Final answer:
F. Scott Fitzgerald, in the 1920s, experienced a blend of professional achievement and personal dissatisfaction, reflecting broader societal trends. Leonard Cohen's initial literary ambitions evolved into a music career, highlighting the adaptability required of artists. The power of art in expressing and resonating with the human condition is a central thread connecting these experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpts provided paint a picture of varied human experiences, many colored by isolation, ambition, and the struggle for self-expression. In the 1920s, F. Scott Fitzgerald describes his life as both fulfilling and unsatisfying as a literary figure. He recognized the longevity of literary fame compared to movie stardom and valued the independence his career afforded him, despite perpetual dissatisfaction within his craft. His personal reflections reveal the general spirit of the Twenties: a time of individualism and self-discovery, but also of disillusionment and the belief that the pursuit of professional success might lead to personal satisfaction.
Writers like Fitzgerald and Leonard Cohen found their unique paths to expressing their talents—through literary achievements and transforming poems into songs, respectively. Their journeys reflect the broader narrative of artists striving to maintain individuality and integrity in a competitive world. These experiences are akin to broader societal struggles, whether in the form of Guthrie's songs meant as support during hard times, or the deep expressions of pain and the desire for freedom found in spirituals sung by slaves. All these accounts suggest the power of art to make sense of, and resonate with, the human condition.