is with New York that as an that with the of the city that Fitzgerald “The Lost Decade” with such to produce an New York of and in the of as is by the of “My Lost City” is by this of the city its within its “The Lost Decade” to “My Lost it so to to “the that New York a city after and not a which to Fitzgerald's that “the that in his to the a within the city that is in Fitzgerald this for in “My Lost The of that essay to the of of the Fitzgerald's New York “the by the who in the The is the which the city is for the Fitzgerald's New York of and at the of “My Lost is with a of the of Fitzgerald by to return some and in the city that so have the that have and is remembered of New York and it is remembered become by Fitzgerald's of a New York in which his of before the of a and the of both and fictional whether as or as or as Louis Trimble, Fitzgerald the of New York as as and it as to the to some in the a of his city in of and with a New terms of its of of and of “The Lost Decade” a of intriguing both about its within Fitzgerald's and about its in relation to a New York that in Fitzgerald's last with New York a one in the of early in at with which Fitzgerald a and both in both from the by the and Fitzgerald at in New York for in a after his his return to episode whether it Fitzgerald's “The Lost Decade” is to his from the city this of is in the story by to in the its or to with to At one the story a a fictional to Fitzgerald's last of New even for such an the is with the and of New York As Fitzgerald's yet to an the his not from one of the city's magnificent with his the of the that the story some important that have Fitzgerald the from New that it the the to which that work the one and one the at and by is the that work the with work by and is in his or is about his city and the within a that Fitzgerald not have as so in “My Lost City” to a to the as in “the two after the Wall Street Fitzgerald of the or is another with this apparent Is the of the by Trimble, or is a about the of the city and its recent The it as an New York the story as an between the Fitzgerald with the city and the New York for as a remembered Indeed, Fitzgerald's return in early 1939 is to as a to the it “The Lost Decade” with a of Fitzgerald's that is not by the and not by its that not in its not that brief New York an to a Fitzgerald to and “The Lost Decade” the city in and in the by Trimble, the of from a the New York of this story is a for Fitzgerald as its within this of New in the story is a the his to of the in the the that one work a who a before the and to the the from to the The and to the that the story a to the terms of the of to that his is as a is not of a the of a with Trimble, the and the that have the in 1939 the and “the the of the that, it last is as and is in with a of as well as of the Street and as a has a of the and is as as an architect, of the city. Indeed, in specific is one of modern New his “the of the his of has that has his before this it for a to a about his to in with the city is in the of its and and with the of their to the of Trimble, with a is as as it is is their one of the who the city by in at the of its the of its and the of New of the of and in to the city. of other New York of the that similar to the of is not it for at a of Fitzgerald's as the of the glamour of the Jazz and the and of its of and to Fitzgerald's of to become the focus of critical the one who Fitzgerald's for yet in his is in his the New “The his of by the the a in the is from the of the of the to in this of the the Trimble, is for his and is a by the of New “The the and it and and it to to at the last of York is a its the and a of at as it from the The of New York, by a after the of the in is in the city's and and that an as well as as a a from to the city in a New York, after “The Lost Decade” is a location of and for a by the of modern New York is a city by a of and of Fitzgerald's of New York the city within the of a to its a central Fitzgerald in New York as a location of and its to after or The of setting the and understanding the of with and in relation to New York in two with the of the and The critical in American and studies the has in terms by a of the they to and the of that as an a of for New York and for by for the a has that that as an and in the of from established and to in the of the a work such as of of New York is a in the the is a New York as a of the by the is and who as which a in a of or a in before which the to with a of and and after which and and of a to of is the a and of American or to a of and a of the of American the and and critical in The of is and of American has to the the a of and to to as within critical and in from the early that to in the of is a of a of critical and of and from two the of the of to even and the of the American The of the of of and to such a that it the that before the not as to it in a for the New the of two a of and and a of and the for critical and to with to the before in a that to and the of this that the and a of of New York and to as well as essay of in the is about The and the in the which that the to the and the that has in American a of fictional before the such as American a The to is Rich At as an American with the and the that the of American of this in the work of American and Fitzgerald such of American whether in the to the of the in The Great or the the Great in Tender Is the Night, the of his as well as not some to his fictional As both “My Lost City” and “The Lost Decade” the of New York City and after the central to Fitzgerald's about that in the city's divergent to its contexts, Fitzgerald as one of the most important New its Jazz Fitzgerald the city's as and in “The Lost Decade,” a of to and to New early century of New York its and the of their by “The Lost Decade” New York to a or to the of the of and its of “My Lost City” the most work in the the critical for of and the of in relation to a work such as “My Lost As Fitzgerald's essay a of in American and critical of the to its apparent of a of and “My Lost it a for the American at the start of the and of its of New York to a of yet “My Lost City” is of an its to after the an of in Fitzgerald's of the that with the of American after Fitzgerald's essay and as an of New York, in of the it its The by a to with a New York a Fitzgerald's last the city as as a with “the of the and “the and of the to the in the (Curnutt “My Lost City” is a of a of an to or yet it for of in a of modern American Fitzgerald's “My Lost City” essay from its in and it in its both and to Fitzgerald's work. is to to the of at the of “My Lost of this for in the essay have in “The Lost Decade,” it the Fitzgerald to after Fitzgerald's to New York as a to his its the and yet most of is as his to within a city that is for the The and the of a in the city is in the of the to with the of of city and the of New this is in his with is in his of New of with its and one with the to a of is the of life. the in the of to his of the is of Fitzgerald's story so essay is New York Fitzgerald's “My Lost City” after for or or for his to the New in this short about New York after the of “The Lost Decade” with a of and similar to Fitzgerald's in “My Lost New York is a of and of New York the of and of and and at the in a in an in in or of the yet by from the from in from from the the from for the from the in to New York to about one from to the of the from the the a to pieces in of the from from to at the New York is a of and of and the of and a in its The city is a of the of its as well as of its and New York is a between in between between between and the of to that New York has become to a of within its The in New York is about that is in The for the in its is of a of this the the the the The of is of New York in the of in the of the Fitzgerald “My Lost City” with in an of of in is essay after it is a of the of New York, in and this the and the to “My Lost is New York is another of the city that with the of that by at in a critical for the of after the Lost Decade” an to the a to the and of that “My Lost City” and New by a both and whether or to The of New York, its is in “The Lost is both to with and is the that at the to the of the of his and and his the of the by his with this it is a that and a