Their ability to push musical boundaries influenced and inspired many artists and changed the way albums were produced. Beyond music, the Beatles were also cultural symbols, promoting peace and love, influencing fashion and social change.

They are also in first place on the list of the 100 greatest artists of all time, drawn up by Rolling Stone magazine.

The band disbanded in 1970. The Beatles' music remains timeless and they'll always be considered and remembered as one of the most important cultural icons of the 20th century.

Some of their best and most famous albums are "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967) "Abbey Road" (1969), "The White Album" (1968) and "Revolver" (1966).

Some of my favorite songs of the Beatles are "Hey Jude", "And I Love Her", "Do You Want To Know A Secret", "Twist And Shout", "Something ”, "Come Together", "Here Comes The Sun" and "Blackbird".

Words can't even explain how much I love them, I genuinely think good music like this can make life wonderful.

the singer that I listen the most is Romeo Santos, but I also love to listen, to Elvis Crespo, Aventura, Prince Royce, Lalo Rodriguez, Don Omar and much others.

My favorite song is "Luna Llena" by Elvis Crespo, But also "Solo Conmigo", "La Diabla", "Que se mueran" by Romeo Santos, "El perdedor", "Tu Sonrisa", "Dile", "El Hijo De Nadie"

These are a little bit of the songs that I love, but there are much others and I think that is worth every minute of listening because they can cheer me up in any moment of the day and I love them.

I want to talk you about Drake, a famous canadian rapper and a producer. He is one of my favourite artists, because I also listen to latin songs and italian rap songs.  His principal type of music are rap, hip hop and R&B. I really love the way he combines pop melodies with rap verses, and I think that this make him different compared to others singers. Currently 73 million people listen to him on spotify, in fact he did nine tours, including two world tours. The main themes of his songs are love, loneliness, rancor and other themes that represent society. In his career he received many Grammy Awards and Billboard Music Awards. My favorite song made by him is Un-thinkable Remix with Alicia Keys.

Irene Fiorella

However, if I had to decide which is my favorite artist among the ones I listen, I would say Adele.

She is a british singer, and she was born on the 5 may 1988 in London. Adele is one of the most successful recording artists and she has also won many awards. One of the most important is the one that she won in 2013 with the song “Skyfall”, which is also the soundtrack of a film named in the same way.

My favourite song is “Love in the dark”, because I think that it describes in a really deep way when two people don’t love eachother anymore and she also wrote about all the feelings that are caused by this.

I really like American music and among the many artists there is one in particular that I see as an icon: Britney Spears.

Born on December 2, 1981 in Mississippi, she represents the pop of the early 2000s and she’s also a dancer, actress, television personality and stylist. She has received many awards such as a Grammy. I like many of her songs such as “Toxic”,  “Gimme more”, “Oops! I did it again”, “Baby one more time” and “Piece of me”. Her songs deal with various themes like love, independence and the desire for freedom. I also find her interesting for her performances over the years.

I don't have a favorite song of hers but I like the vibes of all of them.

I hope you are doing well. I'm a girl who listens to different types of music but I think my favorite is pop but I’d like to tell you about my favorite performer,Ariana Grande.

She is an incredible pop artist known for her powerful voice and catchy song. Two of my favourite songs are “Into you”(2016)that have a captivating rhythm and energy,and “Black free”(2014)an empowering anthem about independence. I admire how her music combines emotional depth with fun.She’s truly inspiring and one of our time.

Thank you for reading!

Best regards,

Nikol Dea Balsen

She is Jennifer Lopez, born on July 24, 1969 in the Bronx, New York, is an American singer, actress and dancer of Puerto Rican origin.

In 1999, Lopez began his musical career with the album "On the 6".

In 2022, Lopez married actor Ben Affleck, with whom she had been in a relationship in the 2000s. However, after two years of marriage, the couple announced their separation in 2024.

My favorite songs are Jenny from the Block which has become a anthem in which she tells her roots in the Bronx. The song talks about his growth as an artist and his response to criticism, while showing his determination, and On the Floor, a dance pop song with Pitbull that has become a worldwide hit, dominating radio and dance floors around the world.

I hope you liked this description, I send you many greetings.

Megan Andaluz

He was born in Nicosia, in Italy, on the 22nd may 1979. He is an italian singer who started to do music in 2005 with his mixtape called “Roccia” in collaboration with the Dogo Gang.

In 2008 he made his first album

with Guè Pequeño and J-ax.

He was acclameted in 2013.

One of his most succesfull song it’s Margarita, a song in collaboration with Elodie, his ex girlfriend, who was released in 2020 .

My favourite songs of Marracash are “Niente canzoni d’amore”, “bravi a cadere” and “crudelia”.  I like them because they are significative and beautiful.

Over the years, Rihanna has evolved her style, moving from reggae and R&B to a mix of pop, dancehall and electronica. Among his most famous songs are:

• “Umbrella” (2007): a pop anthem that established her as a global superstar.

• “Diamonds” (2012): A power ballad that highlighted her vocal ability.

In addition to music, Rihanna is also a successful entrepreneur, founder of the Fenty Beauty brand, which revolutionized the cosmetics sector for its inclusivenes.

1. "Vero" (2011)

2. "Gue Pequeno" (2015)

3. "Anarchy" (2017)

4. "Civiltà" (2020)

Through the years he also made some collaborations:

"Dogo Gang" (2014) – with Club Dogo, although it’s a group project, Gue Pequeno plays a prominent role.

"Un Amico In Comune" (2018) – a collaboration with various other Italian rap artists.

These albums have been important milestones in his career, and he is known for his unique style, blending rap with influences of trap and conte

mporary music.

He was born in Sesto San Giovanni a city near Milan, but since he was a child he moved and grew up to Cinisello Balsamo a city that has become iconic for all the lovers of the genre .

He rose to prominence thanks to the publication of the album XDVR recorded with the collaboration of the record producer Charlie Charles, achieving good success in Italy.

This success was replicated with the releases of Sfera Ebbasta in 2016, Rockstar in 2018, Famoso in 2020 and X2VR in 2023,the second of which allowed the artist to become the first Italian to enter the world Top 100 of the Spotify streaming platform.

