There are many things that can be said about Fitzgerald, like about most people who make themselves known by the artistic craft. He is above all the first person who comes to mind talking about literature in the Twenties. Owing to his novels and stories where he captured the nostalgia, the spirit of that time is still very vivid even in our modern era.
In his narrative "The Ice Palace" which appeared in the short story collection "Flappers and Philosophers" in 1920, the reader is introduced to the problem of mental and emotional difference of people living in the Nothern and Southern American states. Fitzgerald thematizes several different problems in his short story but the main and crucial theme we discover, which at the same time is the topic of this analyis, is the quest for identity of the female protagonist.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction : 1
1. Social Developments 1
2. Literary Developments 2
II. The Twenties and the Short Story 6
III. Fitzgerald's "Ice Palace"
or The Quest for Identity 9
1. At Home in Paradise 9
2. In the Land of the Snow Queen 17
3. The Ice Palace -
Climax and Symbol of Death 27
4. Back to Paradise 31
IV. Conclusion 32
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to analyze F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "The Ice Palace" as a narrative of initiation, focusing on the protagonist's quest for identity amidst the cultural shifts of the 1920s. It explores the internal and external conflicts arising from the regional and ideological divide between the American South and North, examining how these differences impact human relationships and personal development.
- Historical and cultural context of the "Roaring Twenties"
- Development and characteristics of the American short story in the 1920s
- Symbolism of the "Ice Palace" as a metaphor for identity crisis and death
- The clash between traditional Southern values and modern Northern industrialism
- Psychological struggle of the protagonist, Sally Carrol Happer
Excerpt from the Book
The Ice Palace - Climax and Symbol of Death
Part V of the Ice Palace begins with "a particularly cold night" (p.64) and the reader should be prepared that he is about to reach the climax of the story. We see Sally Carrol and Harry Bellamy on their way to some carnival activities which take place in the North every year.
Once again the atmosphere is hostile. The impression of death is at night for Sally Carrol most tangible. She is thinking about her grave which reminds us again of the beginning of the story : how much she identified herself with the late Margery Lee; and it is also a foreshadowing towards the ending. Therefore she has also the associations of blooming flowers in spring time and the warmth which she connects with her home : the South. It is a striking hint that she is not going to make it in the North.
Her confusion and fright increases when they reach their destination : the ice palace :
On a tall hill, outlined in vivid glaring green against the wintry sky, stood the ice palace. It was three stories in the air, with battlements and embrasures and narrow icicled windows, and the innumerable electric lights in- side made a gorgeous transparency of the great central hall. Sally Carrol clutched Harry's hand under the fur robe. (p.65)
Like being in a dream she loses contact to other people surrounding her, which should again indicate her mental isolation and her helplessnes as to find stability in herself. The ice palace stands for everything that endangers Sally Carrol's way to find her identity and the threat she feels is clearly perceptible when she repeats the lines from Coleridge's 'Kubla Khan' over and over again :
"It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!" (p.66)
Chapter Summaries
I. Introduction : This chapter provides historical context for the 1920s, examining social and literary shifts and the myth surrounding the era.
II. The Twenties and the Short Story: This section discusses the evolution of the short story as a genre influenced by technological advancements and the changing tempo of life.
III. Fitzgerald's "Ice Palace" or The Quest for Identity: This chapter analyzes the short story, detailing the protagonist's struggle with regional differences, her relationship with Harry Bellamy, and the symbolic significance of the North-South divide.
IV. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the analysis, framing the story as an initiation narrative where the protagonist's failure to find identity mirrors the broader conflict between traditionalism and modern society.
Keywords
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Ice Palace, Roaring Twenties, Identity, Initiation, American South, American North, Symbolism, Flapper, Tradition, Modernity, Cultural Antagonism, Short Story, Sally Carrol Happer, Harry Bellamy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "The Ice Palace" as a study of identity and cultural transition, specifically looking at the friction between the traditional American South and the industrialized North during the 1920s.
Which central themes are explored in this analysis?
Key themes include the clash between regional identities, the process of psychological initiation, the limitations of traditional values in a modernizing society, and the role of symbolism in reflecting inner turmoil.
What is the main goal or research question?
The main objective is to interpret Sally Carrol Happer's failure to adapt to Northern life as a representation of the inability of the Southern "aristocratic" tradition to survive in the face of modern, Northern economic and social power.
Which methodology is utilized in this paper?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing on historical context, psychoanalytic interpretations of character behavior, and an examination of symbolic imagery within the text.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The body analyzes the socio-cultural landscape of the 1920s, the development of the modern short story, a character study of Sally Carrol, her failed relationship with Harry Bellamy, and an in-depth analysis of the "Ice Palace" as a central symbol of death and entrapment.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is characterized by terms such as Fitzgerald, identity, initiation, regionalism, 1920s social developments, and literary symbolism.
How does the author interpret the protagonist's obsession with the Southern past?
The author argues that Sally Carrol's attachment to the past, represented by the cemetery and Margery Lee, signifies her resistance to modern change, which ultimately prevents her from achieving maturity and finding a stable identity.
Why is the "Ice Palace" considered a symbol of death?
It is viewed as a physical and emotional tomb, representing the cold, sterile, and destructive nature of Northern industrial society, which offers no true warmth or understanding for someone rooted in the traditions of the South.
- Citation du texte
- Didem Oktay (Auteur), 1994, Zu: F. Scott Fitzgerald´s "The Ice Palace" - A Story of Initiation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/4301
