Analysis: Does Alcohol Help Or Hurt Your Writing

Addiction can affect everyone differently, in writers it seems to both grant them a way to write, but it can hurt their overall quality. There are many examples of this from many writers, some of these affected individuals included, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen King, and Dorothy Parker. Addictions may give author's inspiration for their works but it can also harm their overall quality or it can change how they see themselves and how they work.

Authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen King, and Dorothy Parker were amazing authors and had a problem with drinking alcohol or doing drugs. Despite the obvious drinking and/or drug problem, the three authors were still able to function and write novels. Fitzgerald wrote his well-known novel, The Great Gatsby, without being completely sober. Fitzgerald added some of his own drunk experiences to the characters in his book The Great Gatsby, and King wrote and published a whole book about his drug addiction. Dorothy Parker on the other hand, did not show her alcohol abuse in any of her short stories. Unlike F. Scott Fitzgerald and Stephen King, Dorothy parker kept her life experiences away from her writing career. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Stephen King both had an alcohol addiction, and both authors used the experiences that occurred when they were drunk, in their novels and used alcohol as a writing fuel.

The 1920’s was the first time that wild partying had become a social standard in American society. In “The Great Gatsby”, the atmosphere of one of Gatsby’s parties was described while “vacuous bursts of laughter rose toward the summer sky” and “champagne was served in glasses bigger than finger-bowls” (Fitzgerald). The fun atmosphere of parties was also contributed to by flappers, a new kind of woman with more “free” morals than previous generations (“The Roaring

This was an age of the newly rich, there was a lot of money being spent and many companies were being brought up and established. The East was beginning to boom due to the amount of people coming to live and work. This made the demand sky rocket for alcohol. As displayed in The Great Gatsby drugs and liquor were abused during this time period which was bad but what made it even worse was the fact that it was illegal. Various illegal activities came out of the Prohibition era such as bootlegging, rum-running, and speak easies." I found out what your‘ drug-stores‘ were...He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That‘s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn‘t far wrong...That drug-store business was just small change...but you‘ve got something going on."(133, 134). Afternoon hotel-room cocktail parties became the new form of hospitality (Allen).Fitzgerald shows the character Tom Buchanan suggesting they shoukd go to a hotel room to have a drink and cool off demonstrating how common hotel cocktail parties were to the wealthy during this time period , " You follow me to the south side of Central Park , infront of the Plaza." (125). Fitzgerald uses the character Jay Gatsby from his novel to illustrate how criminals and the various illegal activities performed during this time period were so common. The authorities during this time could not keep up with the vast amount of crimes being committed, therefore it an rampid during the 1920's. Big city criminals strongly influenced Fitzgeralds novel through gambling and illegal activities

F. Scott Fitzgerald is in many ways one of the most notable writers of the twentieth century. His prodigious literary voice and style provides remarkable insight into the lifestyles of the rich and famous, as well as himself. Exploring themes such as disillusionment, coming of age, and the corruption of the American Dream, Fitzgerald based most of his subject matter on his own despicable, tragic life experiences. Although he was thought to be the trumpeter of the Jazz Age, he never directly identified himself with it and was adverse to many of its manifestations.

     F. Scott Fitzgerald is seen as one of the greatest American writers, admired by his contemparies and by modern audiences of today. Fitzgerald was very much in tune with the early twentieth century American culture. He is credited with capturing the ‘Jazz Age’, which he described as “a generation grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken”. Fitzgerald observed the culture around him with a critical eye. Despite being able to depict America like few others could, many see Fitzgerald’s writing as an indictment on its values.

F. Scott Fitzgerald had many influences to become a writer. The biggest one being the Triangle Club, he was in when he was at Princeton, and Princeton as a whole. He also played football at Princeton, but his club convinced him that football is not what he wants to do (Petry 1). However, in Fitzgerald’s second year at Princeton, “academic disqualification from his extracurricular activities, the Triangle Club, and football, failed to lessen the pleasure Fitzgerald took from the performance of Fie! Fie! Fi-Fi!” which won first place in the Triangle Club’s annual competition (Doreski 3). Alcohol was also a huge, negative influence on him when his career started going downhill. His aspiration to succeed along with his wife’s support, allowed him to overcome the violent verbal and written criticism he faced. The influences Fitzgerald faced had a major impact on his career positively and negatively, while still helping him become a better writer.

The Jazz Age was an era where everything and anything seemed possible. It started with the beginning of a new age with America coming out of World War I as the most powerful nation in the world (Novel reflections on, 2007). As a result, the nation soon faced a culture-shock of material prosperity during the 1920’s. Also known as the “roaring twenties”, it was a time where life consisted of prodigality and extravagant parties. Writing based on his personal experiences, author F. Scott Fitzgerald, distinctly conveys through The Great Gatsby the change within America’s society, class differences, and the effect of an absence of religion through the corruption of the “American Dream” during the Jazz Age.