In 2020 he turned out to be the artist who sold the most discs in Italy in the decade 2010-2019, with more than 4.2 million copies between albums and digital singles. As of 2024 he also holds the record for the highest number of songs placed in the first place of the Top Singles and the largest number of weeks in the first position .In addition, to all these records is also added that of being the artist with the most FIMI records

Also in 2024 he was the first Italian rapper to do two dates on the most important stage in Italy, the San Siro stadium in Milan

In his private life since 2019 he has been in a relationship with the Argentine model and influencer Angelina Lacour. Their first son, Gabriel, was born on June 2022.

HE has become the voice of a generation, but above all of my adolescence having grown up with his music. He is a great source of inspiration for many kids because he managed to have everything, believing in his dreams starting from nothing.

Jordan: Hi.

Interviewer: Thanks for talking to me today. Erm. What would you like to talk about?

Jordan: Today I was going to talk about music and, erm, how it’s changed in terms of distribution and influence on social media in today’s generation.

Interviewer: Great.

Jordan: Erm, so, I’m a big fan of music. I grew up listening to it on the radio and my mum’s old CDs in the car. And, erm, it’s funny how growing up you see how in today’s digital age and generation, how music is distributed and shared. Erm, when I was young and my parents were young, you’d only ever hear music on the radio or on television on Top of the Pops. But nowadays, music gets shared around all the time on YouTube and Twitter and Instagram. As an artist myself, I found it really interesting how, erm, songs are going viral and acts are breaking not from a prime slot on a television show but just by, erm, music gaining heat online, getting shared around and numbers exponentially growing. Er, it’s also made things very difficult because the pool’s so much bigger now – everybody’s doing it. Er, but, equally, you could have a hit in your bedroom as some, many people, many artists are. They have one song that goes online, a DJ ends up playing it in a club and, er, it goes viral overnight. And it’s a great, and a lot of people are making a career that way, erm, which I just find really interesting. As a musician myself, I’m making a lot more of my music from a home studio because it’s more accessible for a lot more people now.

Interviewer: Do you think the changes are for the better or for the worse?

Jordan: Er, I’m interested to see how it goes. I think in many ways it’s a good thing because it opens lots of doors to many people that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford studio time and being able to get their creativity in the best possible format it can be. But, equally, I think there are negatives to it because the opportunities are getting less and less, and people’s interests and hopes for instant gratification are having a detrimental effect on the ability of making new music. Erm, there’s not much time given to be able to really make your craft and sonically engage in an audience ’cause you don’t have long enough, you don’t have their attention long enough, for them to really listen and invest in your development.

Interviewer: Right. And what, which is your favourite platform for putting your music out?

Jordan: My favourite platform is YouTube because, erm, that’s where most of my subscribers are, and what I do is every week on my channel I put out covers of my most favourite songs and the most famous artists of the songs that are doing really well. So that’s how I’m able to garner more fans and subscribers over to my channel, so they can hear more of my music and through that they are able to hear my original music as well.

Interviewer: Uh huh. Do you want to mention the name of your channel in case our listeners want to subscribe?

Jordan: Sure. My channel’s called JordanClarke500 [note from the LearnEnglish Team: Jordan’s channel has changed to JJ Clarke], erm …

Interviewer: Clarke with an ‘e’?

Jordan: Yes, it’s JordanClarke (with an e) 500.

Interviewer: Ha ha.

Jordan: You’ll find covers and some original material on there. And you can find out more about me. So, yeah, please check it out!

Interviewer: Great. Thanks so much, Jordan.

Jordan: Thank you.

What are the positive and negative effects of social media on music?

Francis Scott Fitzgerald was one of the most brilliant and tormented writers of the 20th-century American literary scene. Born in 1896 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, he lived an intense life, often marked by the euphoria of literary success and the shadows of personal failure.
Fitzgerald was an ambitious and talented young man, fascinated by beauty and wealth. He deeply loved Zelda Sayre, who became his wife and muse, but their relationship was troubled. He desperately wanted to win and keep her, which he achieved with This Side of Paradise in 1920, a novel that was enthusiastically received.
He wrote his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby (1925), at a time when he still believed literature could save everything, but the book was initially underappreciated. Only after his death in 1940 did the world recognize the poignant genius with which he portrayed the fragility of the American Dream.
Fitzgerald's most important works:
This Side of Paradise (1920) – the debut novel that made him famous
The Beautiful and Damned (1922) – a bitter portrait of lost youth
The Great Gatsby (1925) – his masterpiece and a symbol of the broken American Dream
Tender Is the Night (1934) – a refined, melancholic novel inspired by Zelda’s mental illness
The Last Tycoon (unfinished, published posthumously) – a look at the decay and illusions of the 1930s.

--The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button---------

PLOT
The story begins in 1860, the year Benjamin Button is born. No one knows how or why, but Benjamin is born with the appearance of an elderly man, and it is established that his age corresponds to 70 years. Embarassed and ashamed, his father hides the story from everyone, he dresses him like a child o make him look younger.
Twenty years later, Benjamin looks like he's fifty and decides to enroll at Yale University, disguising his appearance with hair dye and haircuts.
Years later, at a Civil War veterans' party, Benjamin meets Hildegarde Moncrief, the daughter of a general. A romance begins and they eventually marry.
Over time, Benjamin follows in his father’s footsteps, becoming a wealthy businessman. However, his relationship with Hildegarde deteriorates, he seeks pleasure and excitement, while she becomes more reserved, she ages. They divorce, and Benjamin enlists in the army during the Spanish-American War, earning a medal of honor. After the war, things with Hildegarde become worse, and Benjamin often spends long periods alone to reflect.
By 1910, they have a son, Roscoe. Meanwhile, Benjamin appears to be in his twenties and enrolls at Harvard, where he excels as a student and athlete. But as he grows younger, he becomes too weak to compete or keep up with academics.
After university, he moves to Italy, where Hildegarde and Roscoe now live. His son, who grew up in the U.S. without him, refuses to acknowledge him as his father and insists on being called “uncle,, in public.
One day, Benjamin is summoned by the army for World War I, but after an examination, he is deemed too frail and sent home. Devastated, he returns and is placed under Roscoe’s care. As the years pass, he loses his memory and independence, spending his days playing with his grandson, who is now his peer.
Eventually, as a newborn, Benjamin is cared for by a nurse who teaches him to speak again. A new life begins, perhaps his last.

