American Life During The 1920s Analysis
American Life during the 1920s
Part 1 – using primary sources to interpret life during the 1920’s
This document contains a collection of images (advertisements, photographs, films and posters) reflecting parts of 1920s American life. Through observing these images, we are able to construct a detailed idea about life in the United States during the ‘Jazz Age’.
La-Mar Reducing Soap Advertisement
By advertising their ‘fat reducing’ soap, La-Mar persuades women that they need their product by offering a ‘magic solution’ to double chins, tummy fat and more. The title instantly attracts the reader as the impossible (to wash away fat) seems possible. The first sentence is short to keep the reader’s attention and the positive (‘quick and amazing’) results persuade the reader that they must buy the soap that ‘acts like magic’. …show more content…
Imagery is used in the advertisement by showing three women; each woman appearing slimmer. The visual image shows the slimmer women happier and more elegant so women think that the product will not only improve their appearance, but also their self-esteem.
The advert for the soap was made by La-Mar in 1924, a time when women had gained the right to vote and work with better wages. Because women were earning more and could decide what to spend it on, they were targeted by advertisers. As this advertisement shows, advertisers would use purchaser’s vulnerabilities (such as women not wanting to be embarrassed about their weight) and offer their product as the perfect solution to their problems.
The fat reducing soap conveys the importance of body image in the 1920s. The Americans wanted to appear fashionable and as a result, outfits became less modest as hemlines were raised. This further emphasised the need for a good figure, which Americans strove for.
We doubt the effectiveness of this product, as it appears too good to be true. It seems that there was little regulation of the effectiveness of products being sold and Americans had too much trust in advertisers if they bought products such as the soap. We would like to see a customer’s response to the product to understand if it was successful or not.
Blue Moon Silk Stockings Advertisement
The Blue Moon Silk Stockings advertisement from 1920 features a beautiful woman in her underwear. The woman’s pose shows her stretching her leg, which demonstrates the flexibility of the stockings and the freedom they give the wearer. The text at the bottom of the image persuades the consumer that they produce the best stockings; ‘America’s most beautiful stockings’. The use of the superlative tells consumers that there are no other stockings better than Blue Moon’s.
The purpose of the advertisement is to persuade consumers to buy the stockings and it is aimed at women. By using a beautiful model, the advertiser persuades women that by purchasing the stockings, they too can look like the model.
Women in the 1920s began to participate in activities such as sport and dancing, so underwear needed to be less restrictive to provide a greater freedom for movement. Women began to socialise more and in dancing the new dances and driving automobiles, hemlines of dresses were gradually raised. This meant that stockings like these were more popular and women wanted fashionable ones if their stockings became visible. This shows Americans’ desires to be attractive up-to-date with the latest trends.
We think that this advert is similar to adverts in the 21st Century because we still use idealised images of what women want to look like. Advertisers offer a way to reach the ideal image so women are easily persuaded to buy their product.
The King and Carter Jazzing Orchestra 1921 Photograph
The photograph is one taken of the King and Carter Jazzing Orchestra in 1921. The members of the jazzing orchestra are black as jazz originated in New Orleans and was brought to cities by African Americans, one of the few ways black people could become well known. The men are pictured as being relaxed, as shown by the violin player tapping his foot to the syncopated rhythm. The photograph shows a trumpeter and trombonist playing their instruments high in the air; this could be because jazz placed a great emphasis on improvisation so the music featured solos to give performers a chance to take centre stage and alter the musical texture. The photograph was taken by commercial photographer Robert Runyon, so is likely to have been taken with the intention of being sold, perhaps as a postcard.
Younger generations were rebelling against old traditions and jazz music was attractive to these people. It was seen as vulgar by elder generations as it was played by black people and the syncopated (off-beat) rhythms and new dances, such as the Charleston, were said to have contributed to irresponsible behaviour. New Orleans players moved to the cities and played in venues called speakeasies. Alcohol was prohibited in these times but was sold illegally in these jazz venues, which was even more appealing to the younger generations. This photograph is likely to have appealed to jazz admirers when jazz began to gain respect as African American music so people may have purchased it to feel a part of and embrace the new style.
