Works of literature often provide insightful perspectives into a certain time period. Literature can help a reader understand the issues of the time period, as well as the opinions and lifestyles of people living at that time. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald can be viewed as a lens into the 1920s by depicting how different socioeconomic classes lived and the feelings of these different groups of people. The 1920s are often referred to as the roaring 20s because it was a prosperous time for America. This period was was a crucial time for America, socially and politically, and Fitzgerald is able to emulate this in “The Great Gatsby”. The tone Fitzgerald utilizes throughout the novel is able to capture the mood of the …show more content…
In addition, Gatsby’s extravagant parties always seemed to have an endless supply of alcohol which leads many readers to believe Gatsby was involved in bootlegging (cliff notes). During prohibition, bootlegging occurred in many big cities including New York. The city’s government, however, did little to stop this illegal activity. The corrupt politicians of Tammany Hall allowed bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling to thrive. Law enforcement often took bribes from those in charge of these illegal activities and turned a blind eye, allowing many people, like Gatsby, to make major profits. One of key people in the Tammany Hall corruption was Arnold Rothstein, represented by Meyer Wolfsheim in the novel. Rothstein held a monopoly over gambling and prostitution in New York. The novel alludes to the fact that Wolfsheim was the one who fixed the 1919 world series, an event that actually happened. When Gatsby is at the speakeasy with Tom he sees his old friend Meyer Wolfsheim. The fact that Gatsby is associated with this man, who is notorious for his involvement in gambling, shows that Gatsby’s fortune was most likely the result of some illegal activity. (“Historical Context: The Great Gatsby”) Fitzgerald’s novel shows how wealthy lived and earned their money through characters such as Jay Gatsby and Meyer Wolfsheim, yet not all Americans lived as lavishly as these characters did. When
In the novel The Great Gatsby, the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays his views on life in the early post world war I society. The 1920s or the “Roaring twenties” was a period of economic prosperity in the United States. This, however, was a success that did not distribute equally among the varying classes, as an increasingly disturbing gap emerged between the rich and the poor. Those with wealth began to lavish themselves with material goods and extravagant lifestyles, while those without sank into the depressing, grotesque scene of poverty. Through a winding story of love and loss, Fitzgerald gives the audience
When Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby the U.S. was in the middle of the 1920s. An age of consumerism, excess, and social revolution. Fitzgerald conveys these new ideas excellently. The 1920s was the precursor to the modern day and was foreshadowing of what was to come in the post-World War 2
The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, provides a reflection on the societal issues and attitudes of a modernist, post-war era. The “Roaring Twenties” was an age of prosperity, consumerism and liberalism that led to unprecedented economic growth and significant changes in culture and lifestyle. The right to vote redefined women’s roles and gave rise to a “new breed” known as the flapper, that drank, wore excessive makeup, and flaunted her disdain for conventionalism. The introduction of prohibition led to an increased demand for black market alcohol and bootlegging, thereby providing a financial basis for organized crime. Despite the progression, the 1920s was an era of social tensions
In any great novel, an understanding of the era in which the story is set can lead to a deeper appreciation of the author’s themes and characters. For example, the themes that preoccupied F. Scott Fitzgerald, issues of social class, the dynamics of prohibition, and the culture of excessive consumption, would be difficult to convey on their own. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the social, political, and moral environment of America in the 1920s sheds greater light on the otherwise complex forces that drive the characters in The Great Gatsby.
The roaring twenties was the period known for its exuberant, overwhelming and free pop culture of all time. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, represent the past historical modernization of a male subjugated social system. The Great Gatsby is a mysterious love tale, and a social interpretation towards the American Life. This story explores the journey for happiness and wealth through the American Dream, and shows how perfectionism, deteriorated relationships, and deceitfulness occur during the Jazz Age. The Great Gatsby, however, is not the story about a woman’s journey for happiness and improperly shows the representation of females during 1920. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby shows the historically male controlled social system through women being portrayed as shallow beings, which are dominated by men, and seen as flawed individuals.
The plot of The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is driven by Jay Gatsby's
Many novels are written as a means of scrutinising the details and flaws of a specific society. The author’s purpose is to use the novel as a lens through which they can offer their own critical perception. The highly praised novel The Great Gatsby provides such a view into 1920s America, an era which was often described as the “Jazz Age” or the “Roaring 20s,” mainly due to the +and carefree nature of the wealthy. This higher class, who were essentially safeguarded by their money, lived life as if it was an endless party. It is this particular group that F. Scott Fitzgerald mainly targets when providing his criticism
We look back in history in order to learn from our mistakes and to help society progress in the present and in the future. “The Great Gatsby” was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925. Fitzgerald wrote this piece during the 1920s after WWI and it perfectly replicates the time period. The narrative captures the essence of the Jazz Age by depicting characters, showing power struggles and by defining the societal conflicts of the time. The novel tells us about different influences on the 20’s such as the Prohibition Act, the success of Wall Street, and aspects of the American Dream. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald possesses the social constructs and ideas of the Roaring Twenties.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a classic novel that captures the essence of life in America during the 1920s. Fitzgerald uses techniques and conventions of characterization, setting, symbolism, plot and tone to make timeless comments on the context of this text. comments include the idea that during the 1920s wealth caused the upper class to have destructive power, the working class struggled and suffered under illusion of affluence, there is no escaping society’s rigid social classes and that consumerism causes people to be selfish and act only out of self-interest.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby , the 1920’s is portrayed as a time of change and excitement. It was a time where women started dressing and were portrayed differently, feminism grew and was a major influence on the American culture.
Considered as the defining work of the 1920s, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published in 1925, when America was just coming out of one of the most violent wars in the nation’s history. World War 1 had taken the lives of many young people who fought and sacrificed for our country on another continent. The war left many families without fathers, sons, and husbands. The 1920s is an era filled with rich and dazzling history, where Americans experienced changes in lifestyle from music to rebellion against the United States government. Those that are born into that era grew up in a more carefree, extravagant environment that would affect their interactions with others as well as their attitudes about themselves and societal
This occasion displays how potentially careless and morally corrupt the citizens of New York in the nineteen twenties can be. It is occasions like these that prominently portray the depth of moral corruption in relation to the significance of the setting in The Great Gatsby.
The 1920’s was a time of great change to both the country lived in as well as the goals and ambitions that were sought after by the average person. During this time, priorities shifted from family and religion to success and spontaneous living. The American dream, itself, changed into a self centered and ongoing personal goal that was the leading priority in most people’s lives. This new age of carelessness and naivety encompasses much of what this earlier period is remembered for. In addition, this revolution transformed many of the great writers and authors of the time as well as their various works. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, perfectly symbolizes many emergent trends of the 1920’s. More importantly the
“The Great Gatsby” is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in 1925, it is set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City from spring to autumn of 1922. The novel takes place following the First World War. American society enjoyed prosperity during the “roaring” as the economy soared. At the same time, prohibition, the ban on the sale and manufacture of alcohol as mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment, made millionaires out of bootleggers. After its republishing in 1945 and 1953, it quickly found a wide readership and is today widely
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a peek into the society of the roaring twenties. Fitzgerald establishes two classes of