CHARACTERS
• Benjamin Button is the main character, born with the appearance and physical limitations of an old man, but he ages in reverse, growing younger as time goes on;
• Daisy Fuller is a dancer and Benjamin's lifelong love. Their relationship is deeply affected by Benjamin’s unusual aging process;
• Queenie is a kind-hearted woman who works at a nursing home and raises Benjamin as her own after finding him abandoned as a baby;
• Thomas Button is Benjamin’s wealthy biological father, who initially abandons him but later tries to reconnect;
• Captain Mike is a sailor and captain of a tugboat who becomes Benjamin’s friend and introduces him to the outside world;
• Caroline is the daughter of Daisy and Benjamin, who learns the truth about her father later in life.

THEMES
• Time and aging: the book explores how time affects life, love, and identity, with Benjamin aging in reverse;
• Love and loss: It shows how love can be deep but also difficult to maintain when people change in opposite ways;
• Identity and loneliness: Benjamin often feels different and isolated because of his unique condition;
• Life and death: the book reflects on the temporary nature of life and the inevitability of death.

Here's a beautiful citation from the movie "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" (2008):

'For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you've never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. And if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.'

Francis Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist and short-story writer. Here's a brief summary of his life:

F. Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, in 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He grew up in a middle-class family and he had a passion for writing from a very early age. Fitzgerald attended Princeton University but he left it in 1917 to join the U.S. Army during World War I.

After the war, he moved to New York City and began a writer. His first novel, "This Side of Paradise" (1920), was a huge success, making him become a prominent writer of the Jazz Age. He married Zelda Sayre in 1920, and the couple became symbols of the era of excesses and glamour.

Fitzgerald's most important works include "The Great Gatsby" (1925), "Tender Is the Night" (1934), and numerous short stories. He explored themes such as love, wealth, and the American Dream.

Tragically, he died very young on December 21, 1940, at the age of 44, from a heart attack.

Tales of the Jazz Age

"Tales of the Jazz Age" is a collection of short stories, published in 1922. The collection includes 13 stories that explore themes of love, wealth, youth, and the American Dream.

Some notable stories in the collection include:

1. "The Jelly-Bean" - a story about a young man's struggles with identity and social status.

2. "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" - a fantastical tale about wealth, power, and the corrupting influence of both.

3. "May Day" - a story about the post-war disillusionment.

Tarquin of Cheapside

"Tarquin of Cheap­s­ide" is a short story by F. Scott Fitzger­ald, part of his collec­tion "Tales of the Jazz Age". The story fol­lows Tar­quin, a young man from a rich fam­ily, and his roman­tic entan­gle­ments.

The narra­tive explores themes of love, class, and social sta­tus, typ­i­cal of Fitzger­ald's work. Through Tar­quin's expe­ri­ences, the author explains the com­plex­i­ties of social rela­tions and the ten­sions between old and new wealth.

So in the end the main characters include Tarquin and the girl; Tarquin's love interest, often we think about her as a mysterious figure.

F.S. FITZGERALD:

Francis Scott Fitzgerald was an American  screenwriter, which was considered one of the most important authors of the 20th century. Born in St. Paul in 1896, he studied at Princeton, but left the university to join the army during the World War I. After the conflict, he achieved great success with his first novel, This Side of Paradise and after some time he married Zelda Sayre. Fitzgerald is known for “The Great Gatsby”, which tells the story of the American dream and the world of high society in the 1920s, an era also known as the Jazz Age. Despite his talent and fame, his life was marked by economic problems, alcoholism and his wife's mental illness. He died on December 21 in 1940 in Hollywood, where he worked as a screenwriter.

TALES OF THE JAZZ AGE:

The tales of the jazz age is a book composed by 13 short stories.The collection is divided into three sections: fantasy stories, comic stories, and dramatic stories. Each story shows a different aspect of the culture and social changes of that period.

Talking about people that are young, rich, eccentric or in crisis, Fitzgerald tells the themes of wealth, limitless fun, love, the American dream and also loneliness.

THE CAMEL’S BACK:

Perry Parkhurst and Betty Medill are a couple, but an argument ruins Perry's plans to formalize their marriage. Sad and drunk, one night Perry decides to attend a costume party dressed as a camel, involving a taxi driver to complete the costume and to be the other half of the camel. At the party, Betty, not knowing Perry's identity, is fascinated by the costume and dances with him. The two win the award for best costume and participate in a fake wedding ceremony. However, the surprise comes when in the end Betty discovers that the wedding is real and that Perry was behind the costume all that time.

The themes of this story are love, the fate and the inability to communicate.The main character is Perry Parkhurst and other characters are Betty Medill and The taxi driver, whose name is unknown.

HIS LIFE

Francis Scott Fitzgerald (Saint Paul, September 1896 – Los Angeles, December 1940) was an American writer and screenwriter, author of novels and short stories. He is considered one of the greatest authors of the Jazz Age and the so-called Roaring Years and, more generally, for his overall work of the 20th century.

He fought in the First World War.