This object shows the changes in 1920’s American lifestyles as they socialised in speakeasies and gained more freedom by the use of the automobile and votes for women. The ‘Jazz Age’ changed society into becoming more reckless and modern and socialising became more relaxed as Charleston dances replaced formal waltzes. In order to gain a clearer understanding of this picture, I would like to know whether this photograph was sold and if so, what age the customer was as I could find out if it was mainly the younger generation who embraced jazz or not.
Crime Photograph
This 1921 crime photograph shows a well-dressed man. However, he is discovered to be a criminal by the text above the image written by the Sydney Justice and Police Museum, ‘Frederik Edward Davies stealing in picture shows and theatres Dets Surridge Clark and Breen Central 17-7-21.’ This reveals that the photograph was taken for police purposes after discovering the man’s crimes of stealing. The man is slouching with his hands in his pockets, which gives the impression that he was unwilling to show the police defeat or anger. He is well-dressed which may have helped him commit his crime as he does not appear to be in desperate need of money so wouldn’t stand out from other smart Americans. As this man was a thief, he was frowned upon by the police, which may have contributed to his photograph in front of the police station’s toilet stalls.
This photograph shows that crime was still a part of 1920s life. The Prohibition Act meant that no alcohol could be sold, made or transported. ‘Bootleggers’ made millions from the illegal selling of alcohol and as money drove many Americans, people started to follow in their footsteps. As speakeasies became popular venues for this illegal activity, the rate of organised crime grew. Those living in luxury could not afford no to be careless or gullible as criminals, such as Frederik Edward Davies, thrived in crowded venues.
We would like to know the reason for this man stealing to understand further reasons for crime in the 1920s and whether he was part of a gang of other criminals and if he was from a wealthy background or not.
‘It’ – 1920s film
This image is advertising the silent film ‘It’, which features Clara Bow, as the large print shows. Clara Bow was a leading 1920s sex symbol and an example of the new breed of women called ‘flappers’; characterized by their shorter skirts and short bob haircuts. ‘It’ tells the story of a romance between a poor salesgirl and the handsome owner of the store.
The film was produced by Paramount and appealed to its audience of both men and women as Clara Bow appealed to both genders. Women wanted to look and act like her and men were attracted to her. As the image shows, Clara Bow wore lots of make-up. Women were inspired by movies such as ‘It’ to embrace the look of the modern woman and copied Clara by having their hair cut short and using make-up to look similar to her.
Movies like ‘It’ used recent changes in America, such as women’s right to vote, and harnessed them to show independent and free women. 1920s Americans wanted to be like the movie stars and they sought to be independent, attractive and trendy. Image became an important part of 1920s America as women tried to follow the new styles popularised by the movie stars.
The film ‘It’ resulted in Clara Bow becoming the ‘It Girl’. She was an example of the girl everybody wanted to be like by possessing the ‘It’ quality of modernity and attraction. Movies demonstrated how the modern woman should behave by embracing new freedoms and featuring women smoking cigarettes and playing working roles. Clara Bow played a salesgirl in ‘It’ so women were inspired to go and seek work with their newly found confidence and independence.
1927 Film – The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer was an American musical film produced in 1927 by a ‘sound-on-disc’ method of using a phonograph to record or playback sound in time with the action of the film. The Jazz Singer was about the son of a cantor who runs away from his devout Jewish family in order to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz singer.
Warner Bros created the film in order to entertain the population and they hired a major star, Al Jolson. The advertisement for the film includes the name of this star so that people would recognise him and want to see him in the film and therefore pay to do so.
The movies entertained people after World War I and the attitudes of Americans to the movies were positive as they could go to theatres in their spare time. The movie theatre was an acceptable venue for Americans of all ages.
We think that this film inspired Americans in the 1920s to live ‘the American dream’. The star leaving his family to seek a more successful life and freedom is an example of people’s desire to lead a happy and fulfilling life.
1924 Ford Runabout Poster
This 1924 poster is an advertisement by Ford for their new automobile called the Runabout.
The image shows a scene of a boy selling to a woman with his car parked behind him. The text confirms that he is a young businessman and explains why people need the car; it is ‘a profitable partner and happy companion for the boy who is making his mark in business and at school’.
