The roaring 1920s was a transitional period of new ideas, technologies, flappers, automobiles, and the eighteenth amendment of prohibition.The clothings and gender roles started to change as well as their freedom. In the Great Gatsby, they had already-made clothes and had the power of freedom to go wherever they pleased. They also abused the use of alcohol, especially all the parties Gatsby threw for Daisy. Fitzgerald accurately portrays the Great Gatsby during the 1920s as a time of boom of economic prosperity of wealth especially automobiles, alcohol, and flappers.
The gender roles of women in the 1920s were daring and they were able to go out wherever they pleased, disregarding their relationship. Most women, though were called “flappers,
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who had bobbed hair, wore short skirts, and wore bright lipstick. The flappers also looked lovely, expensive, and about nineteen; as well as daring, young, and chic” (Hatton). Lastly, “flappers were married with children, just like their mothers before them, by the 1930s; what did change was the women's freedom to go out and enjoy themselves alongside men” (Routledge). As for the men, it defined not only war as men’s business, but also property, knowledge, and in, many contexts, even waged work as such. Men were thus expected to show interpersonal skills as well as being “sturdy oaks.” In the Great Gatsby, Daisy, and Myrtle were great examples of flappers in the 1920s, who smoke, have affairs, drink, and are married.
Daisy, who is a married woman, is having an affair with her long lost love, from five years ago, call Jay Gatsby. As for Daisy’s husband, Tom; he is also having an affair with Myrtle, while she is married to George Wilson. Anyhow, Tom takes Nick Carraway to see his wife, Daisy, also his cousin for the first time after many years of not seeing each other; but somehow, they come upon the Valley of Ashes, where Myrtle and George live and decide to visit them. Tom and Nick enter the Wilson’s home. However, George is busy with his car shop, and without noticing what is going on, Tom and Myrtle kiss in front of Nick Carraway; this is the first time Nick has seen Tom’s mistress. However, as Myrtle’s eyes flashed around her in a defiant way, rather like Tom’s, she laughed with a thrilling scorn. She says, “Sophisticated-God, I’m sophisticated!” Jay Gatsby has returned home from the war, after so many years, he buys the mansion across from Daisy and Tom; Gatsby also lives next to Nick. However, after throwing so many parties, he finally finds Daisy. Yet, after finding Daisy, he stops throwing the parties and get together with Daisy. However, Gatsby wants Daisy to tell Tom, that she has never loved him and will be leaving him, but she cannot do it. “There, Jay,” she said-but her hand as she tried to light a cigarette is trembling. Suddenly, she threw …show more content…
the cigarette and the burning match on the carpet. The eighteenth Amendment banned the manufacture, transportation, importation, and sale of liquor and alcohol in the United States; known as prohibition. However, Bootleggers secretly sell, manufacture, transport, and import liquor and alcohol without others knowing” (Batchelor). In the 1920s though, drinking was a symbol of all they disliked about the modern city, and eliminating alcohol would, they believed, turn back the clock to an earlier and more comfortable time. However, “rumor had it that the Yale Club in New York City had a 14-year supply of booze in its basement” (History.com Staff). For, “illegal bars, called speakeasies became all the rage, and bootleggers (makers and suppliers of alcohol) became modern-day heroes” (Benson). In The Great Gatsby, they all abused the use of alcohol and drank a whole lot, especially during Gatsby’s parties that he threw for Daisy. Gatsby is also a bootlegger, who works with Meyer Wolfsheim, dealing with drugs, alcohol, and illegal items. Then on a sunday morning, the world and its mistress returned to Gatsby’s house for another party, but one of the young ladies say, “He’s a bootlegger,” said the young ladies, moving somewhere between his cocktails and his flowers” (Fitzgerald page 61). However, after all the parties Gatsby threw for Daisy, he goes to Daisy and Tom’s home, but they are arguing due to Gatsby telling Daisy, to tell Tom that she has never loved him. Therefore, Tom gets furious and say, “Who are you, anyhow? broke out Tom. “You’re one of that bunch that hangs around with Meyer Wolfsheim- that much I happen to know. I’ve made a little investigation into your affairs-and I’ll carry it further-tomorrow” (Fitzgerald page 133). But Gatsby do not mind about what Tom has said to him, which makes Tom even more furious and say, “He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong” (Fitzgerald page 133). Automobiles were invented and allowed many people to go wherever they pleased.
