Nate Allen
Mrs. Elliott
American Literature
November 6, 2014
Seeking the American Dream The American dream has been around since the early days of the settlements when immigrants were searching for opportunities. The American dream is defined as, “The idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” A second definition is, “A life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the United States.” At this point in American history, people believed that everything was possible. The American dream played a big role in The Great Gatsby, as it is an exploration of the American dream during a corrupt period of time. During the 1920s, there was corruption and the loss of moral values. …show more content…
It was driven by the 18th amendment and took effect on January 16, 1920 when the sale, manufacturing, and transportation of alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, or other intoxicating malt or vinous liquors meant any beverage that was more than 0.5% alcohol by volume was made illegal. Items that were used to make these beverages were also illegal. Anyone caught with these were giving a fine or a jail sentence. Prohibition plays a role in The Great Gatsby since bootlegging alcohol and building up connections with gangsters like Meyer Wolfsheim makes some of Gatsby’s wealth. Despite being illegal throughout the book, the characters have expensive champagne. The Jazz Age was the booming of African American culture in the arts. Blacks expressed themselves through jazz, which started in New Orleans and then spread to many cities like New York City, Chicago, and elsewhere. This kind of music flourished and appealed because of the loose morals of the time in any anything goes kind of lifestyle. Fitzgerald displays the declining morals of the Jazz Age through Gatsby’s extravagant
Mrs. Elliott
American Literature
November 6, 2014
Seeking the American Dream The American dream has been around since the early days of the settlements when immigrants were searching for opportunities. The American dream is defined as, “The idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” A second definition is, “A life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the United States.” At this point in American history, people believed that everything was possible. The American dream played a big role in The Great Gatsby, as it is an exploration of the American dream during a corrupt period of time. During the 1920s, there was corruption and the loss of moral values. …show more content…
It was driven by the 18th amendment and took effect on January 16, 1920 when the sale, manufacturing, and transportation of alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, or other intoxicating malt or vinous liquors meant any beverage that was more than 0.5% alcohol by volume was made illegal. Items that were used to make these beverages were also illegal. Anyone caught with these were giving a fine or a jail sentence. Prohibition plays a role in The Great Gatsby since bootlegging alcohol and building up connections with gangsters like Meyer Wolfsheim makes some of Gatsby’s wealth. Despite being illegal throughout the book, the characters have expensive champagne. The Jazz Age was the booming of African American culture in the arts. Blacks expressed themselves through jazz, which started in New Orleans and then spread to many cities like New York City, Chicago, and elsewhere. This kind of music flourished and appealed because of the loose morals of the time in any anything goes kind of lifestyle. Fitzgerald displays the declining morals of the Jazz Age through Gatsby’s extravagant