Essay The Great Gatsby - the Ku Klux Klan

F. Scott Fitzgerald is, to this day, one of the most famous American writers. His books are studied in schools all around the globe and he is still celebrated in American culture today with blockbuster movies such as The Great Gatsby. Although one thing about Fitzgerald that many people tend to overlook is how he depicted minorities in his writing. In almost all of his stories F. Scott Fitzgerald used degrading, racist stereotypes and slurs as a way to describe minorities. He even used these stereotypes as a way to show humor in his writing by making the character appear “dumb” or “silly.” Most of his books only focus on wealthy white people and when a character of a minority is introduced they are usually described as villains. Fitzgerald’s writing was still popular despite these reasons mostly because people during this time and didn't see these depictions as offensive. Although all of this started to shift as time went on and bits of society slowly began to see the injustices faced by minorities in America. More and more people began to point out the racist stereotypes Fitzgerald used in his writing and pushed him to not only learn about the discrimination minorities faced, but to change how he wrote about minorities as a whole. These “little” comments that were made towards Fitzgerald reflected an overarching change that America was going through during the early to mid-nineteenth century. Though both of the changes that America and F. Scott Fitzgerald made were

The time era in which the novel “The Great Gatsby” written by Fitzgerald; took place is around the time where racism was common, and the white racism was common, and the white race was considered superior. Examples of racism in “The Great Gatsby” occur around the first few chapters and then around the later chapters as well. Usually, most of the racist remarks come from Tom. The character Tom says extremely racist comments and he says derogatory terms against other races. He believes the white race is superior. When Nick visits him for the first time after moving to Long Island, Tom says he believes the "Nordic" races, to whom he attributes the development of civilization, are in danger of being overrun by nonwhites. Tom wasn’t the only character to have this philosophy he was just more verbal about it. The character Nick says, “A limousine passed us, driven by a white chauffeur, in which say three modish Negroes.” (Fitzgerald). Nick reflects on this by thinking, “anything can happen now that were over this bridge.” This suggests Nick has racist tendencies because of how flabbergasted he was at the fact that there were rich black people. Also, he was surprised at the chauffeur was white. Another quote from the novel that suggest some of the

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 Ku Klux Klan, also known as the KKK, was thriving in its second generation during the 1920s. The Ku Klux Klan was reborn by William J. Simmons, with the intentions of creating a world with only one race. Simmons’ inspiration came from the film, “Birth of a Nation”. The Ku Klux Klan became more hateful and violent than ever, creating a sense of fear among not only African-Americans, but Jews, Catholics, and immigrants too.

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 USA in the 1920s is remembered as the ‘Roaring Twenties’, an age of new life, of hedonism and opportunity following the horrors the Great War. The decade is synonymous with wealth, materialism and unprecedented freedom. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby provides an insight into the exciting and prosperous lives of the American people as they embark on the limitless potential of the American Dream and therefore it conveys a picture of 1920s American society. With

There was a dark side to the American Dream Nick and many others were pursuing during the 1920s. Slavery was ended by the American Civil War of the 1860s, but racism never died. Southern states had strict segregation laws, and blacks were treated as inferior. The Ku Klux Klan was revived, and was extremely popular in the mid 1920s. The Klan was originally a group of defeated confederate soldiers, but it soon turned to murdering blacks. Black field workers were the poorest members of society and were treated as second class citizens(Helicon). The idea of whites being superior was held by most people in the early 1900s and this thought basis is seen throughout The Great Gatsby. Anti-Semitism was also a belief held by some in the 1920s and was evident in The Great Gatsby. Anti-Semitism is hate directed at Jews on political, social, and religious beliefs. Anti-Semitism grew in the United because of increased immigration from Europe and religious ideas holding Jews responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. Anti-Semitism was most seen during the Holocaust, when Nazis attempted to exterminate all the Jews in Europe(American History). Neo-Nazis and other white supremacy groups kept Anti-Semitism alive in the United States into present day, although today there are not nearly as many.

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 novel, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is set in the 1920s America, New York - a class society of money -, depicts a society which exists in a state of moral confusion and chaos, through the eyes of the narrator; Nick Carraway. Fitzgerald condemns the character’s tendencies in the novel to become greedy and materialistic in order to be successful, displayed throughout the chaos that arises as a result of the repercussion of these actions. This chaos continues to grow through the unfaithful marriages and illegal practices that exists extensively throughout the novel. Furthermore, Fitzgerald explores the prejudice discrimination between the newly rich and those with “old money”. Through all of this we come to see that during the “roaring 20s” was one of moral disorder and mayhem.

The novel The Great Gatsby helps generations portray what life was like in New York during the Roaring twenties and the era of Prohibition. (Moss). The Great Gatsby reflects America’s own loss of influence in the face of the crass materialism of the 1920’s (Pavolski). The 18th amendment, the people’s disregardment of morality resulting to lack of spiritual views and the vast corruption during this time period are all displayed by F. Scott Fitzgerald. During this novel color symbolism and other various types of symbolism are portrayed. The influence of money greed and fortune are also vastly displayed throughout this novel. In

Thesis: The Great Gatsby accurately portrays ethnic prejudices and highlights gender roles present during the 1920s.

The second Ku Klux Klan and often regarded as the most influential and successful Klan was founded in 1915 by William J. Simmons, who was an ex-minister and a promoter of fraternal regulation. The second Klan’s first meeting was held on Stone Mt., Ga. The new Klan had a wider program than the previous one, for it added even more to "white supremacy”. The Klan added an intense nativism and anti-Catholicism closely related to that of the Know-Nothing movement of the middle 19th century. Consequently it’s appeal was not sectional, and, with the help soon after 1920 by the activities of professional promoters such as Elizabeth Tyler and Edward Y. Clarke, the Klan’s appeal and influence spread quickly throughout the North as well as the South. It provided an outlet for the militant patriotism evoked by

The 1920’s, also known as the “Roaring Twenties” and “Jazz Age”, marked an era of social changes and cultural differences in the United States. It was a time where women weren’t seen just for their “housewife” roles, but for their new rights and freedoms. Technology was expanding, prohibition against alcohol developed, and the cultural civil war began. All of these racy changes that developed in the decade of the 1920s are expressed in the book, The Great Gatsby. (History)

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is set in the 1920’s. The twenties had a lot going on that was great for some people and not for others. The roaring twenties was a time of prohibition and large criminal activity. It also was a great time for the economy because there were more jobs for men who just came out of the war. Women of this time period wore shorter dresses, cut their hair, smoked, swore and were given the right to vote. People spent their money carelessly and partied hard. Others fought for their rights, African Americans had to fight for their right to move into northern cities because people were threatened by other races and their cultures.

Understanding the Prohibition era, the prosperity it brought, and it’s effects on the American society during the 1920s enhances my interpretation of The Great Gatsby. Having knowledge about the Prohibition era allows me to experience the novel through a lens that shows how Fitzgerald portrayed the 1920s as a time of decayed values. The Prohibition era, dated between mid 1920 to early 1933, was period in American history when the manufacture, transportation and sale of intoxicating liquors were banned and forbidden because of the increase in violence and illegal activities. During the Prohibition, there was a sudden rise in capitalism through illegal sale and production of liquor, which is known as “bootlegging”. The character of Jay Gatsby is an example of how Fitzgerald depicted the decayed values of the 1920s.