--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was not so much fun. His work became…" description: "\"“It was not so much fun. His work became confused with Nicole’s problems; in addition, her income had increased so fast of late that it seemed to belit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_long-time_it-was-not-so-much-fun-his-work-became-c_788447.jpg" --- # It was not so much fun. His work became confused with… ![“It was not so much fun. His work became confused with Nicole’s problems; in addition, her income had increased so fast of late that it seemed to belittle his work. Also, for the purpose of her cure, he had for many years pretended to a rigid domesticity from which he was drifting away, and the…” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_long-time_it-was-not-so-much-fun-his-work-became-c_788447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_long-time_it-was-not-so-much-fun-his-work-became-c_788447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_long-time_it-was-not-so-much-fun-his-work-became-c_788447.jpg) > ““It was not so much fun. His work became confused with Nicole’s problems; in addition, her income had increased so fast of late that it seemed to belittle his work. Also, for the purpose of her cure, he had for many years pretended to a rigid domesticity from which he was drifting away, and the pretence became more arduous in this effortless immobility, in which he was inevitably subjected to microscopic examination. When Dick could no longer play what he wanted to play on the piano, it was an indication that life was bring refined down to a point. He stayed in the big room a long time, listening to the buzz of the electric clock, listening to time.”” [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels his creative work is diminished by his partner’s success and the pretense of domestic stability, leading to a sense of life being reduced to monotony. **In simple terms:** His art feels trivial compared to her wealth and his forced domestic role. Key Takeaway Recognize when external pressures stifle personal expression. Themes identity art relationship power dynamics monotony Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative work - marriage - financial disparity - personal authenticity Key Concepts existentialism social expectation self‑alienation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal ambition with relational responsibilities? - When does compromise become self‑neglect? A Different Perspective The narrative may overstate personal decline, ignoring broader societal factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Domesticity Drifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domesticity-drifting-6061221/) [Examination Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examination-dick-6061222/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Nicole Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nicole-problems-6061220/) [Room Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/room-long-2953106/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Years Pretended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-pretended-6061223/) ## Related quotes > [I like change. 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She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) ## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. 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Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Explore all 1,568 F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More Long time quotes > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. 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