The purpose of this poster would have been to persuade more people to buy the car, so car ownership is made to seem a great help for rapid mobility and making money as little time is wasted in travelling. The car is aimed at young men interested in business as the large text states. This is also shown by the young man smiling as it shows that his selling is successful so consumers think that their car helps them look respectable and sell more. The text reads ‘it reduces distance’ and ‘by saving time and effort, it makes larger earnings possible’. This appeals to businessmen, as they want to earn as much money as possible with minimum
effort.
The object conveys Americans’ desire for freedom and independence as cars meant that people could travel upon their own wishes, not by the dictations of their families, as they could go out alone. This appealed to young people and as the automobile was fairly new, it boosted social status to own one. The automobile also improved the American economy as the great demand resulted in a great production of automobiles so factories expanded which created the opportunities for jobs.
We would like to see whether this advertisement increased the number of sales of the Ford Runabout and whether it was mainly purchased by young men who were targeted by the advertisement.
Chesterfield Cigarettes Poster
The advertisement for Chesterfield cigarettes shows a relaxed, confident woman who is well dressed and attractive. She is an example of the fashionable 1920s American woman, as shown by her short hairstyle and smart, elegant clothes.
The poster was created by Chesterfield, a manufacturer of cigarettes and was advertised in an American Evening Post newspaper. The cigarettes are described as ‘milder’ and they ‘taste better’. They were more suitable and attractive for women so women were attracted to buy and smoke their cigarettes.
As women had gained the right to vote, they had the right to make more choices of their own, such as whether to smoke or not. This poster shows that women felt that they could be equal to men as the text in the poster reads ‘my brother and my sweetheart smoke’, so she felt empowered to do the same.
It would be interesting to know how her parents felt about her smoking habits so we could appreciate the difference of attitudes towards smoking and, more importantly, the greater freedom of choice for women between the generations.
Part 2 – primary sources from the 1920s and The Great Gatsby
News
We have located two newspaper articles from the American Memory collections, which reflect events and details in The Great Gatsby.
The first newspaper article is about the prohibition campaign. It explains how the side against alcohol was more successful than the side supporting it. The headline ‘Looks like drys will defeat wets’ instantly informs the reader of the subject of the article. The short, simple sentences of headlines hold the reader’s attention before explaining the story in further detail and make it easier to understand.
The article was created by the Ohio State Monitor in 1919. The purpose of the newspaper was to keep people updated with recent news, such as political affairs. The newspaper would have been written to sell to those living in Ohio. This is shown by ‘trend is in favour of keeping Ohio dry’ as Americans were informed of attitudes towards prohibition in an area related to them.
The newspaper article is written in third person and is likely to have been objective. However, ‘the benefits of prohibition are so apparent everywhere’ and ‘it is rare to find a man dry… who will now vote wet’ explain how prohibition is likely to change American society for the better and once people support prohibition, they are unlikely to change their mind. This shows that Americans were beginning to support prohibition and a drink-free society, although some were still determined to remain ‘wet’.
This article parallels the party in New York with Tom and the lady he is having an affair with, Myrtle in Chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby. Nick (the narrator) had only been drunk twice and ‘the second time was that afternoon’ (page 32). This shows that he was not a regular drinker like many, as prohibition prevented it. However, this party is an example of not all Americans remaining ‘dry’ and alcohol was kept hidden, ‘Tom brought out a bottle of whiskey from a locked bureau door’ (page 38). This scene is an example of why The Prohibition Act was passed as it highlights the dangers of alcohol; ‘Tom Buchanan broke her nose’ and ‘they stumbled here and there’ (page 38).
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The second document from a 1920 newspaper is an editorial. This is means that it is a subjective piece where the writer gives their personal opinion on a matter, in this case women’s suffrage. It explains why women should have the right to vote, so the reader is persuaded to also be in favour of women’s suffrage. ‘Women are part of our citizenship and have always been loyal regardless to the conditions they had to face’ persuades the reader that it is right to support women and they deserve to ‘handle the ballot’.
It seems that the editorial is written by more than one person as ‘we favour’ is in first person plural. We think that this editorial may have been written for black people. ‘It will mean much to the coloured women’ indicates that the reader would show interest in ‘coloured women’. The reader would be likely to support these women if they too were coloured.