CHARACTERS

The curious case of Benjamin Button:

-Benjamin Button (man born old who rejouvenates with the time)

-Roger Button (Benjamin’s dad)

-Hildegarde Moncrief (Benjamin’s wife)

The diamond as big as the ritz

-John T. Unger (boy from Mississippi who visit a schoolmate)

-Percy Washington (John’s classmate, son of a millionaire)

-Braddock Washington (Percy’s dad, a very rich and paranoid man)

-Kismine (Braddock’s daughter, John loves her)

May day:

-Gordon Sterrett (ex-student of Yale in ruins)

-Philip Dean (ex Gordon’s classmate, more lucky)

-Edith Bradin (journalist)

-Jewel Hudson (woman with whom Gordon has a complicated relationship)

Porcelain and Pink:

-Julie Marvis (flirty young woman)

-Lois Marvis (Julie’s sister)

-Jeffrey Curtain (Julie’s love interest)

The Jelly-Bean:

-Jim Powell (“jelly-bean” a lazy man)

-Nancy Lamar (lively woman with whom Jim falls in love)

The camel’s back:

-Perry Parkhurs (jealous man who disguises himself as a camel)

-Betty Medill (ex Perry’s girlfriend)

O Russett Witch!:

-Merlin Grainger (dreamy bookseller)

-Caroline (misterious girl who represent a romantic ideal)

Tarquin of Cheapside:

-Jeffrey Curtain (writer)

-Roxanne Milbank (his wife)

-Harry Cromwell (Jeffrey’s friend)

MAY DAY

Set in New York on May 1, 1919, immediately after the First World War, the story weaves several parallel stories into a single chaotic and symbolic day.

Gordon Sterrett, a disgraced former Yale student, is desperate. Moneyless and threatened by a woman (Jewel Hudson) who wants to blackmail him, he turns to his wealthy former college classmate, Philip Dean, for a loan. Philip reluctantly grants it to him.

Meanwhile, Edith Bradin, a journalist, participates in a high society party, embodying the frivolous and detached world of the New York elite.

The day turns into a crescendo of social tension and disillusionment. The various characters touch each other in clubs, in the streets, and in times of crisis. In the end, Gordon, now with no way out, commits suicide in a hotel room.

THEMES

-The American dream and its decadence;

-The time and inevitability of change;

-Post-war delusion;

-Class conflict;

-The superficiality and materialism of the 1920s;

-Identity and alienation.

THE TALES OF THE JAZZ YEAR

The collection includes eleven stories, divided by Fitzgerald himself into three sections: "My LastFlappers', "Fantasies" and "Unclassified Masterpieces". These tales explore life in the roaring years of the American post-war period, reflecting themes such as youth, excess, disillusionment and the declining American dream.

Section 1 - My Last Flappers

Stories centred on lively young women, often frivolous, symbol of the new female generation of the 20s.

Section 2 - Fantasies

Surreal or symbolic tales, which deal with wealth, time and impossible desires.

Section 3 - Unclassified Masterpieces

More serious or dramatic stories.

F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota and he died in December 21, 1940, in Hollywood and he was an American short-story writer and novelist famous for his depictions of the Jazz Age (the 1920s). His most brilliant work, The Great Gatsby (1925), has been called the Great American Novel. Fitzgerald’s private life, with his wife, Zelda, in both America and France, became almost as celebrated as his novels.

The Lees of Happiness" is a work of short fiction by American Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald first appearing in The Chicago Tribune on December 12, 1920. The story follows a young wife's eleven-year devotion to her paralyzed spouse. The story was first collected in Tales of the Jazz Age (1922) published by Charles Scribner's Sons.

The Lees of Happiness" is written from a third-person omniscient point of view. It has three principal protagonists. Jeffery Curtain, a young man, had been a modestly talented, but obscure, novelist and short story writer: after 1908, the public record suggests he has ceased to publish. Around the same period, when the Gibson Girl was a feminine ideal among the American middle-class, Roxanne Milbank was a minor star in popular theatre: her photograph in a trade paper for actors depicts a young lady of uncommon beauty.

The newspaper record reports that she retired from the stage upon her marriage to Jeffrey Curtain. Blissfully in love, the couple travel around the western US and Mexico for a year in an extended honeymoon. They settle on a small, semi-rural estate outside of Chicago near other members of their social class. The marriage is idyllic.

The couple are visited for a week by a close friend of Jeffery's, Harry Cromwell. Harry is not accompanied by his wife of two years, Kitty: Jeffery suspects that his friend is having demoralizing marital difficulties, complicated by the fact that the pair have a young son.

Though entirely ignorant of the culinary arts, Roxanne prepares a batch of biscuits from a recipe provided by the household's hired cook. The biscuits are a disaster, "decorative," but inedible. Jeffery, in an effort to salvage them, nails the hardtack in a row along the wall of the library. Roxanne is praised for her faux-artistry. Harry reflects upon Roxanne's good-natured response to her failure with his prideful wife Kitty, and is troubled by the contrast.

Shortly after Harry's return to the city, Jeffery begins to complain of headaches. The first indication that he is seriously ill occurs when Roxanne gently touches his shoulder during a social gathering at their home: he reacts as if attacked, slapping her arm away. Both spouses are shocked: Roxanne frightened and hurt, Jeffery dismayed at what he has done. The guests suspect something perhaps sinister and depart. The incident is the first manifestation of a brain tumor. When Jeffery falls into a coma, unable to speak or move, Roxanne serves as his dedicated caregiver.

Six months later, on a brief visit to Chicago, Roxanne makes a courtesy call to Kitty Cromwell. Roxanne is struck by the filthy condition of the apartment. Kitty is superficially social, but vulgar; her son is clearly unbathed and uncared for. Kitty displays her meretricious lingerie which Roxanne finds repellent; she departs shaken. The encounter has provided her with a sympathetic insight into Harry's life.

Medical specialists attempt to treat Jeffery, without success. On a visit to see his friend, Harry reveals to Roxanne his collapsing marriage: Kitty has left him, taking his son. He is distraught. Both Harry and Roxanne recognize their mutual suffering in the face of events that have descended upon them. As the years pass, Roxanne continues to lavish an inordinate, perhaps unhealthy, amount of love on Jeffery, despite the fact that he is clinically, if not biologically, deceased. After eleven years in vegetable-like state, Jeffery dies. Roxanne, despite the ordeal, is still a healthy, attractive and vigorous woman. She is uncertain as to her future. Harry has been divorced from Kitty for eight years; their son is grown and at college.

Years pass and both Roxanne and Harry are in their middle-age. He is devoted to the former wife of his best friend, but refrains from deepening the relationship. As dear friends, they both continue to mourn Jeffery's passing and celebrate his life.

