The Great Gatsby

The 1920s and the American Dream

Group Assignment: ¤  Before we begin reading any piece of literature, it is

imperative that we first conduct the historical context regarding that text beforehand. Today you will have a chance to learn about the social, economic, and political aspects of the “Roaring 1920s.”

¤  Over the next 16 slides there will be a total of 21 questions that I would like you to answer—the questions are in red font. Most, but not all, will require you to research outside of this PP in order to find the information. Please be sure to create a Works Cited page (using EasyBib) when you are finished and attach it as an additional page of the document. You may have up to three members in your group, and no more. I will only be granting scores to three students per assignment, and your responses may have the same ideas, but should be individually written in your own words.

¤  These documents will be due, individually, on the Google Classroom on Monday.

1. Please study the cover of The Great Gatsby, the novel that you will be checking out today. Please describe the cover of this novel. What interpretations can be made about the image? Could this image be foreshadowing anything in the story? If so, what message is it sending to the reader?

The 20s: an age of transition World War I and After (enter, 1920s…): "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, and the war ended in November 1918. This spirit continued on into the 20’s. During this time, there was a general disillusionment among the people which caused nervousness: racism, intolerance, violence, Ku Klux Klan, immigrants, political intolerance behind every form of social protest/ strikes. • 1922 Foreign Policy of Isolationism – 2. What was this foreign policy? • 1929 Stock Market Crash – 3. How did this impact the nation? • 1932 New Deal era – 4. What is the New Era Deal?

Roaring Twenties-major themes

¤ Economy booming

¤ America partied

¤ Organized crime

¤ Prohibition Act

¤ Decline of moral standards

OPTIMISM

¤ Business, change and innovation, laissez faire- economy – 5. What is a laissez-faire economy? Why is that significant?

¤ Rapid growth of industry and mechanization: unlimited progress effecting an even wider distribution of the blessing of civilizations: electricity, automobile, radio, department stores, etc. 6.What was the largest department store that opened in the 1920s?

¤ Even skeptics believe in progress and in solving of problems: new “Golden Age" for America – 7. Why was this time period coined the name “Golden Age?”

CRITICS

¤ Critics called the decade "decline and degradation"

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

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

¤ 8. Why were individuals so critical of this decade and lifestyle? (Your opinion, but you can back this with research.)

SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE OF CHANGE

¤ Relaxing of structures within the sphere of private and public morality—what does this mean? 9. What “structures” were relaxed? Politically? Socially? Economically?

¤ Relationship between the sexes—more casual interactions between male and females.

¤ Change of the status of women – 10. What was one significant change in the status of women?

SPIRIT OF THE 20s

¤ Urbanization and the move away from the land – 11. Why were individuals moving away from the rural areas into the more urbanized areas?

¤ Fascination with the “dream of success.”

¤ Development of the cinema as a medium of entertainment.

¤ Popularity of jazz music and jazz clubs.

¤ Increased mobility brought about by the mass produced automobile.

PROHIBITION

¤ The 18th Amendment (1919) prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol.

¤ Although alcohol was illegal it was distributed through ”bootleggers.”

¤ Bootlegging means the production and sale of liquor.

¤ Alcohol was served in illegal night-clubs which were called "speakeasies.” 12. Research one famous speakeasy and describe it.

¤ It was the time of famous gangsters like Al Capone and events like the St. Valentine's Day massacre happened. During that time the Mafia became important in American society.

THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN

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

¤ During the Twenties, 9 million women were employed and earned money on their own, many younger women used their money to enjoy themselves and even get their own apartment.

¤ Women bobbed their hair—meaning they cut it very short. They were able to drink and smoke in public. For the first time, female alcoholism becomes a major problem.

¤ The liberated young women were called “flappers” – 13. Research one image of a flapper, and paste it on your document.

FACTS ABOUT THE DECADE ¤  106,521,537 people in the United States

¤  2,132,000 unemployed, Unemployment 5.2%

¤  Life expectancy: Male 53.6, Female 54.6

¤  343.000 in military (down from 1,172,601 in 1919)

¤ Average annual earnings $1236; Teacher's salary $970

¤ Dow Jones High 100 Low 67.

¤  Illiteracy rate reached a new low of 6% of the population.

¤ Gangland crime included murder, swindles, racketeering

¤  It took 13 days to reach California from New York There were

¤  14. Find one more fact, not listed above, about the decade.

Who is F. Scott Fitzgerald? ¤ Born in 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

¤ He attended Princeton University.

¤ 1917 joined the Army.

¤ Met his wife Zelda.

¤ Published The Great Gatsby at 23 in 1925.

¤ Regarded as the speaker of the Jazz Age.

¤ Drinking and wife’s schizophrenia

¤ Died in 1940.

¤ 15. Research Fitzgerald—was he a popular author in his time? He was known to be a “social critic”—what was he a critic of?

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM?

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

16. Describe “The American Dream” in your own words—even if you need to conduct outside research to gather ideas. Be sure to cite your sources accordingly.

Pre-reading:       

17.Why are we still reading a book written in the 1920s? What gives a book its longevity?

18.How was the 1920s a reaction to WWI?

19.Some people think that having money leads to happiness. Do you agree? Why or why not? What are the advantages or disadvantages of being wealthy.

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

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