This newspaper article conveys the greater freedom and rights women sought to gain in the 1920s. The role of women in society was changing and many wanted the same rights as men. It shows the attitudes of Americans supporting the suffrage movement, that women deserve more rights and shows how many Americans embraced the changes in their society.
The role of women in society is discussed by Daisy in The Great Gatsby. In Chapter 1, she tells Nick that ‘the best thing a girl can be in this world’ is ‘a beautiful little fool’ (page 22). This shows that Daisy thought that intelligence in women was not accepted in her society. This is one of the reasons why women fought for the same rights as men as they wanted their intelligence recognised so they could vote. Daisy’s attitude towards the role of women was that a girl was better off being beautiful and stupid, perhaps because she believes beauty is more important than brains. She hopes that her daughter will, like her, be able to marry into money, but not be able to understand the truths of an unhappy marriage, which for Daisy includes Tom’s affair. In The Great Gatsby, men are shown working to care for their wives and seem to have power over them, especially in the case of Tom when he hits Myrtle.
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Sports
This sporting image was taken in 1915 and published in the Chicago Daily News. It shows men and women out on a golf course with the women wearing long, loose white skirts and blouses.
Newspapers such as the Chicago Daily News started to publish stories and photographs of sports such as golf. This was because they were popular and could be enjoyed by a diverse group of people, so attracted readers to purchase the newspapers.
This image would have been published for readers who were interested in sports. By newspapers including sports, readers did not have to attend the sporting events to find out the results. This image could have attracted more people towards playing golf because it featured idyllic scenery and content players.
This object conveys the rights women had started to gain to make them equal to men. Men and women could participate in the same sport and women could have greater independence. This is an example of women wanting to socialise through playing sport. Their looser clothing enabled them a greater freedom of movement and as a result, hemlines were raised and more flesh was revealed to create the ‘new’ woman called a ‘flapper’.
Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby is an example of the ‘new’ women, with a slender, boyish figure. She embraces the new freedoms for women by smoking cigarettes and not being dependent on men. She is self-sufficient with only an aunt for family and being a professional golf player. However, ‘at her first big gold tournament, she had moved her ball’, showing that she is also dishonest and will try any method to achieve success (page 58). She lacks both a man and good manners.
This photograph from 1913 was also published in the Chicago Daily News. It shows polo players riding their horses on the polo field.
This photograph is likely to have appealed to the upper class in American society as polo was considered a gentleman’s game enjoyed by the wealthy and privileged. It generated a strong, athletic image of the men who participated in the sport.
This photograph conveys the wealth and opulence of America in the 1920s. Polo was, and still is, popular among the wealthy as the cost of maintaining a string of polo ponies was significant. Polo was an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and social status whilst mingling with others of the same class.
The idea of polo being associated with the wealthy is demonstrated in The Great Gatsby as Tom Buchanan is introduced as a polo player. He lives with Daisy (Gatsby’s love) in East Egg which is known for its established aristocratic residents. When Gatsby met Tom, he was ‘standing in riding clothes with his legs apart on the front porch’ and ‘two arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face’ (page 12). Both Tom and his stance seem masculine and arrogant as he displays his power.
Advertisements
This 1915 advertisement is for a new type of pearls. The pearl border of the advertisement and italic writing creates an attractive and elegant picture to attract women to purchase them.
The advertisement for Frederic’s New Scientific Pearls was published in The New York Times. The benefits of the pearls are listed, they ‘withstand the most severe wear’ and ‘can be washed and cleaned without the slightest fear of injury’. This persuades consumers that the new pearls are necessary if they require a long-lasting item that is easy to look after. The object is for women who want to copy the style of real pearls. This is because the pearls are ‘scientific’ instead of real, so perhaps offer a cheaper solution.
This shows that style was important in the 1920s and other Americans desired the luxury clothes and accessories of the wealthy. Women embraced the new fashion as they wore more make-up and cut their hair short to appear stylish and ‘modern’. Americans wanted to be fashionable and attractive as they socialised and went out more.
