The 1920s, famously known as the Roaring Twenties, was a time of great economic and social growth in America. The author F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the flourish of success, as well as the sudden rise of materialism through the lives of Jay Gatsby, Tom and Daisy Buchanan in his novel The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald creates many parallels between the lives of those in the 1920s and the lives of the characters in his novel.
The Roaring Twenties was a time of great innovation and change in America. The nation’s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929 (“The Roaring Twenties”). Young adults were eager to live the lavish lifestyle that is ideal in America. However, this new-found fortune did not always come from honest work. On January …show more content…
It was and still is very common for those with great wealth to have great possessions. Wealth alone was not negative. However, obsession with wealth led to the moral decay of Americans. There was a greater sense of selfishness. People became consumed with outdoing one another. The heavy traffic in illegal liquor brought about an increase in criminal activity (Gale). These jobs were mostly done by men. The women at that time started to lose the conscientious and empowering culture that had been created during the time of the Suffrage Act and the passage of the nineteenth amendment, and placed more focus on material wealth and outer appearance. This time of social revolution proved to be both beneficial and …show more content…
Many nights Gatsby hosted extravagant parties, similar to those of the elite class of the Roaring Twenties. These parties brought a sense of fun and adventure to those in attendance and also fueled Gatsby’s hope of reuniting with Daisy. His parties were filled with people, many of whom did not even know what Gatsby looked like. Nick Carraway, another character in the novel, marvels at the fact that he may have been one of the few people who were actually invited to the party (Fitzgerald 41). Upon arrival to one of his extraordinary parties, guests could hear the music of an outstanding Jazz orchestra playing the popular songs of the era. The music had an important role. The upbeat tempos prompted an eruption of dance throughout the house. The soft, blues style sounds created an intimate atmosphere. “When the ‘Jazz History of the World’ was over girls were putting their heads on men’s shoulders… even into groups knowing someone would arrest their falls…” (Fitzgerald 55). Although the parties brought joy to many members of the community, they provided nothing for Gatsby except a reminder of the absence of his one true
The Roaring Twenties was a time of great innovation and change in America. The nation’s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929 (“The Roaring Twenties”). Young adults were eager to live the lavish lifestyle that is ideal in America. However, this new-found fortune did not always come from honest work. On January …show more content…
It was and still is very common for those with great wealth to have great possessions. Wealth alone was not negative. However, obsession with wealth led to the moral decay of Americans. There was a greater sense of selfishness. People became consumed with outdoing one another. The heavy traffic in illegal liquor brought about an increase in criminal activity (Gale). These jobs were mostly done by men. The women at that time started to lose the conscientious and empowering culture that had been created during the time of the Suffrage Act and the passage of the nineteenth amendment, and placed more focus on material wealth and outer appearance. This time of social revolution proved to be both beneficial and …show more content…
Many nights Gatsby hosted extravagant parties, similar to those of the elite class of the Roaring Twenties. These parties brought a sense of fun and adventure to those in attendance and also fueled Gatsby’s hope of reuniting with Daisy. His parties were filled with people, many of whom did not even know what Gatsby looked like. Nick Carraway, another character in the novel, marvels at the fact that he may have been one of the few people who were actually invited to the party (Fitzgerald 41). Upon arrival to one of his extraordinary parties, guests could hear the music of an outstanding Jazz orchestra playing the popular songs of the era. The music had an important role. The upbeat tempos prompted an eruption of dance throughout the house. The soft, blues style sounds created an intimate atmosphere. “When the ‘Jazz History of the World’ was over girls were putting their heads on men’s shoulders… even into groups knowing someone would arrest their falls…” (Fitzgerald 55). Although the parties brought joy to many members of the community, they provided nothing for Gatsby except a reminder of the absence of his one true