Ice Palace, The
by F. Scott Fitzgerald | Grades 9-12
"The Ice Palace" by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a short story that explores the clash between cultural differences and personal identity through the experiences of Sally Carrol Happer, a young Southern woman. Engaged to Harry Bellamy, a man from the North, Sally Carrol travels to his icy hometown and is immediately struck by the stark contrast to her warm, familiar Southern roots. The cold, literal and metaphorical, becomes overwhelming as she grapples with the disconnection from her past and the alienation she feels in her new environment. Ultimately, her visit to the North forces her to confront her true sense of belonging and the realization that some differences are too profound to bridge.