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Age Of Disillusionment Research Paper

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Peltier 1
William Peltier
Mrs. Hitt
English III Honors - 2nd
30 January 2017
The Age of Disillusionment The Age of Disillusionment can be defined as a time when tragedies such as war and poverty caused many to lose their naïve and carefree way of life. During this time, people believed life was dangerous, and they were afraid of what would happen next in their lives. The fear they felt during this time was a result of World War I, World War II, the Great Depression, and the devastation they brought (Hitt). Much like President Woodrow Wilson's "War Message to Congress" and Phillip Larkin's poem "MCMXIV," the Age of Disillusionment was filled with hopelessness and fear as a result of tragic events such as the sinking of the passenger ship, the Lusitania. On May 1, 1915, the British passenger ship, the Lusitania, set sail from …show more content…

He knew he had to do something to stop the tyrannical German government from wreaking any more havoc upon the lives of civilians (Wilson). President Wilson's speech is very characteristic of the Age of Disillusionment because, like many works during the age, his speech is about people coming to terms with the fact that their loved ones have died and how they feel hopeless for a better life. During this age, people began to question whether they were safe (Hitt). President Wilson says the only way to ensure a safer life and better future for all, was to go to war with Germany. He knew that people would be scared to take such a large risk, and knew that many would die, but he also knew that it must be done. Four days after his speech, the United States of America officially entered World War I (Wilson). The amount of loss that was to come in the war would only lead to Americans being more fearful and the feeling of disillusionment during the age would only grow. As a result, the literary aspect of the Age of Disillusionment flourished and quickly became one of the most influential ages in American

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