The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby

The 1920s and the The 1920s and the American DreamAmerican Dream

The 20s: an age of The 20s: an age of transitiontransition

World War I and After

"The world must be made safe for democracy" Woodrow Wilson the President had declared, "Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundation of political liberty." --- a spirit of idealism Americans entered the war in 1917.

a general disillusionment among the people which caused nervousness: racism, intolerance, violence, Ku Klux Klan, immigrants, political intolerance "ghost of bolshevism" behind every form of social protest/ strikes.

•1922 foreign policy of Isolationism •1929 Stock Market Crash •1932 New Deal era

Roaring TwentiesRoaring Twenties

• Economy boomingEconomy booming

• America partiedAmerica partied

• Organized crimeOrganized crime

• Prohibition Act Prohibition Act

• Decline of moral standardsDecline of moral standards

OPTIMISMOPTIMISM

• business, change and innovation, laissez business, change and innovation, laissez faire- economyfaire- economy

• rapid growth of industry and mechanization: rapid growth of industry and mechanization: unlimited progress unlimited progress effecting an even wider distribution of the effecting an even wider distribution of the blessing of civilizations : electricity; blessing of civilizations : electricity; automobileautomobile

• even skeptics believe in progress and in even skeptics believe in progress and in solving of problems: new" Golden Age" for solving of problems: new" Golden Age" for America America

CRITICSCRITICS

• they called the decade "decline and they called the decade "decline and degradation" degradation"

• Americans are caught up in a "surge of Americans are caught up in a "surge of materialism", people who had failed to materialism", people who had failed to grasp the meaning and significance of life.grasp the meaning and significance of life.

• they feel disillusioned or disenchanted, they feel disillusioned or disenchanted, they lost faith in life and in the possibility they lost faith in life and in the possibility of social progress that caused their of social progress that caused their absolute lack of interest in politics.absolute lack of interest in politics.

SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE OF SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE OF CHANGECHANGE• relaxing of structures within the relaxing of structures within the

sphere of private and public moralitysphere of private and public morality

• relationship between the sexesrelationship between the sexes

• change of the status of women change of the status of women

SPIRIT OF THE 20sSPIRIT OF THE 20s

• urbanization and the move away from urbanization and the move away from the landthe land

• fascination with the dream of successfascination with the dream of success• development of the cinema as a development of the cinema as a

medium of entertainmentmedium of entertainment• popularity of jazzpopularity of jazz• increased mobility brought about by the increased mobility brought about by the

mass produced automobile mass produced automobile

PROHIBITIONPROHIBITION• the 18th Amendment(1919)prohibited the sale the 18th Amendment(1919)prohibited the sale

and consumption of alcohol.and consumption of alcohol.• although alcohol was illegal it was distributed although alcohol was illegal it was distributed

through" bootleggers"through" bootleggers"• bootlegging means the production and sale of bootlegging means the production and sale of

liquor.liquor.• alcohol was served in illegal night-clubs which alcohol was served in illegal night-clubs which

were called "speakeasies" were called "speakeasies" • it was the time of famous gangsters like Al it was the time of famous gangsters like Al

Capone and events like the St. Valentine's Day Capone and events like the St. Valentine's Day massacre happened. During that time the massacre happened. During that time the Mafia became important in American society.Mafia became important in American society.

THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMENWOMEN

• The 19th Amendment(1920) gave women the The 19th Amendment(1920) gave women the right to vote.right to vote.

• during the Twenties 9 million women were during the Twenties 9 million women were employed and earned money on their own, many employed and earned money on their own, many younger women used their money to enjoy younger women used their money to enjoy themselves themselves

• women bobbed their hairwomen bobbed their hair• they were able to drink and smoke in public. For they were able to drink and smoke in public. For

the first time female alcoholism is a major the first time female alcoholism is a major problem.problem.

• the liberated young women were called" flappers" the liberated young women were called" flappers" In In The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby Jordan Baker is such a new Jordan Baker is such a new type of woman. She is living alone and has equal type of woman. She is living alone and has equal relationships to men. She is self-confident in relationships to men. She is self-confident in dealing with others. Tom comments on her new dealing with others. Tom comments on her new freedom as a woman.freedom as a woman.

Books That Define the TimeBooks That Define the Time• ““The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot: The ultimate indictment The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot: The ultimate indictment

of the modern world's loss of personal, moral, and of the modern world's loss of personal, moral, and spiritual values. spiritual values.

• The New NegroThe New Negro by Alain Locke: A hopeful look at the by Alain Locke: A hopeful look at the negro in America negro in America

• Strange InterludeStrange Interlude by Eugene O'Neill: A look at 30 years by Eugene O'Neill: A look at 30 years in the life of a modern woman in the life of a modern woman

• The Sun Also RisesThe Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway: The lost by Ernest Hemingway: The lost generation of expatriates generation of expatriates

• BabbittBabbitt by Sinclair Lewis: A satirical look at small town by Sinclair Lewis: A satirical look at small town life life

• The Sound and the FuryThe Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner: Details by William Faulkner: Details the moral decay of the Old South the moral decay of the Old South

• Their Eyes Were Watching GodTheir Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: by Zora Neale Hurston: Black life in a Black community Black life in a Black community

HARLEM MOVEMENTHARLEM MOVEMENT

Southern gentle lady, Southern gentle lady, Do not swoon. Do not swoon. They've just hung a They've just hung a black man black man In the dark of the moon. In the dark of the moon. They've hung a black They've hung a black man man To the roadside tree To the roadside tree In the dark of the moon In the dark of the moon For the world to see For the world to see

How Dixie protects Its white womanhood Southern gentle lady, Be good! Be good!

Silhouette by Langston Hughes

FACTS ABOUT THE DECADEFACTS ABOUT THE DECADE

• 106,521,537 people in the United States 106,521,537 people in the United States • 2,132,000 unemployed, Unemployment 5.2% 2,132,000 unemployed, Unemployment 5.2% • Life expectancy: Male 53.6, Female 54.6 Life expectancy: Male 53.6, Female 54.6 • 343.000 in military (down from 1,172,601 in 1919) 343.000 in military (down from 1,172,601 in 1919) • Average annual earnings $1236; Teacher's salary Average annual earnings $1236; Teacher's salary

$970 $970 • Dow Jones High 100 Low 67 Dow Jones High 100 Low 67 • Illiteracy rate reached a new low of 6% of the Illiteracy rate reached a new low of 6% of the

population. population. • Gangland crime included murder, swindles, Gangland crime included murder, swindles,

racketeering racketeering • It took 13 days to reach California from New York It took 13 days to reach California from New York

There were 387,000 miles of paved road. There were 387,000 miles of paved road.

Flapper Culture and StyleFlapper Culture and Style

• Flappers were women Flappers were women who rebelled against who rebelled against the fashion and social the fashion and social norms of the early norms of the early 1900’s.1900’s.

• They married at a They married at a later age and drank later age and drank and smoked in publicand smoked in public

• Flappers were known Flappers were known for their carefree for their carefree lifestyles.lifestyles.

Flapper FashionFlapper Fashion

• Flappers dressed in Flappers dressed in shapeless dresses that shapeless dresses that came to the knee.came to the knee.

• Dresses were made to Dresses were made to look “boy-like”look “boy-like”

• Gender bending was Gender bending was common. Women common. Women would try to make would try to make themselves look more themselves look more man-like.man-like.

Who is F. Scott Fitzgerald?Who is F. Scott Fitzgerald?

• Born in 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota.Born in 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

• He attended Princeton University.He attended Princeton University.

• 1917 joined the army.1917 joined the army.

• Met his wife Zelda.Met his wife Zelda.

• Published The Great Gatsby at 23 in 1925.Published The Great Gatsby at 23 in 1925.

• Regarded as the speaker of the Jazz Age.Regarded as the speaker of the Jazz Age.

• Drinking and wife’s schizophrenia Drinking and wife’s schizophrenia

• Died in 1940. Died in 1940.

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN WHAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM?DREAM?

• It describes an attitude of hope and It describes an attitude of hope and faith that looks forward to the faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and fulfillment of human wishes and desires.desires.

““We hold these truths to be self-evident, that We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL IMPROVEMENTIMPROVEMENT

• Materialism achieved too quickly.Materialism achieved too quickly.

• Thus, lacking spiritual life/purpose.Thus, lacking spiritual life/purpose.

• Gatsby is a character that represents Gatsby is a character that represents this DREAM.this DREAM.

FAILURE OF THE AMERICAN FAILURE OF THE AMERICAN DREAMDREAM

• PovertyPoverty

• DiscriminationDiscrimination

• ExploitationExploitation

• HypocrisyHypocrisy

• CorruptionCorruption

• suppressionsuppression

How is this developed?How is this developed?

• Through the 5 central charactersThrough the 5 central characters

• Through certain dominant images Through certain dominant images and symbolsand symbols

• Through diction.Through diction.

Pre-reading:       Pre-reading:       1.Why are we still reading a book written in the 1.Why are we still reading a book written in the

1920’s? What gives a book its longevity? 1920’s? What gives a book its longevity? 2.How was the 1920’s a reaction to WWI? 2.How was the 1920’s a reaction to WWI? 3.Some people think that having money leads to 3.Some people think that having money leads to

happiness. Do you agree? Why or why not? happiness. Do you agree? Why or why not? What are the advantages or disadvantages of What are the advantages or disadvantages of being wealthy. being wealthy.

4.What is the "American Dream"? Where did it 4.What is the "American Dream"? Where did it originate, and how has it changed over the originate, and how has it changed over the centuries? centuries?

5.Have you ever wanted to relive a moment 5.Have you ever wanted to relive a moment from your past, to redo it? Describe the from your past, to redo it? Describe the situation. How and why would you change the situation. How and why would you change the past?past?

Review ErasReview Eras

Puritan/Age of ReasonPuritan/Age of Reason

• View of God: All View of God: All SovereignSovereign

• Man is depravedMan is depraved

• PredestinationPredestination

• Pray for perfectionPray for perfection

• TheocracyTheocracy

• Man is goodMan is good

• God in manGod in man

Romanticism/Realism/Romanticism/Realism/

ModernismModernism

• Man is divineMan is divine

• God in natureGod in nature

• Flaws are part of the Flaws are part of the wholewhole

• --------------------------------------------------

• IronyIrony

• God is detachedGod is detached

• Fate unpredictableFate unpredictable

• Nature is violent at timesNature is violent at times

• Modernism – disillusioned Modernism – disillusioned – no spiritual connection– no spiritual connection

• Lost generationLost generation