Final answer:
F. Scott Fitzgerald expresses a sense of disillusionment with the dreams of youth and the stark reality of adulthood, mirroring the broader social disillusionment of the 1930s after the exuberant decade of the 1920s.
Step-by-step explanation:
F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, is renowned for capturing the essence of the 1920s in his literature. In his personal essay, The Crack-Up, he describes his life during what is now called the Roaring Twenties as one initially filled with youthful dreams and a straightforward approach to life's troubles. However, the quote reflects his disillusionment with the dreams of youth and the reality of adulthood.
As an influential figure of the Lost Generation, his works and personal reflections show an intense grappling with the challenges of success, the disillusionment of ideals, and the overall spirit of his era. Moving beyond personal regrets, his writing during the 1930s, which often includes criticism of the era's values and the disillusionment following the initial exuberance of the 1920s, mirrors a broader sense of social disillusionment during the Great Depression.