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What Are The Changes In American Culture From The 1920s To The 1930s

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Entertainment and literature in American culture from the 1920s to the 1930s experienced plenty of changes. Along with the changing economy and society, entertainment and literature took on new looks.

With the rise of the stock market, the 1920s American culture experienced a newfound materialism and began to spend and consume more than ever. Americans enjoyed particular types of literature and entertainment. In literature, novels often portrayed the corruption in America. Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald depicts the 1920s as period of deterioration of values, an empty pursuit of pleasure, and the desire for money. Likewise, in poetry, T.S Eliot in “The Hollow Men” described the world being full of emptiness and illustrated what was grasped as the negative effects of modernism. Similarly, films and sports were widely enjoyed by Americans. Movie houses had to be built to allow the accompaniment of orchestras owing to the absence of sound in motion films. With the help of motion pictures and radio, …show more content…

Literature and entertainment began to take on a different look. In literature, John Steinbeck published his book The Grapes of Wrath. This novel attempted to criticize the economic and social system that brought on the depression. Poetry was written with the purpose of evoking empathy and to display resentment. Similarly, the world of entertainment also took on new changes. "The Jazz Singer" was the first talkie in the late 20s. By the 1930’s most movies were being produced with talking actors and at last movies in color. Over 60 million Americans visited theatres each week to experience talkies. Just as popular as motion pictures, America took a strong interest in baseball. People were recovering from the hardships of The Depression, with a few dollars to spare Americans attended baseballs games. Baseball became more popular than any other sport, and became a source for unification among

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