Final answer:
F. Scott Fitzgerald's first novel is titled 'This Side of Paradise', reflecting his perspective on the 1920s. His personal essay 'The Crack-Up' further reveals his own lavish yet troubled existence during that decade, mirroring the societal highs and lows of the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The name of F. Scott Fitzgerald's first novel is This Side of Paradise. This debut novel, which eloquently describes a disillusioned generation, became an instant classic showcasing Fitzgerald's unique perspective on the 1920s. This Side of Paradise, alongside his later work The Great Gatsby, cemented Fitzgerald as a prominent Lost Generation writer, with a particular flair for critiquing the affluent societal circles he often depicted. While these works reflect the glitz and doom of the Roaring Twenties, Fitzgerald's real life paralleled his characters with a similar pattern of extravagance and recklessness.
In his personal essay, The Crack-Up, published in 1936, Fitzgerald provides a first-hand account of his life in the 1920s, describing it with a tone that captures both the glamour and the despair of the time. He recounts the ease with which his 'big problems of life seemed to solve themselves' due to the prosperity of the era, yet he also hints at the moral and existential ennui he and his contemporaries experienced.
Fitzgerald's interpretation of the 1920s reveals a truthful representation of a decade known for its remarkable highs and inevitable lows, much like the dramatic arcs of his own literary creations and personal life. His works and lifestyle epitomize the spirit of the Jazz Age, marked by economic opulence and a sense of cultural progression, but also overshadowed by a looming sense of disillusionment and excess.