The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F Scott Fitzgerald that is set in the 1920’s. The main character, Jay Gatsby, was involved in numerous illegal activities, which allowed him to gain the mass wealth that he used to try and get back the girl of his dreams, Daisy. Gatsby was involved in numerous of the illegal activities of the Prohibition era. Gatsby was involved in corruption, bootlegging, and organized crime. The Great Gatsby is an accurate portrayal of the 1920’s because of, the main character, Jay Gatsby’s involvement in organized crime, the prohibition, corruption, and the accumulation of mass wealth, which ultimately led to his downfall and the inability to achieve his dream.
In the 1920’s the eighteenth amendment was passed and …show more content…
Jay Gatsby was rumored to have made most of his money off of bootlegging. There was never an amount given on how much he made but it can be presumed it was a large amount based on the size of his house, all of his possessions, and the parties he threw. Some real world examples include Al Capone and the Broadway Mob. Al Capone made approximately sixty million dollars off of bootlegging. Sixty million in 1920 would be worth seven hundred ten million in today’s economy. The Broadway Mob would bring in approximately twelve million dollars every week from bootlegging operations, which would be worth about one hundred forty two million dollars today. Aside from the twelve million a week, men working under Luciano would make about two hundred dollars a week, equivalent to two thousand dollars today, while an average store clerk would only make twenty five dollars a week which is equivalent to three hundred dollars in today’s …show more content…
All of his wealth came from organized crime. He had a chain of drug stores that most likely sold “medicinal whiskey.” Bootlegging was a major source of income for Gatsby. Gatsby was even involved with the corrupt police officers and politicians. Because of organized crime he was able to purchase anything that he wanted. All of his wealth was able to get Daisy back, but getting Daisy back made him blind in a sense. He was only focused on Daisy and making her happy. He never thought of his own wellbeing; he only thought of Daisy. He even took the blame when she ran over Myrtle. Taking that blame was what got him killed. If George had known that it was Daisy then perhaps it was Daisy who would have been shot. Even if nobody was shot all of the organized crime would have eventually caught up with Gatsby and would have either been killed or arrested and he would still be unable to live his perfect life with
In the 1920’s the eighteenth amendment was passed and …show more content…
Jay Gatsby was rumored to have made most of his money off of bootlegging. There was never an amount given on how much he made but it can be presumed it was a large amount based on the size of his house, all of his possessions, and the parties he threw. Some real world examples include Al Capone and the Broadway Mob. Al Capone made approximately sixty million dollars off of bootlegging. Sixty million in 1920 would be worth seven hundred ten million in today’s economy. The Broadway Mob would bring in approximately twelve million dollars every week from bootlegging operations, which would be worth about one hundred forty two million dollars today. Aside from the twelve million a week, men working under Luciano would make about two hundred dollars a week, equivalent to two thousand dollars today, while an average store clerk would only make twenty five dollars a week which is equivalent to three hundred dollars in today’s …show more content…
All of his wealth came from organized crime. He had a chain of drug stores that most likely sold “medicinal whiskey.” Bootlegging was a major source of income for Gatsby. Gatsby was even involved with the corrupt police officers and politicians. Because of organized crime he was able to purchase anything that he wanted. All of his wealth was able to get Daisy back, but getting Daisy back made him blind in a sense. He was only focused on Daisy and making her happy. He never thought of his own wellbeing; he only thought of Daisy. He even took the blame when she ran over Myrtle. Taking that blame was what got him killed. If George had known that it was Daisy then perhaps it was Daisy who would have been shot. Even if nobody was shot all of the organized crime would have eventually caught up with Gatsby and would have either been killed or arrested and he would still be unable to live his perfect life with