The Great Gatsby was published on April 10, 1925. Written by one F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby is one literary work that has stood the test of time. The 1920s was a time of economic prosperity for the US and turmoil for the rest of the world. World War I (WWI) ended 7 years prior to 1925 and the effects were starting to take hold of the world. Benito Mussolini took control of Italy and Adolf Hitler released “Mein Kampf.” However, in America, business was booming; Chrysler started producing cars and Sears had opened its first retail store. This boom and business created a cultural revolution in America: the jazz age was in full swing. Cities were being built with towers that rose so tall into the sky that a new name was being coined
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After the passing of the 19th amendment, women gained the right to vote. Women began to show off more of their bodies by wearing “flapper” dresses. Jazz music became popular even against the protest of many. Jazz helped to bring some African American culture into the spotlight with the growth in popularity of African American musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, and “Jelly Roll” Morton. This spread was also helped by the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural “explosion” that happened in Harlem, NY. All of these progressive ideas help to shape “The Great Gatsby” and all of the characters’ …show more content…
They were progressive for the time but, by 21st century standards, they are conservative. The story couldn’t be possible without it taking place in this time period. For a start, Gatsby’s wealth. During the 1920s, the opportunity to make money through legal or illegal ways were everywhere. Petroleum, bootlegging, gang work, manufacturing of goods, creation of a patent, there are endless opportunities to make it big in the 1920s. In the 1930s. As for the way that is most mentioned for how Gatsby gained his wealth, bootlegging of alcohol is completely unique to the 1920s. The entire world was in the black in regards to finances. It was all but impossible to make money like Gatsby’s in the ‘30s. All profits made during the 1940s went towards the war so it was difficult to make money. For the rest of the 20th and even into the 21st centuries, it became impossible to make Gatsby’s wealth without being a super genius. Also, some of the conflict involving Daisy. WWI was a large reason why Daisy’s and Gatsby’s relationship did not flourish. One of the reasons why Gatsby and Daisy did not have the kind of relationship they both aspired for was because Gatsby was sent away to Europe. If this story transpired 30 or 40 years later, there would have been a larger network of ways that Gatsby and Daisy could have stayed in contact. If this story would have happened a century later, they would be able to stay in contact with each other
After the passing of the 19th amendment, women gained the right to vote. Women began to show off more of their bodies by wearing “flapper” dresses. Jazz music became popular even against the protest of many. Jazz helped to bring some African American culture into the spotlight with the growth in popularity of African American musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, and “Jelly Roll” Morton. This spread was also helped by the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural “explosion” that happened in Harlem, NY. All of these progressive ideas help to shape “The Great Gatsby” and all of the characters’ …show more content…
They were progressive for the time but, by 21st century standards, they are conservative. The story couldn’t be possible without it taking place in this time period. For a start, Gatsby’s wealth. During the 1920s, the opportunity to make money through legal or illegal ways were everywhere. Petroleum, bootlegging, gang work, manufacturing of goods, creation of a patent, there are endless opportunities to make it big in the 1920s. In the 1930s. As for the way that is most mentioned for how Gatsby gained his wealth, bootlegging of alcohol is completely unique to the 1920s. The entire world was in the black in regards to finances. It was all but impossible to make money like Gatsby’s in the ‘30s. All profits made during the 1940s went towards the war so it was difficult to make money. For the rest of the 20th and even into the 21st centuries, it became impossible to make Gatsby’s wealth without being a super genius. Also, some of the conflict involving Daisy. WWI was a large reason why Daisy’s and Gatsby’s relationship did not flourish. One of the reasons why Gatsby and Daisy did not have the kind of relationship they both aspired for was because Gatsby was sent away to Europe. If this story transpired 30 or 40 years later, there would have been a larger network of ways that Gatsby and Daisy could have stayed in contact. If this story would have happened a century later, they would be able to stay in contact with each other