The 1920’s: The setting of F.Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby
The 1920’s The 1920’s, also known as the Roaring Twenties (for it’s economic boom), was the post-war era. With the ending of the war, the time had come for people to let go of their repressed ways and begin living again. It was a time of great social change and everything was changing: Pleasure dominated and people prospered. It was a time of excess; alcohol, social activity, frivolous sex, and jazz music were in abundance. the following pages will give you a glimpse into the lifestyle of the 1920’s.
Excess Alcohol Alcohol was in abundance, but this was a rather ironic situation. Between the United States Government implemented PROHIBITION. Prohibition meant that it was illegal to manufacture, sell or consume alcohol. The basis for prohibition were religious beliefs: the association of alcohol with sin. An ultra-religious congressman from Minnesota, Andrew J. Volstead, was rigorously behind the 18 th amendment and on January 29, 1920 Prohibition became the law of the land.
Volstead’s intent was to rid the land of drunkenness. What he created was a 13 year span where alcohol consumption raised each year and was never to return to the lows it had been prior to the 1920’s. With prohibition in effect, this obviously raises one questions: if alcohol consumption was on the rise, but it wasn’t being manufactured or sold anywhere in the U.S., where was it coming from?
Gangsters and G-Men! With prohibition came organized crime. Saloons went underground and became ‘speakeasies’. Speakeasies, unlike saloons welcomed women, and droves of people came. Gangsters such as Al Capone made their fortunes from organizing the import of alcohol illegally into the U.S. From liquor sales alone, Capone made 60 million dollars in one year.
Famous Gang Getaways… Since organized crime was rampant in the streets of New York, Violence was up. Gangsters needed a quick escape from their crime scenes and the twenties, with its money and demand, marked the appropriate time to mass produce automobiles. Still considered luxury items, automobiles were the symbol of wealth and the “in crowd”. Automobiles would prove to make a major impact on the way people traveled from then on.
20’s Fashion With the end of the war and the surge in prosperity, fashion was no longer limited to the wealthy. Major changes were seen in women’s fashions, where a boyish figure and short hair was all the rage.
Men’s Fashions Men wore very distinguished suits for business, and an outfit wasn’t fully complete without the right hat! For a relaxed look, men took on a very preppy attire. The following pages will give you a brief look at 20’s attire for men, women, and children.
And we couldn’t forget, Wedding Attire…
Sports With the surge in social activity came an interest in sports and sports activities…
And an intense love for baseball… Babe Ruth became America’s favorite player.
And an intense sadness associated with it… The Black Sox scandal rocked the nation in 1919, when several white Sox players were banned from playing baseball for throwing the World Series. Pressured into the scandal by other players, Shoeless Joe Jackson was never allowed to play baseball again.
Besides sports, entertainment in the 1920’s included silent films Famous stars of the silent screen included funny man Charlie Chaplin, Heart throb Rudolph Valentino, and beauty icon Greta Garbo…
The first talking film wasn’t released until May, 1929 Charlie Chaplin Rudolph ValentinoGreta Garbo
The “It” Girl The 1920’s was a very sexual era as well and the silent screen actress Clara Bow defined what it was to be a liberated woman in the 20’s. The flapper icon of the 1920’s, she was to become the inspiration for the cartoon Betty Boop in the 1930’s.
So What’s a ‘flapper girl’? The term is always associated with the 1920’s so it should be explained: According to F.Scott Fitzgerald, "Clara Bow is the quintessence of what the term 'flapper' signifies": a young woman who was "pretty, impudent, superbly assured, as worldly-wise, briefly- clad and 'hard-burled' as possible.
The Jazz Age The term was coined by F.Scott Fitzgerald because Jazz music was to have such a profound impact and influence over society. Jazz was all the rage and popular hotspots like the famous Cotton Club provided some of the best Jazz entertainment in the 1920’s
The Harlem Renaissance Between 1920 and 1930 there was an amazing outpouring of talent among the African- American community. Literary and musical talent abounded. And famous Jazz musician Loius “Satchmo” Armstrong Was Making a name for himself.
The Charleston With Jazz came a new form of dance, the Charleston, and swing dancing was soon to follow!
Prosperity The 1920’s was a very prosperous time. It was a time of new money and new found wealth for many. There was a distinct difference between new money and old money however. The wealthy, stemming from old money, had a well- established and respected background. The “old money” clans often did not mingle with the new money clans, who were just beginning to build their fortunes from industry, investing, and other business.
Summary So, hopefully, now you have a feel for the 1920’s and the things consuming society at the time: Money, fashion, alcohol, sex, jazz, and just a pure “living life to the fullest” mentality. As we read the Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, try to keep some of these things in mind. They should help you picture the people and understand the events in the story.