The Bowl, F. Scott Fitzgerald: Analysis & Summary
'The Bowl': Exploring Fame, Football, and Envy 'The Bowl' may not be one of F. Scott Fitzgerald's most well-known short stories, but it addresses compelling themes of fame, football, and envy. Published in 1928 in the Saturday Evening Post, the story follows a college football player who encounters a girl demanding that he give up the sport. Plot Summary: Football, Love, and Conflicting Desires The story is narrated by Jeff Deering, who reminisces about his time at Princeton, where his roommate, Dolly Harlan, played American football for the university. Although Dolly was not the star player, he possessed versatility and secured a place on the team despite his lack of enthusiasm for the game and the rigorous training it required. One evening after a game, Jeff introduces Dolly to Vienna Thorne, a sixteen-year-old girl. Dolly quickly professes his love for Vienna, unaware that she despises football due to her brother's death in a prep school game the previous year. …