"May Day" (labour day) was set on the 1 may 1919 in New York after the world war one. The story mainly follows Gordon Sterrett, a former Yale student and World War I veteran, now in economic  ruin. Gordon seeks help from his wealthy former classmate, Philip Dean, but only receives a derisory sum. Desperate and blackmailed (ricattato) by a woman named Jewel Hudson (they had a relationship) (Because she is in possession of compromising letters that he wrote to her and she said that she will show them in public if he doesn't give her money.), Gordon finds himself trapped in a spiral of degradation that tragically culminates in suicide.

The story presents other characters: Philip Dean(schoolmate, lucky milioner)Edith Bradin Carrol Key and Gus Rose. Their stories intertwine against the backdrop of the violent May Day protests and the deep social divisions.

Themes of mayday:

• Postwar Disillusionment : World War I veterans, like Gordon Sterrett, return home feeling lost and unwanted in a society that no longer values them.

• Social Inequality : The story contrasts the carefree, wealthy elite with the struggling poor and forgotten veterans, highlighting deep social injustice.

Simbols:

school, poverty, depression, social inequality

F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American writer born on September 24, 1896, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and died on December 21, 1940, in Los Angeles.

• He studied at Princeton University, where he began writing stories and novels.

• His debut novel, "This Side of Paradise" (1920), was a huge success, launching his career.

• Fitzgerald's works captured the spirit of the Roaring Twenties, a period of significant social and cultural change in the US.

• Notable works include "The Great Gatsby" (1925), "Tender is the Night" (1934), and "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" (1922).

• He married Zelda Sayre in 1920, and the couple became famous for being glamorous and turbulent

• Fitzgerald's health declined in the 1930s due to alcoholism and financial struggles. He died at 44 from a heart attack.

F. Scott Fitzgerald is considered one of the most important writers of the 20th century, known for his elegant prose and capturing the essence of his era.

Tales of the jazz age

Fitzgerald's 'Tales of the Jazz Age' is a collection of short stories that offer a glimpse into the tumultuous world of the 1920s. Through  writing, Fitzgerald explores the tensions between old money and new wealth, the disillusionment of the post-war generation, and the changing social norms of the era. The stories are both a commentary on the times and a reflection of the author's own experiences and observations.

"The Diamond as Big as the Ritz"

It is  a fantasy story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, part of his collection "Tales of the Jazz Age". The story revolves around John T. Unger, a young man from Hades, a small town in the Midwest, who visits his friend, Percy Washington, at his family's mysterious estate. Percy boasts about his family's immense wealth, claiming his father owns a diamond as large as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. This diamond is the centerpiece of the Washington family's wealth and power, and the story explores themes of wealth, privilege, and the American Dream through a blend of fantasy and social satire

The story begins with John T. Unger receiving an invitation from Percy Washington to visit his family's estate.

The Washington estate is shrouded in mystery, and its true nature is slowly revealed as the story progresses.

Percy's boast about the diamond sparks John's curiosity, and the story sets the stage for an exploration of the Washington family's wealth and its implications.

Themes:

• richness and poverty

• Friendships

• Secrets

Francis Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States.

He was an American novelist and short story writer known for capturing the essence of the jazz age.

He took inspiration from his life experiences, relationship and the world around him.

Fitzgerald's father, Edward was a gentlemen from the south whit aristocratic mannerism, while his mother, Mary McQuillan, came from a wealthy Irish family.

Fitzgerald developed a passion for writing at an early age and was particularly drawn to the works of authors like Oscar Wilde, Walter Pater and Rupert Brooke.

He got his fame with the publication of the novel "This side of Paradise" and it established him as a voice of the lost generation. The book success allowed him to marry Zelda Sayre, a beautiful and charming woman who was the heroine of his stories.

Fitzgerald's life was marked by extravagance, parties and a deepening dependence on alcohol.

The first symptoms of struggles with mental health of his wife Zelda (who in 1934 would have entered a mental institution where she then died in 1947) and the progressive disinterest of the public for his works deeply marked the author.

Sick and hopeless he started to write movie scripts for living and then he died of heart attack on December 21, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, United States.

Plot of the book

"Tales of the Jazz Age" is a collection of short stories written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1922. The stories are set in the Roaring Twenties and capture the spirit, glamour, and complexities of the Jazz Age in America.

The collection includes some of Fitzgerald's most famous stories, such as "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which tells the tale of a man who ages in reverse, and "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," about immense wealth and the illusions of the American Dream. Other stories explore themes like love, ambition, social change, and the fleeting nature of happiness.

Overall, "Tales of the Jazz Age" paints a vivid picture of the era's exuberance and excess, while also delving into the moral and social issues faced by its characters. It's a reflection on the allure and the pitfalls of the American Dream during a time of rapid change and modernization.

Main characters

Porcelain and pink

Julie Marvis: A flirtatious young woman, she is bathing in a tub. She enjoys singing and flirting through the bathroom window. She represents the frivolous and carefree spirit of the Jazz Age.

Lois Marvis: Julie's sister and quieter character. She enters the scene after Julie comes out of the bathroom and sits in the same tub.

Paul: Lois' boyfriend, but he mistakes Julie for her through the bathroom window (not seeing her, only hearing her voice).Julie provokes him by pretending to be Lois, creating an awkward situation.

Porcelain and pink summary

The scene takes place in a house in the south of the United States. Julie Mars, a young and egoistic girl is bathing in the tub while singing and playing silly games from her past. Her sister Lois, more practical and rational, speaks to her through the door, criticizing her for her superficiality.

During the bath julie begins to flirt with a young man who passes by, not being able to see each other. But in a final twist, we discover that the man Is actually Lois boyfriend. Julie is mortified, while Lois is indignant

Fitzgerald's writing is characterized by lyrical prose, poetic language, and a deep exploration of themes such as love, greed, class, and the American Dream.

"The Great Gatsby", a novel set in the roaring twenties that explores the world of wealth and privilege, "Tender Is the Night", a novel that follows the decline of an American aristocrat, and "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz", a short story that critiques the excesses of wealth.

Other notable works include "This Side of Paradise", his debut novel that explores the life of a young man in the post-World War I era, and "The Beautiful and Damned", a novel that examines the lives of a wealthy couple in the 1920s.

