Why Is Prohibition Important In The Great Gatsby

During the 1800s, there had already been many prohibition movements, mostly by religious groups who considered the abuse of alcohol, or drunkenness, unacceptable. Finally, in 1920, the 18th amendment was passed, banning the importing, transporting, manufacturing, and selling of alcoholic beverages, the era that followed, the time of prohibition, lasted until the 21st amendment was passed in 1933, which repealed the 18th amendment. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, takes place in the summer of 1922, and therefore right in the midst of Prohibition. That is to say Prohibition had immense effects on the lives of the characters and to the plot. The ban on alcohol, although meant to cease the production and consumption of it, backfired and only made it increasingly desirable and fashionable. This led to a black market, as the production and sale of alcohol went underground, and an increase in wealth to those who were willing to take advantage of the booming demand of alcohol, called “bootlegging.” One of the most notorious examples of this phenomenon was Chicago’s Al Capone, before being sent to Alcatraz Prison in 1934 for a tax evasion conviction, he had hoarded a personal fortune estimated at $100 million from the bootlegging and speakeasy operations he controlled. In addition to …show more content…
He had no known connections with family wealth, and held big parties with endless cocktails provided, how else could he afford that? During the Prohibition, it was a common practice for doctors to prescribe “medicinal liquor” for their patients for dozens of ailments, including alcoholism. The Walgreen’s drugstore chain started with only 20 stores in the Chicago area, but ended with 397 throughout the country in 1929, this definitely was not because of their milkshakes, but because of the booze they were able to sell. Gatsby was involved in these kinds of