Style and fashion are often referred to in The Great Gatsby; ‘Mrs. Wilson had changed her costume some time before, and was attired in an elaborate afternoon dress of cream-coloured chiffon’ (Chapter 2 page 33) gives the impression that wealthy Americans owned large wardrobes of elegant clothing for various occasions.
This advertisement shows an elegant woman using Lux washing powder. The visual images provide a supplement to the text, which explains the many advantages of the product; ‘you know how gentle Lux is’ involves the consumer so they are led to believe the advertiser.
The advertisement is created by Lux in order to make their product appeal to consumers. They use persuasive techniques such as writing in the 2nd person and using testimonies from satisfied customers to make the washing powder appeal to consumers. The washing powder is aimed at women as traditionally, they did the housework. The image of a stylish woman with a bob admiring her hands persuades women that the washing powder will also save their hands and the image of a big pile of dishes shows women that they can do chores easily as ‘one teaspoonful’ is enough.
This advertisement conveys that 1920s Americans could afford to buy more expensive clothes, as they required better quality products to look after them. They also wanted to keep ‘the beautifying oils’ in their skin so sought after products such as Lux that promised just that. Americans valued a smart and stylish appearance and many could afford it. ‘It’s a real economy to use it’ appeals to customers who are money-conscious as wealth was what many Americans strove for.
The importance of appearance in the 1920s is demonstrated in The Great Gatsby; ‘his short hair looked as though it were trimmed everyday’ shows that wealthy Americans wanted to maintain stylish, well-maintained appearance, which was even more important when attending the lavish parties held by Gatsby himself.
Lifestyle
This 1926 advertisement shows an image of a smart car with lots of passengers, showing that it is capable of carrying many people. It is accompanied with text on two different cars; the Hudson coach and the cheaper version, the Essex coach.
This advertisement was for Hudson cars published in an automobile trade journal. It was created to persuade consumers to buy their cars, described as the ‘world’s largest selling 6-cylinder cars’. This indicates to the consumer that since they have sold many cars, they are popular manufacturers of good quality products. We think the object was aimed at a variety of different consumers as the advertisement features a cheaper car, so there is a way to own a car like the wealthy for a cheaper price.
This advertisement conveys the growing popularity of automobile ownership. As automobiles were fairly new in the 1920s, they could boost people’s social status meaning that many were inclined to buy them. This advertisement shows Americans’ desire to imitate the wealthy in their possessions, as they want to own similar cars and have the same privileges.
In The Great Gatsby, automobiles play an important role. We think that they symbolise the dangers of wealth as Myrtle is killed by Gatsby’s yellow Rolls Royce. This shows that cars were not only a display of wealth, but also brought about recklessness. Gatsby’s car was describes as a ‘big yellow car’ by a man who witnessed the accident (page 133 Chapter 7). This shows that Gatsby’s car was flashy; he wanted to display his wealth. Yellow is similar to gold which has connotations of money. This suggests that Gatsby was trying to show his wealth but, as Tom hints, his wealth may have been earned through illegal activities; ‘I picked him up for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong’ (page 129 Chapter 7). Maybe yellow is the colour of corruption and Gatsby’s car is a product of cheating and not honest work.
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This photograph is of yachts sailing in a regatta in 1926. It was taken for the Chicago Daily News. The photograph is likely to have appealed to yachting enthusiasts and the picture shows a beautiful view of Illinois with the sea in the foreground.
The photograph shows that yachting was popular in the 1920s, perhaps because it was seen as a gentleman’s sport; one which the wealthy could enjoy. Yachting provided the wealthy a chance to socialise among others of the same class in yacht clubs. The photograph also suggests that the wealthy liked to display their sporting skill in a competitive spirit as they participated in regular racing. Americans liked to impress others with their wealth and yachting was an appropriate leisure activity for entrepreneurs to display their social standing, rather like polo.
Nick tells the reader in Chapter 6 of The Great Gatsby that ‘the specific moment that witnessed the beginning of his (Gatsby’s) career’ was when he saw ‘Dan Cody’s yacht’ (page 94). This indicates that the yacht was a symbol of the wealth and success Gatsby was inspired to gain by Dan Cody and Gatsby was successful in achieving a life of luxury. This further suggests that yachts displayed wealth and success.
