Just my own notes not sure if 100% accurate. 1920s context notes for my own use but feel free if you’d like to use (hope you don’t mind) :) Roaring twenties - post work war one era, trench warfare horrific wartime events they just wanted to relax and party - new generation think of dulce et decorum est - big economic boom indulging and enjoying life e.g. PARTY TIME. Lack of responsibility wanted to have fun. Prohibition was a massive failure and just led to greater alcohol consumption, religious uprising led by Andrew Volstead (ultra religious congressman from Minnesota). Volstead and religious groups wanted to get rid of alcoholism and drunkenness which seemed to be a scourge on the family model and social morals. Alcohol was being produced and distributed illegally, organised crime was rife and many police were corrupt (bribed). Speakeasies (new illegal clubs needed password, hidden away) weren’t like previous saloons as women were allowed in not just prostitutes (social change and regard of women). Gangsters profited from organising illegal import of alcohol liquor sales made al Capone $60 million dollars in one year (1920s value!). Crime and violence, drive by shootings started in 1920s with mobsters as the new availability of cars made it a good way to get away from crime scenes quickly and easily (remember Ford started chain production during this time which made cars more affordable and widely available though they were still a luxury item). The ‘in-crowd’ had an automobile think Gatsby and big yellow car. Generational change - glory, patriotism was a lie actually traditionalism led to suffering and so there was a deviation from traditional social values especially for women. As women had been living under very oppressive social expectations and we’re still seen as the lesser sex (even though they had just recently won the vote) a lot of the rebellion against these stuffy traditional values saw women changing their image and behaviour. Dresses and hair became shorter, ‘boyish’ skinny flat chested figures were the fashion and now women were wearing heavier makeup and smoking in films and public; alongside the emergence of jazz in popular white culture (it had already existed but was coming more into privileged groups) this brought about fast dancing which before would have been unladylike or improper such as the Charleston etc. Many women and girls who followed this fashion were placed under the umbrella term ‘flapper girl’ a bit like the dollybirds of the 60s. They were independent drinking stylish world wide street smart daring and quick witted usually from rich privileged families - scandalising their families by going out and doing things they shouldn’t. Men’s fashion did change too they still wore suits and hats but there was a more lax attitude and emergence of more sportswear for men; golf trousers, baggy trousers, shorter trousers, not always need a formal jacket unlike before. Greater embellishment of women with jewellery, hems and detailing etc. Scandals in sports - players being bribed to throw game white sox = black sox (shoeless joe Jackson). Think Tom talking about scandals and bribing fixing games etc. Silent screens and moving pictures Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Rudolph Valentino and Clara Bow the ‘it girl’ who represented 1920s sexuality and Betty Boop was based on her style. Jazz age - term coined by Fitzgerald, jazz impacted society as it wasn’t organised and structured it was natural and improvised (the cotton club in African American area but white film would go there to socialise and enjoy the music). The Harlem Renaissance artist colony of African American artists, centred in Harlem dancing poetry jazz dance and painting set standards and new levels of achievements : full of top artists of the day in this borough. Money money money New money: just beginning to gain wealth from industry investing business etc. Sometimes overnight wealth and also widely known as often stemming from shady or illegal resources like bootlegging and fixing games (like Gatsby) new money (investing stock market, coal) Old money: inherited wealth hereditary power, Tom, daisy and Nick; often made their money off the blacks of slaves but this was not negatively connoted as it was in the past - morally corrupt. Traditions heritage respected backgrounds manner and class - well established families who wanted to marry one another to retain wealth BIG snobs. Fitzgerald loved a rich girl but was rejected because he had no wealth and his fathers own economic failure meant his mothers father had to pay for his education even Zelda (who he later married) was not allowed to in the beginning because he didn’t have any income from his writing yet. Remember new money gauche no class dilettantism affectation often lack of breeding; old money snob, specific manners and social dialect.
I bet these people, then, had great times. But once 1929 came, the party was over. Betty Boop was actually inspired by a real-life African-American jazz singer and entertainer from Harlem named Esther Jones.
Thank you so much for this presentation! It was immensely helpful for me as my AP English Literature class will begin reading The Great Gatsby this week. We covered some of the context for the book in class today, but I didn't feel like I had a good, solid understanding. This video completely cleared that up, it was easy to digest, and I had no problem sitting down to watch it. I really enjoyed all of the information and explanations you provided; I just know it will be so valuable as I read and study The Great Gatsby.