“Tales of the Jazz Age" is a collection of 10 short stories written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Here's a brief summary of each story:

1. "The Jelly-Bean" - A story about a young man trying to fit in with high society.

2. "The Camel's Back" - A story about a man who falls in love with a woman who is already engaged.

3. "May Day" is a short story that explores the lives of young people in New York City after World War I. The story follows Gordon Sterrett and other characters as they navigate the challenges of post-war life, touching on themes of disillusionment and the search for meaning.

4. "Porcelain and Pink" - A story about a young woman who finds herself in an embarrassing situation.

5. "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" - A story about a young man who visits a billionaire family.

6."The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a short story about a man who ages in reverse, born as an old man and becoming younger with time. It explores themes of identity, mortality, and the human condition

7. "Tarquin of Cheapside" - A story about a young man trying to win the heart of a woman.

8."O Russet Witch!" - A story about a man trying to win back the love of his life.

9. "The Lees of Happiness" is a short story about a couple, Lewis and Jessie, whose happy marriage gradually loses its spark as they face life's challenges and grow older.

10."Mr. Icky” it’s about an old farmer who represents traditional values. The young people around him only care about money and success. The story makes fun of how society is changing.

"The Jelly Bean" is about a young man named Jim Powell, who is seen as weak and not very masculine by the people in his small town.

The story explores how Jim interacts with others, especially a girl named Nancy Lamar, who represents the kind of life Jim wants. Through Jim's experiences, Fitzgerald shows the difficulties of living up to societal expectations and the challenges of being different.

The story provides a nuanced look at Jim's character and highlights the complexities of human relationships. It's a thought-provoking tale that showcases Fitzgerald's ability to capture the subtleties of human experience.

The main characters are:

Jim Powell is the “jelly-bean” of the title, a term that in the culture of the time referred to a young man from the South, with little ambition, who dressed well but had no real job or great aspirations. Jim is a passive and sensitive character.

Nancy Lamar is a beautiful, lively, and carefree girl from the local upper class. She is Jim’s love interest, but she also represents the impossibility for him to reach a world that does not belong to him.

• If you are really passionate about something, it often brings you joy. What is something you are passionate about?

• If you choose a moment in your life to relive, it usually reflects something meaningful. Which moment would you choose?

• If people around you share values, it strengthens relationships. What value do you appreciate most in them?

First Conditional

• If you make a small choice today, it might change your life tomorrow. What small choice could you make?

• If you dream of learning something new, you can start improving it now. What do you want to learn?

• If you have a day all to yourself, you will have the freedom to choose how to spend it. How will you spend that day?

Second Conditional

• If you admired a quality in others, you would want to cultivate it in yourself. What quality would that be?

• If you found yourself in a situation where you felt truly yourself, it would be a comfortable place. What situation would that be?

• If something could make you happy immediately, it would be your go-to remedy. What is that something?

•There are so many things I'm passionate about but poetry, books, music, movies. These are the things I love the most. They feed your my curiosity, your wanting my willing to know what's beneath the surface, they make you me see life in a different way, they fulfill you my heart. I always listen to music, the good old one, and think about how beautiful life is. It genuinely makes me happy, I feel like dancing to the rhythm of the song, letting myself be carried away by that ineffable atmosphere, forgetting about everything else. It makes me wish I had lived through those years, so that I could go to concerts of amazing bands live. I'm really passionate about movies, they show the poetry and beauty of acting, they change your my perspective on life: good movies make your life better. The same with books, novels, and poetry because "words and ideas can change the world".

• If I have to choose a moment in my life to relive, It would be a day in elementary school. I would like to experience my childhood once again, knowing that it's something temporary in life. The world would be bigger and brighter, a reflection of my state of mind. I would be talking and joking with my old friends, living with that connection that we no longer seem to have. Because school wasn't just about the grades back then. It was about learning, enjoying the moment, laughing at my Italian teacher funny behaviours/manners, about having fun with my classmates. Everything I like to remember of those years is the beautiful side of the things, because I was a child.

• The values I appreciate the most in my friends are their way of being themselves, of having a good sense of humor, because they're right there to remind you me that life isn't that serious. It's not about them having values or not, it's more about sharing their points of view and showing their own character.

First Conditional

• I will make the small choice of start playing a sport, so as to achieve my goals regarding my body.

• I dream of learning many things, like some new languages, German and Russian. I'd like to know how to play many songs on my guitar, to watch many documentaries about the Universe and then learn skateboarding.

• If I have a day all to myself, I will spend It doing the things I love the most. I will wake up early in the morning and have my own little breakfast, then go for a walk outside. After that, I will find a spot where I can look at a beautiful landscape, lay on the grass and read my book. Then I will get back home and watch some movies, relax, and let myself get carried away by It. I will listen to music and do shopping, and in the evening I would keep reading my book before falling asleep.

Second Conditional

• One of the qualities would probably be their way of being themselves, their culture on movies, books, music, their ambitions. The thing I admire the most in some people is the way they talk, the way they show that they're different, the way they're not just "another brick on the wall". I love smart people, the ones that inspire you me, that those who have got charisma, because I feel good when talking with them and when I realize that maybe I'm not as smart as them, that's exactly what makes me want to improve myself.

• That situation would be with the right people.

• That something would probably be music, movies or nice food.

1. I’m passionate about watching films. I really love them specially rom-coms, adventure films and comedy movies. In this moment I’m watching a masterpiece of world cinema: Star Wars. I think movies can acculturate you in many different ways. Among my favourites films there are definitely those of Harry Potter but also movies like Divergent or The Maze Runner. Furthermore I adore movies like The Notebook or Three Steps over Heaven, that are typical films about love.

2. I think I would certainly choose when my family and I went to Seychelles. It’s the best holiday I ever had. There were all my family members including relatives on dad’s side. I remember everything of that holiday as if I did it yesterday. In the Seychelles there is the Indian Ocean and there is a lot of nature, and it can be defined as a relaxing type of holiday. But we did many sports such as triathlon, swimming, fishing, snorkeling and we walked a lot. It was a meaningful experience for me also because I spent a lot of time with my family and we improved our relationship creating so many memories.

3. The values that I appreciate the most are honesty, loyalty, the trust that I place in them and that they have in me and certainly having fun together.