As well as a toy for the rich, enabling them to travel from places to another with the automobile. Then “by 1927, replacement demand for new cars was exceeding, demand from first-time owners and multiple-car purchasers combined” (History.com Staff). The “cars also gave young people the freedom to go wherever they pleased and do what they wanted. The Jazz bands also played at dance halls like the Savoy in New York City and the Aragon in Chicago; radio stations and phonograph records (100 million of which were sold in 1927 alone) carried their tunes to listeners across the nation” (History.com Staff). Lastly, five thousand customers made down payment on the new Model A Ford in 1927, without even seeing one. The 1920s automobiles, however, were purchased mostly by the middle and upper
classes. In The Great Gatsby, many of the characters each owned an automobile, allowing them to travel to the city and back home. They also have the opportunity to do businesses, especially Gatsby. When Nick and Tom, make a stop at the Wilson’s home, Nick follow Tom inside and see that the interior is unprosperous and bare; the only car visible are the dust-covered wreck of a Ford which crouched in a dim corner” After the argument between Daisy, Gatsby, and Tom, Gatsby and Daisy return home, with Daisy driving Gatsby’s car to calm herself down. However, when they reach at the Wilson’s home in the Valley of Ashes, Myrtle runs out into the road, thinking Tom is in the car, since she saw Tom in the same yellow car earlier, but Daisy runs over her. When Nick, Jordan, and Tom arrives at the scene in the Wilson’s home, Michaelis, who witness the scene told the policeman and the policeman say, “The “death car” as the newspaper called it, did not stop; it came out of out of the gathering darkness, wavered tragically for a moment, and then disappeared around the next bend. Michaelis is not sure of its color-he told the first policeman that it is a light green”
A Flapper is “a young woman in the 1920s who dressed and behaved in a way that was considered very modern” (Merriam-Webster). There was many opinions on how young women should act in the 1920s, but the ladies listened to the voices in their head. They set an example for the future women to dress and act the way they want, men could no longer tell women how to dress and act. The new era of young women opened many doors for all females.
The roaring twenties was a new era, WWI was over and that was cause to celebrate.As music radio and motion pictures became very popular in the early 20's, people stop taking life so seriously, "you only live once" became the anthem of the time.Everything was changing, many women started drinking smoking and wearing make up. They started rebelling against their parents and victorian standards were thrown out the window. These women were called flappers, for their short provocative skirts and actions.
Partying, drinking, and dancing; these are the adjectives most commonly associated with the life of a flapper. While these descriptions are accurate, they do not inform people of the advantages and gains flappers make for the female gender. The flapper embodied the idea of freedom from the usual duties of a young female in the 1920s. These women were no longer tied down with the expectation that they would immediately become a wife and mother, as well as being conservative and modest. By diving into a look at the fashion, music, and lifestyle of the flapper during the 1920s it will become obvious that they were not only independent, liberated, and enjoying many more freedoms than they had previously throughout history, but that they also helped pave the way for future generations of women’s quest for independence.
She is feeling low and wants to drive to get her mind off things, not surprisingly Gatsby let her charm him once again. On the way back to The Buchanan’s, a woman runs in the middle of the road and Daisy doesn’t slow down. Daisy hits her and kills her, but the most tragic part was that she didn’t stop. Tom sees all the commotion on the way back and stops by. Tom discovers it is his mistress who Daisy hit; he begins to talk to Mr. Wilson her grieving husband. Mr. Wilson describes the car and Tom tells him it was Gatsby. Gatsby let everyone believe that knows what happened, what Tom said is true, and Daisy’s selfish ways doesn’t stop him. A few days later, Mr. Wilson hunts down Gatsby and shoots him, and right after shoots himself. Daisy never spoke the truth, and her and Tom leaves town immediately. Daisy’s selfishness and pride make her directly responsible for Myrtle Wilson’s death; and indirectly responsible for George Wilson’s and Gatsby’s. Neither Daisy nor Tom goes to Gatsby’s funeral because ‘they were careless people who smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together and let other people clean up the mess they
Flappers were women who were characterized by their choice of bobbed hair, short skirts, and their enjoyment of jazz music. Flappers usually had bobbed hair styles, usually wore heavy make-up, loose fitted dresses and to be considered the perfect flapper they usually had a pale skin tone. The roaring 20s was a time of change in which the way society had chosen to view women. This was the beginning of the "flapper". A flapper was a woman who was extremely willing at parties with little to nothing as far as regret went. They’d tend to smoke, drink, dance, drive cars, have casual sex and usually couldn't hold onto a man. Flappers usually feigned to do everything the men would do while attending parties. While thinking of flappers, Chicago would have been a very common place to find them.
In the 1920s, a new woman was born. She smoked, drank, danced, and voted. She cut her hair, wore make-up, and went to petting parties. She was giddy and took risks. She was a flapper.
Considered as the defining work of the 1920s, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published in 1925, when America was just coming out of one of the most violent wars in the nation’s history. World War 1 had taken the lives of many young people who fought and sacrificed for our country on another continent. The war left many families without fathers, sons, and husbands. The 1920s is an era filled with rich and dazzling history, where Americans experienced changes in lifestyle from music to rebellion against the United States government. Those that were born into that era grew up in a more carefree, extravagant environment that would affect their interactions with others as well as their attitudes about themselves and societal expectations.
