Alcohol at Gatsby’s parties are an essential part of the story because banning alcohol made everyday citizens into criminals and made it much more desirable which allowed some to become extremely wealthy. Firstly, prohibition was denounced by many religious organizations and was thought to cause many of society's problems. “The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took away license to do business from the brewers, distillers, vintners, and the wholesale and retail sellers of alcoholic beverages. The leaders of the prohibition movement were alarmed at the drinking behavior of Americans, and they were concerned that there was a culture of drink among some sectors of the population that, with continuing immigration from Europe, was spreading.(Shelton)
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I had never heard of this man before. You never see his name in the papers. But he is a big politician, and is very much respected by every cop I ever met. I cannot tell you who he is “Hell” said one of the men. “Why didn’t you say you were working for him in the first place?” They walked away from the car, and I turned around and came on toward New York. But at the next town there were two men who stopped me and leaned into the car. They warned me not to go too fast or I was likely to be picked up by some cop who would not understand. I knew then that the two policemen who had stopped me had telephoned to New York to verify my identity, and then telephoned to the next town ahead. If they had not received their O.K. from New York the next officers would have arrested me.”(A BOOTLEGGER'S STORY). Cops then were often corrupted and worked to smuggle it too by not arresting them and turning the other way, making money by taking bribes from the bootleggers. In conclusion prohibition was a very dangerous, profitable, and illegal business that made many men just like gatsby, rich beyond their wildest
I had never heard of this man before. You never see his name in the papers. But he is a big politician, and is very much respected by every cop I ever met. I cannot tell you who he is “Hell” said one of the men. “Why didn’t you say you were working for him in the first place?” They walked away from the car, and I turned around and came on toward New York. But at the next town there were two men who stopped me and leaned into the car. They warned me not to go too fast or I was likely to be picked up by some cop who would not understand. I knew then that the two policemen who had stopped me had telephoned to New York to verify my identity, and then telephoned to the next town ahead. If they had not received their O.K. from New York the next officers would have arrested me.”(A BOOTLEGGER'S STORY). Cops then were often corrupted and worked to smuggle it too by not arresting them and turning the other way, making money by taking bribes from the bootleggers. In conclusion prohibition was a very dangerous, profitable, and illegal business that made many men just like gatsby, rich beyond their wildest