4. For example now I'm studying so that tomorrow I'm prepared for all the tests, also I could start reading a book, spending less time on the phone, which is a goal I've made for myself for a long time.

5. I would like to take some cooking courses to learn how to best make the desserts and foods that I like the most. Or I would like to learn how to do different hairstyles, such as French braids, because I think they are very cute.

6. If I have a day to all my self I probably will start the day relaxing and tanning on the beach, late in the morning. Then I would go for a walk or for a run in a park or in something similar to get in touch with nature. In the end I think I would spend my time with my friends, maybe in a club to have fun.

7. A quality that I notice in others and that I would like to improve is patience both with people and with myself. Patient people are not in a hurry to reach their goals, but rather try to improve themselves over time, making a slow but constant personal growth, and I admire it.

8. I think that I’m truly myself when I’m around the people I love the most and I can be a little weird without being judged.

9. My go-to remedy would be traveling. I feel truly happy when I travel and can be carefree while visiting new places and experiencing new cultures. It is the thing that excites me the most.

2)If I choose one of the most significant moment , I choose when I started high school.Because at that moment I understood that I was studying in another city for the first time, I was more independent in the transport and I knew and I know that when I will get my diploma I will be more mature person.

3)The value that I appreciate most in a person are kindness,empathy and altruism. Kindness because I think that education is the most important thing to be in a society. Empathy because is important to understand how to behave whit a person when this person is in a good moment and when is in a bad moment. Altruism is one of the value that I prefer because helping people is good and right thing to do. These are all values that I hope to have and that everyone has told me I have.

4)The small choice I could make is to turn off my phone for one day,so that tomorrow I can appreciate the day more without looking at the phone.

5) I would like to learn to organize my days better. I often think I can do everything in one day. But every time I realize that it is not like that, almost every day I find myself doing things in a hurry and it is not a good thing to do especially during the school.

6)If I have a day all for myself I will probably take a long solo walk with my dog on the sea and I spend a relaxing day.

7)If I have one quality from anyone it would be my mom, it would be the determination to reach a goal then even if she has some difficulties she still gets there.

8)The situation where I would feel truly myself would be with my friends,because with them I can be myself without fear of any judgement.

9)If something made me happy immediately it would be to spend time with my parents because they often work and between the school and their work we spend a little time together.

• if i have to choose something that i’m passionate for, and that brings me joy it’s gonna be music, because it makes me feel a lot of different emotions. The music can make me relax, it can make me sad or make me remember of some old memories or person, it can give me happiness, sadness or goosebumps.

• if i have to choose a moment to relive it’s totally gonna be when i had my acrobatics dance show, i was so happy but in the same time anxious, there was a lot of people, we tried so much time and the feeling that i felt were to good and strange to put them in word, but something that we were all feeling was fear, to mess everything up, that someone could get hurt, that it would all go wrong but in the end we all had fun and everything gone went according to plan.

• if people around me share values i know that the one that i appreciate the most is honesty, i don’t like people who lie or tell you something just because you want to hear it, a friendship is real and stable when there is honesty and truth and obviously respect too. I like when people tell you the things exactly how they are instead of lie even if sometimes it can be a little harsh.

First Conditional

• if i have to make a small choice today that might change my life tomorrow it will probably be eat healthier and do exercise. It might improve my health and my body.

• i have a lot of different things that i dream to learn like act, i think the world of acting is amazing, i want to learn how to play a instrument and probably some other languages

• if i have a day all for my self i would wake up late and have lunch instead of breakfast and i would spend the all afternoon watching marvel movies probably with my friends and then i would eat dinner and i would put my headphones on and fall asleep with them still on.

  
  

Second Conditional

• A quality that i admire on others that i would like to coltivate in myself is probably how they are always calm and how they enjoy the moment. I always think of what happens when the moment finishes and i can’t ever seem to be calm for a longer time.

• if i found myself in a situation where i fell truly myself it wouldn’t be a place but a person, more then one if i have to be honest, all my friends and my family when i’m with them, that’s when i’m truly myself.

• if someone gave me something that would be my go-to remedy, that thing would probably be a good movie, some bad jokes that i would probably still find amusing, and some food probably sweet.

1- I’m passionate about many things; In my free time I like reading books, such as romances, and sometimes I also read detective novels. I like listening to music, and I listen to it very often: when I am sad, when I am happy, but also when I am doing my homework or I’m helping my mom cleaning the house, because it makes me feel good. In the end, I also like watching movies, especially the dystopian ones and the rom-coms.

2- If I had to choose a moment in my life that I wanted to relive I’d choose when I spent one week on a cruise last summer, because it was one of the best memories of holidays that I’ve ever had. I really had fun and I think that it was an opportunity to meet new people that come from abroad and also visit many places.

3- I have many friends, but I think that only some of them share values that really strenghten our friendship. The values that I appreciate the most are honesty, because in my opinion everyone should be honest with their friends, trust, because if someone trusts a person the relationship can be stronger and healthier. Other values that I really appreciate are kindness and availability, because when a person is suffering, a friend should be able to be there for her and help her to move on.

4- I could use less my phone and instead I could go out with my friends and spend more time with my sister.

5- I want to learn to cook and to speak languages fluently and I’d also like to travel abroad so that I can learn new things about other cultures.

6- If I had a day all to myself I’d probably go out with my friends and have fun with them, go to the beach if it’s hot and sunny and I would surely spend more time with my family.

7- Many times I admire qualities in others, and think how it would be if I had them. I would like to be more patient, because sometimes I am quite the opposite, but more than anything I would like to be more confident, because I am a really anxious and insecure person and sometimes I can be stressing, and I always wonder how I would  be if I was calmer.

8- A situation where I truly feel myself is when I am with my friends or with my family, because I don’t feel judged, I can express myself the way I want and finally I don’t feel embarassed or scared to say something because I know that these people have never a negative reaction to anything I say.

9- My go-to remedy for any situation is always the same: the music. It conforts me and helps me express how I feel when there are no proper words to say or I don’t know what to do.

2.If I could relive a moment of my life it would be playing with my grandfathers and make sure I always show them how much I love them because now that they're gone I can't do it anymore .

3.In my opinion the best value that a person can have is empathy. Empathy is very important and beautiful but also saddening because you can always tell when someone is going through a lot and often you are so empathetic that you end up being sad in his place, but if something good happens to one of your friends the last feeling you will feel is surely envy.

4.If I would make a small choice it would be not caring about what other people think about me, because at the end the only people's judgment that you should listen is the one that people who love you gives you and life is too short to think about what strangers think.

5.I would like learning to pole dance because it looks like it's really fun. I've always wondered how much strength does it take to do it because It doesn't seem easy to stay balanced.

6.I would definitely spend that day with my boyfriend because I know that it would be very fun. Maybe we could go to the cinema or go to the beach or maybe we could just stay at home and sleep. It doesn't matter what we do because it's always special and memorable.

7.I would definitely like to cultivate selfishness. I know that it's not a good quality because if you're selfish you only care about yourself and you could even treat other people badly, but it could also be a good thing because sometimes thinking too much about others could be harmful to your mental health.

8.It would be going on a long car ride and looking out the window while listening to music

9.It would be watching the sunset with my friends at the beach and then get ready together to hang out at night

1. I’m passionate about dancing because I've been practicing it since I was very young and because when I dance I can express what I can't express with words. I love dancing because with it I can vent be proud of myself and also because with it when I dance I feel free and without worries.

2. If I had to choose a moment in my life to relive I would choose to relive July 25, 2023 because that day I won a dance scholarship that gave me the opportunity to improve, to meet new people and to know new places

3. If the people around me shared values what I would appreciate the most would be loyalty because it is a very deep and important value that makes you understand who the real and false people are and the people you can always trust.

FIRST CONDITIONAL

1. If I could make a small choice today that would change my future would be to save and learn new languages because I love travelling and could guarantee a better future maybe in another country and to be able to travel and communicate with other people, instead of staying in my little village.

2. As I said, I would like to learn languages such as French, English, Portuguese and German since they are languages that are spoken from all over the world and I would like to know how to speak them well even to communicate with anyone without making mistakes.

3. I would spend that day in New York with my family and taking at least one lesson in the most prestigious dance school, the Joffrey Ballet School, of that place and meeting many famous people but above all good teachers.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

1. I would really like self-confidence because many times for example I am ashamed to be among so many people for fear of being criticized or simply judged and also because many times I happen to underestimate my abilities.

2. I would be at home in the fall together with my closest friends like for example my classmates who now know everything about me and with them I would feel comfortable talking about anything.

3. One thing that would make me happy at the moment would be any surprise of any kind because I like to receive unexpected things from people even maybe after a bad day.

If you are really passionate about something, it often brings you joy. What is something you are passionate about?

  Something i’m really passionate about is listening to music and going on walks, I find it relaxing and enjoyable.

If you choose a moment in your life to relive, it usually reflects something meaningful. Which moment would you choose?

I would choose relive any moment of when I was a child, and I would spend all of my free time with my family, having fun with my cousins.

  If people around you share values, it strengthens relationships. What value do you appreciate most in them?

The value I appreciate most in relationships is loyalty because I think it’s the most important think that you must have in life

  If you make a small choice today, it might change your life tomorrow. What small choice could you make?

I could choose to start living life in a different point of view, starting to find happiness in small things.

  If you dream of learning something new, you can start improving it now. What do you want to learn?

I would like to learn how to become a good baker so that my family could taste everything I cook.

  If you have a day all to yourself, you will have the freedom to choose how to spend it. How will you spend that day?

I would just walk as far as I can and think about everything, it would be a really regenerative day.

  If you admired a quality in others, you would want to cultivate it in yourself. What quality would that be?

I would like to be a little more empathetic and to have more trusting in people.

  If you found yourself in a situation where you felt truly yourself, it would be a comfortable place. What situation would that be?

It would be a situation where I did not feel judged for who I am and I could say or do anything without worry about what they would think

  If something could make you happy immediately, it would be your go-to remedy. What is that something?

Something that makes me happy immediately is petting kittens and animals in general

●If you are really passionate about something, it often brings you joy. What is something you are passionate about?

I’m passionate about dance.

●If you choose a moment in your life to relive, it usually reflects something meaningful. Which moment would you choose?

I would choose to relive the moment before my grandmother passed away, so I could say goodbye to her one last time.

●If people around you share values, it strengthens relationships. What value do you appreciate most in them?

The value I appreciate most in the people around me is honesty.

first conditional

●If you make a small choice today, it might change your life tomorrow. What small choice could you make?

I would change schools.

●If you dream of learning something new, you can start improving it now. What do you want to learn?

I would like to learn how to sing.

●If you have a day all to yourself, you will have the freedom to choose how to spend it. How will you spend that day?

I would spend that day with my best friend.

second conditional

●If you admired a quality in others, you would want to cultivate it in yourself. What quality would that be?

I would like to have the quality of never giving up.

●If something could make you happy immediately, it would be your go-to remedy. What is that something?

The thing that could make me happy immediately is going to the beach.

-Something that passionates me is fashion, the history of fashion and of all the famous and luxuries fashion houses.

-A moment of my life that I will relive is probably one of my holiday, I don’t really know which one of the many I did but I love travelling and I think that all my holidays were beautiful and unforgettable.

-Surely the value that I appreciate the most in a relationship is loyalty, because a person who is loyal with you is a person who really wants to stay with you as long as possible and in my opinion that’s a great great value.

FIRST CONTIONAL

-I don’t think it would be a small choice because move on isn’t a small choice, but in my opinion move on could be the start of something new in a new place where none knows you.

-I’ll probably start learning something that will be useful for my future or I would start taking a fashion course.

-I’ll probably spend it taking care of myself in a spa or in a beautician and listening to music with my airpods to relax at all.

SECOND CONDITIONAL

-I would admire being extroverted and not being shy in relation with other people.

-It would be at home, but sometimes home could be a person, and if my home would be a person it would be my parents,my friends or my boyfriend.

-It won’t be something but someone,it will be my boyfriend because he is a part of me and he makes me always happy.