In the 1920's the term flapper referred to a "new breed" of women. They wore short skirts and dresses which were straight and very loose. The arms were left bare and the waistline was dropped to the hips. By 1927 the length of the skirts had rose just below the knee which when they danced would be shown. The chests appeared to look very small and women would tape themselves to look even smaller. Bras were also sold to make them appear very small. Their hairstyles were cut very short and were known as a bob, another popular style that was later introduced was the "Eaton" or "Shingle". These styles had slicked the hair back and covered the ears with curls. Women started wearing "kiss proof" lipstick in shades of red, their eyes were ringed a dark black color, and their skin was powered to look very pale. One of the big things with the flappers were that they smoked cigarettes through long holders and drank alcohol openly in public now. They also started dating freely and danced all night long very provocatively. Jazz music was rising in population and the flappers brought it out even more. Not all women changed into becoming a flapper, yet the little numbers impacted the 1920's in a huge way.
The 1920s in American history had been a decade of drastic changes. It was the time when the traditional culture translated into the more modern practices.United States experienced super changes after the Great War had ended. During this decade, more people are moving to big cities and away from the suburbs to work in industrialized factories. Cars such as Ford were mass produced. Advertisement was first created in the age of consumerism. The 1920s, often known in America as the “Roaring Twenties”, is considered as the first modern era in which many advancements and improvements have been made.
...haracteristics it displayed. People were breaking from the norm. Men turned to alcohol and bootlegging while women were becoming carefree and loving life. However, not all times were fun and outrageous. The Great Depression hit which left many families in debt. Still, people did not let that stop them from roarin’ in those 20s. F. Scott Fitzgerald created his characters in The Great Gatsby from peoples’ styles and behaviors in the 1920s.
In the 1920’s, the Nineteenth Amendment was passed, which gave women the right to vote. During this decade women became strong and more independent. Women were accomplishing a lot more than they had before. Women started going to college so she could earn her own living. More women started leaving the home and working at a factory or as a secretary. Women were discriminated at the work place. They received lower wages then man did. In the 1920’s, the term flapper was introduced. It was first used in Britain after World War 1. Young women were labeled as flappers who wore makeup shorter skirts. Fl...
When Nick visits Daisy she tells him the story of how her daughter was born, “It’ll show you how I’ve gotten to feel about––things. Well, she was less than an hour old and Tom was God knows where. I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling.” By leaving Daisy behind at a time when she most needs him, Tom loses his value of companionship with Daisy. He no longer fits the three criteria that Daisy feels she needs in a man. Daisy knows that Tom no longer loves her and is having an affair with another woman, but despite all of this, Daisy has no intention of leaving him (20). This is because Tom, despite no longer fulfilling her emotionally, is still better for her financially and socially than if she left him to live alone. If Daisy wants to stay in her class, she has no option other than to stay with Tom. When Daisy finally sees Gatsby again, she suddenly has another option besides staying with Tom. Daisy knows that Gatsby has true feelings of love towards her, but leaving Tom would prove to be risky as it could tarnish her reputation and by extension her social stability. Daisy is now struggling between taking a risk for love and maintaining a safe, stable life she is ultimately unhappy
The 1920s were a pivotal period in American history because the nation established many of the structures that it required to promote a lifestyle that is enjoyed by many diverse people across the country today. In the United States, the 1920s were a distinct decade because a majority of its citizens enjoyed immense wealth, and this period marked an expansion in the country’s establishment of infrastructure and the people who lived during this time contributed significantly to music and the arts. For the first time in history, more Americans moved to the cities and the surrounding suburbs, which created a cultural shift to emphasis on the middle class working individual, rather than on the rural farmer. It is important to understand the implications of the 1920s on modern American culture, because this was an essential decade that had a significant influence on the American way of thinking in addition to the American way of life.
“They were smart and sophisticated, with an air of independence about them, and so casual about their looks and clothes and manners as to be almost slapdash,” Collen Moore said of the flapper in the 1920s. It has been said that F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby reflects the Jazz Age in America during the 1920s. It inhabits and depicts a different world that has put up a wall between men, women, and different religions (Berma 79). Fitzgerald does reflect the Jazz Age in The Great Gatsby by telling the reader a story in a sense from the end about a group of people living in New York in the summer of 1922.
Serving as the symbol of a heroine during the Roaring 20s, young women strived to obtain the flapper image while youth culture was on the rise due to urbanization. Although this concept was a highly popularized ideal during this era, it is not entirely clear where the term “flapper” originated from. According to the book The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920s written by Paula Fass, “In Great Britain at the end of the nineteenth century, [a flapper] meant a woman of loose morals, possibly a prostitute.” Reflecting this newfound sense of maturity and sexual independence openly expressed by females who adopted the desired lifestyle of a flapper, women emerged from the restricting societal norms of the early to mid-19th century and engaged in more scandalous activities, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol