Review of ‘Dressed to Kill: Consumption, Style and the Gangster (Ruth, 1996)’

During the prohibition era of the 1920's, if one wasn't an enemy of Alphonse (Al) "Scarface" Capone, was he, in many eyes, a hero? Due to his savvy street smarts and the corrupt rebellion of the decade, Al Capone was not only a popular commentary of the time, but is now a legend. His classic boy from the ghetto turned generous multi-millionaire story only adds to the heroism seen in this most famous Chicago mobster. Chicago's industries, open spaces and four seasons were an enormous magnet for the 19th century Europeans looking for a home and opportunity. The frontier Chicago grew into a wonderful collection of ethnic neighborhoods - Irish, Italian, Russian, Greek, German, Polish and others. In many of these communities, making beer and

After the Volstead Act, a law that banned the making, transporting, and selling of alcohol in America, became law in January of 1920, It saw a fall in the consumption of alcohol and the rise of crime and the intolerant nature of America’s society in the twenties. Organized crime across the country quickly took advantage of Prohibition to supply the parched nation with alcohol in return for millions. Al Capone, one of the most notorious leaders of organized crime and gang in Chicago, built networks of corrupt officials, making around $60 million a year selling alcohol. But Capone wasn’t apart of the only gang that wanted control of the trade. In summary, the feature of gang warfare and violence was common in this period. Overall, the Prohibition law was a complete failure and disaster.

The Middle Class in the 1950’s and Today After the post-war, the government set out to create jobs and rid communism. America was heading towards a capitalist society. At the time, the economy was booming and consumerism gave Americans a life of prosperity and leisure. Americans were able to purchase products only the wealthy could afford. Consumerism de-emphasized class difference and this created the middle class and the beginning of consumerism. The middle class is an important factor to the growth of the economy after the post war. However, the middle class is now fading away and the economy is starting to fall with it.

During the period of prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol was made illegal, through the Volstead act of 1919, leading to the first and only time an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was repealed. Throughout this time in American history gangsters were common and were constantly increasing in every city but one in particular stood out from all the others making a significant impact on American history. Scarface, Alphonse Capone or more commonly known as Al Capone; who was the most infamous gangster, taking advantage of the era of Prohibition, ran an organized crime association in Chicago during the 1920s. He was responsible for over 500 murders; he had 700 men under his control and earned $60 million a year for bootlegging. Capone, who was glamorised in media and shown as charitable to the helpless was also controlling and violent and became an iconic figure of the successful American gangster who insisted he was just ‘supplying the public demand’.

The 1920s are usually characterized as a time of care-free, social rebellion against the restricting ideals of the post WWI world, but it has a darker side than this. Prisons populations and crime rates rose to an all time high from where they were pre-Prohibition. Gangsters soon became the richest,

The wage-earning class was the debtors, debtors who owed money and had to work to make a living for creditors, most of whom made up what would be known as the middle class. The tradition of fathers passing their land on down to their sons was slowly dying such as with Mayo Greenleaf Patch and his sons. Mayo Patch’s life was riddled with owing debts to the middle

The gap between the upper class and the lower class is growing; the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Instead of helping the lower class, the upper class is spending their money on fancy houses and material objects. For example, in the outskirts of cities, the rich business owners are building large mansions to live in. On the other hand, the lower class live in tiny tenements in the heart of the city. Many are unemployed and starving. In addition, between 1865 and 1900 only a small percent of Americans grew wealthy showing that wealth is only being passed through families not gained. However this growing gap between rich and poor has allowed the growth of the middle class. This middle class made up of doctors, lawyers and other will help the will hopefully help lessen the gap between

Straight Outta South Central Why is gang affiliation such an alluring, appealing lifestyle? Admittedly, the appeal is conceivable. Watching Boyz in the Hood or listening to hip-hip may cause some to think, “I can live that life,” but thought does not turn into action while others never formulate such a thought.

Criminal activity during the 1920s played a major role throughout the entirety of the decade, as it related to the newfound culture the Roaring Twenties entailed. As the nation strove to achieve the American Dream, parties, money and social representation became a main contribute to an individual’s persona. As these

The Roaring 20s The 1920s was an age of drastic social and political changes. For the first time in history, more Americans started living in cities rather than on farms. Americans were wealthier than ever before. People from coast to coast bought similar goods, listened to the same music, did the same dances, and even used related slang. Numerous Americans were uncomfortable with this unfamiliar, urban, and occasionally racy “mass culture”. In fact, for a large number of people in the United States, the 1920s brought more conflict than celebration. However, for a minuscule handful of youth in the nation’s larger cities, the 1920s were roaring. Prohibition gave criminals a way to illegally make money; gangsters, young men who worked in criminal gangs, began selling on the black-market alcohol. Young woman emerged during the 1920s with different appearance, attitude, and behavior; with a bobbed haircut and short skirts.

There were several gangs and mobs during this era that contributed to the crime rates of the 1920s. “Big gangsters such as Al Capone and Bonnie and Clyde were headliners of this era. Jobs were scarce and people needed to make a way to provide for their families, gangsterism was dangerous but provided an easy way to make money”( MacNee, Marie J., and Jane Hoehner, p.3).

In the 1920’s and 1930’s alcohol was made illegal and the prohibition of alcohol was characterized in two different ways. Some people viewed it to cause more harm than good, while others suggested it was the right thing to do. Although the consumption of too much alcohol has bad effects,

Noel Guillen Lehman English III CP 2nd block 21 December 2016 Life in the 1920’s The 1920’s were full of great innovations and great outcomes that to this day it plays a huge part in our lives. The 1920’s gave us a new sound known as the jazz, astonishing movies and new inventions as the television and the instant Camera. The 1920’s also gave us the introduction of mobster Scarface Al Capone and the bootlegging business of selling illegal alcohol. The crime in New York during the 1920’s was full of many brutal acts of violence due to Prohibition, Al Capone, and the St. Valentine’s Day massacre

Prohibition, A Complete Failure      Prohibition had become an issue long before its eventual induction as the 18th amendment in 1920. Organizations came about for the sole purpose of an alcohol free America. In 1833, an estimated one million Americans belonged to some type of temperance association (Behr 12). Many believed the

Women's Liberation in the 1920's: Myth or Reality? The decade following World War I proved to be the most explosive decade of the century. America emerged as a world power, the 19th amendment was ratified, and the expansion of capitalism welcomed the emergence of consumerism. The consumer era was established, which generated new spending opportunities for most Americans in the 1920’s. From the latest fashions to the world of politics, ideologies collided to construct a society based on contradicting principles. These powerful ideologies infected men and women of all classes with an inescapable desire for material possessions; however this ideological tug-of war affected women the most. Although legally declared citizens, society’s