In their novels, Fitzgerald and Hemingway discuss the timeless parties and superfluous drinking in society post-WWI. The Great Gatsby is characterized by James Gatsby’s impossible attempt to repeat the past. The fascination of his previous life is inspired by something that Gatsby yearns. He longs for the security of a simpler but fruitful time, when fidelity and honesty was sacrosanct. While describing many of Gatsby’s profuse parties, Nick observes how “in [Gatsby’s] blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” (Fitzgerald 39). Like moths, guests appear only at night and are attracted to the brilliant lights of the lustrous celebrations. However, while exhilarating for some, the bright lights can be dangerous for

Alcohol has long been a problem for society, and college students are no exception to this problem, especially when it comes to binge drinking. Binge drinking is classified at 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women within 2 hours. According to a study by Ikes, “more than 40% of college students have engaged in heavy episodic drinking (HED)” or binge drinking (find pg number) and “19% engage in frequent binge drinking” (Iconis 243). There are very large implications for college students drinking this much alcohol. First of all, there is a huge health risk when drinking at such an alarming rate and a young age. According to a study done by the Office of the Surgeon General, when exposed to large amounts of alcohol, college students run the risk of developing long term biological change. Sustained binge drinking can affect both the brain’s and body’s biology. Young college students can develop adverse mental symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. Sustained binge drinking can also “affect memory, alters sensitivity to motor impairment, and damages frontal­anterior cortical regions” (25). There is also evidence that sustained binge drinking has detrimental effects on the liver, endocrine system and bones (Office of the Surgeon General 26). Not only is this a health issue, it has become a social issue as well. Students who regularly engage in binge drinking have increases in risky behavior as a result of their impaired judgement, and this risky behavior has many

The Roaring Twenties was a time renowned for partying, drinking, and a time without war. F. Scott Fitzgerald is just one of the many writers during this time to write about such times. Fitzgerald, however, is an author that defined this era also known as the Jazz Age. Known for novels such as The Great Gatsby, This Side of Paradise, and The Beautiful and the Damned, and many short stories, Fitzgerald is described by famousauthors.org as “one of the greatest writers American soil has produced in the 20th century. F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. He had an amazing writing career driven by an interesting personal life. His death and legacy cut his career short and we still celebrate him now.

Fitzgerald’s success came along with the roaring 20s, also known as the Jazz age. His fame and fortune skyrocketed during this era with his first novel, This Side of Paradise being a hit. However, the lifestyle of the rich and famous during the Jazz age would prove to provide an insurmountable heartbreak. Fitzgerald claims that the Jazz Age “flattered him and gave him more money than he had dreamed of” (qtd. In “Broken Dreams” 42). With this new fame and money, he began living very recklessly. He threw extravagant parties and “rode on the roofs of taxi cabs and jumped into fountains... and got drunk at countless parties.” Fitzgerald said, “I had everything I wanted and knew I would never be so happy again.” (QUOTE). He finally had a taste of the glamor of the American Dream, and he absolutely loved it. However, this lifestyle was expensive, one that Fitzgerald, even with all his money could not afford. He lived so irresponsibly that he was often in debt. He wanted more of this lifestyle, but it was the lifestyle of the American Dream that eventually lead him away from the American Dream. He began chasing the American Dream just so he could

Many negative effects come with drinking alcohol. Since teenagers’ brains are not fully developed until they are in their mid 20’s, it is especially dangerous to them. The legal alcohol age should not be eighteen because it harms the teenage brain and body, it has negative (and potentially fatal) effects on school, and it has negative effects on driving.

On college campuses across America, the use of alcohol has been an topic in need of explanation for many years. The concept will be explaned with emphise on the negative effects of hooch. Alcohol in cardio-sport athletes is especially harmful. But at any rate the negative concepts apply to all student. Besides the fact that a large number of students are underage when they drink, alcohol can put students in dangerous situations and give them a headache long after the hangover is gone. The short and long term effects alcohol has can impair students physically and mentally, impacting their education and health.

Alcohol is a substance that has numerous diverse affects on the body-both positive and negative. Alcohol not only kills brain cells, but when taken in profusion it has almost no constructive affects. Sure it can make one overlook his/her problems, but the consequences of drinking in excess far outweigh the benefits. It is not a crime to get drunk, however alcohol will almost always cause one to conduct them self in a way he or she would not normally behave. For instance, a sober man will not usually drive ninety-five mph down I-95, however, after consuming a good amount of alcohol, his eyesight, judgement, reflexes and abilities are hindered to the point that he feels