Fitzgeraldâs The Love of the Last Tycoon: A Western to examine the role of Hollywood in American life in the 1920s and
30s. The paper should be five pages in length, typed, doublespaced,
and titled. Concentrate on writing a clear and
concise thesis, with effective use of evidence from the readings, and close textual analysis and interpretation. Here are the
suggested topics, with related questions to help develop your analysis:
1. The Business of Hollywood: Fitzgerald meant for The Love of the Last Tycoon to give readers an insiderâs view of a
Hollywood studio. He was particularly interested in the role of producers and executivesâas seen in the novelâs
protagonist, Monroe Stahr. How does the text describe the film business (e.g., the process of how films are made, the
industryâs pressures and politics, its view of film as art)? What does Fitzgeraldâs portrait of Monroe Stahrâdescribed by one
critic as a âbusinessman as heroâ figureâreveal about the industry?
2. Hollywood and the New West: The full title of Fitzgeraldâs novel is The Love of the Last Tycoon: A Western. How does his
portrait of Hollywood reflect the mythology of southern California as âthe new Westâ (e.g., a new frontier of opportunity and
social mobility, a hub of creativity and innovation, a landscape of leisure and consumer pleasures)? Based on your
reading of the novel, what conclusions can you draw about the reality of Hollywood as the embodiment of the California
Dream?
3. Ethnicity and Gender in Hollywood: During the 1920s and 30s, Hollywood gained a reputation as a magnet for people
with talent and ambition, regardless of age, gender, or ethnic background. In The Love of the Last Tycoon, how does
Fitzgerald portray the ethnic or cultural identity of his characters? How would you assess the role of women in the
Hollywood of the text? What larger conclusions can you draw about the place of ethnic Americans (e.g., the children of
immigrants, JewishAmericans)
and women in Hollywood, based on Fitzgeraldâs novel
