NOR AIMALIANA BINTI KAMARUDIN 920131-11-5820 124713 LITERARY CRITICISM A NEW LEAF

The short story A New Leaf by Francis Scott Fitzgerald is a very interesting short story because it is very much interviewed with the life of the author itself. This short story was published in July 1931. The title A New Leaf is symbolized for Julia Rosss new life after break up with Dick Ragland. She had gone through a quite complicated path of life with Dick. There are two literary approaches in this story, biographical and social criticism. This story is about a complicated love story between Julia Ross and Dick Ragrald. Dick is the worst man in Paris because he involved with drink, women, jails, scandals, killed somebody with a car. But Julia falls for Dick because Dick is a handsomest man she ever saw in her life and she decides to go on a date with him. Dick promises himself to stop drinking once he turns 28 and makes sure that Julia knows this. Julia leaves to visit relatives in California for two months. However, when she visits Dick in New York, she finds out that Dick was having an affair with Julia's friend, Esther, in order for him not to slip back in to drinking and tries to convince Julia its all for her. Julia realizes that she only love his looks and nothing other than that. After breaking up with him, Phil informs Julia that Dick was lost at sea and died fulfilling the promise to stop his drinking habit. There were many signs of Dick's continuous drinking after his promise in newspapers. Then, Phil and Julia eventually married. Even Julia already married but she still loves Dick. First literary criticism is biographical criticism. This story is really related to authors life background. From the research that I have done, the author is an American. In this story the main character, Dick is also an American. The evidence is Because hes got the worst reputation of any American in Paris.(page 1, last line). From this evidence, I understand that the author use American character because he wants the reader get a clear picture how he as an American act in the society based

on white culture. Besides, this story according to authors experienced. In his real life, Fitzgerald entered in 1913 Princeton University, where he failed to become a football hero. Then, he left his studies in 1917 because of his poor academic records, and took up a commission in the US Army. While in this story also mentioned that the main character, Dick had joined the war and also study at Princeton University. We can see it in this sentence, He had gone to the war at seventeen and, when he came back and life as a Princeton freshman with a little black cap was somewhat tame.(page 4, paragraph 9). It shows that, how this story connected with Fitzgeralds life experience. In my opinion, the author wants his history of life recorded in his own writing and he wants the reader know his personal not only his writing. However, the most important thing is this story is about Fitzgeralds love story. In the real life, he really loves his lover Ginevra King. Based on my research, Fitzgerald's first biographer Arthur Mizener, a 1930 Princeton graduate, noted in "The Far Side of Paradise" (1951) that Ginevra King was the extraordinary 'nice' girl, the beautiful, magnetic girl who was always effortlessly at ease. The other men were part of her charm, for though she conquered everywhere quite deliberately, she remained essentially untouched, free. In her love story, even she married William H. Mitchell but her loves still remain to Fizgerald. From this research, it shows very clear that Julia portrays Ginevra in authors real life. In this short story the author explains these in this sentence, There was Julia, who was a little too good for anybody and sometimes regretted that she had been quite so well endowed. Anything added to beauty has to be paid for that is to say, the qualities that pass as substitutes can be liabilities when added to beauty itself. (page 2, paragraph 8). Other than that, we know that Julia still love Dick even she has Phill. The evidence isYoull understand the feeling I have and always will have about Dick, wont you, Phil? It wasnt just his good looks. (page 13, paragraph 1). What I can critic is, the author real love story is same with this short story. Both of this talk about love that end with sad ending which is her woman that he loves marry another guy but she still love his first lover. The second literary criticism is social criticism. In western lifestyle, it is normal for them to drink alcohol. The evidence is When Phil was gone; Dick Ragland suggested a fine champagne. (page 3, paragraph 5). From the research that I have done, American can drink alcohol for celebrate ceremony or anything that make

them happy. They also drink alcohol to release their tension. It is their practice in their social life. Besides in American social lifestyle, they are always having scandal. They only allow marrying one woman but for them having scandal are normal. The evidence in this story is, After you went to California I was lonesome and I ran into her. (page 11, paragraph 14). In my opinion, this social lifestyle is not fair for everyone because we need to be loyal to our partner. Other than that, American can have sex before married. The evidence is, When he was sad, Julia made him her baby, holding his handsome head against her breast, but she liked it best when he was confident and could cheer her up, making her laugh and feel taken care of and secure.(page 10). In my thought, this social lifestyle is very bad to practice because it will cause a big problem for the society if they are pregnant. The percentage of baby damping will increase. It will affect the socio economy of their country. In conclusion, this short story is a perfect biography of authors life experience. The author tries to convey his history of life in his writing. Not only about his life, but the author also shows the best description of the typical American men in this story. From this story, we can get a wide picture about the author life and also how American social life.