Entertainment
The photograph shows a train used by the Circuit Chautauqua with musicians, lecturers and performers who played an important part in the Circuit Chautauqua summer camp.
We think that the photograph was taken to either advertise the summer camp or was used as a memento of all the performers who took part. It was likely to have been aimed at local residents in order to show them the different types of performers that could interest them to attend the camp and the train which they could arrive by.
The Circuit Chautauqua was a summer camp, which was very popular in America during the 1920s. It appeared in more than 10,000 communities in 45 states to audiences totalling over 45 million people. Lecturers were the backbone of the Circuit Chautauqua, lecturing about religion, prisons, culture and politics. Music was also a staple and bands were popular as well as opera stars and singing groups. The audiences were ‘God-fearing, God-living and knew their Bible and Shakespeare’ which shows that many Americans were religious. The Circuit Chautauqua was an early form of mass culture, which broadened people’s lives.
Mr. Wilson is Myrtle’s husband in The Great Gatsby and he is shown to also be a God-fearing American; he says ‘God sees everything’ and ‘you can’t fool God!’ when he talks about Myrtle’s affair with Tom (Chapter 8 page 152). Perhaps he would have enjoyed the summer camp as he would have ‘known his Bible’, however Tom describes him as ‘so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive’ (Chapter 2 page 29), so he may not have appreciated the more difficult lectures. Fitzgerald describes the ‘eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’ which ‘brood on over the solemn dumping ground’ in Chapter 2 (Page 26). We think that this image coheres with ‘God sees everything’ as the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg could represent the eyes of God; an omnipotent being frowning upon the 1920s carefree style of life, the selfishness and dishonesty of American society does not go unnoticed by God.
This image is from a 1920s sheet of music called ‘What-cha gonna do when there ain’t no jazz’. It shows a well-dressed couple dancing to music played by a jazz band, which shows the style and fun of jazz.
This music was by Pete Wendling for general sale; it would have been used for performances to entertain crowds, perhaps at parties, but the sale of sheet music also enabled people to play it at home. The music would have appealed to those who appreciate jazz music and would have been bought buy musicians and amateurs for performance and home use.
The popularity of jazz increased in the 1920s. Both the rich and poor enjoyed it, as the radio meant that it could be heard across the nation, not just at large parties and dance halls. Jazz dancing became popular and Americans would dance new dances, such as the Charleston. These dances showed the changes in American’s social lives as they had more freedom and became more reckless, even drinking illegal alcohol in speakeasies which was a popular venue for jazz.
This image parallels the jazz music played at Gatsby’s big parties. The scene of the party is described when ‘a notorious contralto had sung in jazz, and between the numbers people were doing ‘stunts’ all over the garden’ (Chapter 3 page 48). This shows the influence of both jazz music and drink, where the exciting music encourages more outrageous behaviour and dancing and adds to the fun atmosphere at the parties.
Editorials
This 1919 editorial explains how ‘two Negro Women against whom evidence of any guilt was very doubtful’ were ‘lynched by the Mississippi mob’. Lynching was a punishment by execution and was used to legally execute many African-Americans in the 1920s.
This editorial appeared in ‘the Nashville Tennesseean’ and shows the writer demonstrating outrage at the injustice of the lynching of the Negro women, who were not considered guilty. The top of the editorial reads ‘Brutes, Cowards, Hypocrites’ which shows that the writer could be labelling the Americans who performed the lynching with these insulting names, and explaining how they lived up to the names. We think that the writer was black because the subject of the Negro women being unfairly killed seemed very personal so the writer is likely to have been of the same race, wanting to combat racism. This object is likely to have been read by African-Americans if an African-American wrote it, as there were special newspapers for these people who would have the same attitude as the writer and had been angry at the lynching.
This editorial shows that racism was part of 1920s American society. White people had more rights over black, which is shown by ‘had these women been white and ten times guiltier than they were, they would not have been lynched’. This conveys the racist attitudes of many white Americans as they disapproved of black people, even if they had done nothing wrong.
Racism is also shown in The Great Gatsby. Tom shares his fear when he recommends the book The Rise of the Coloured Empires and says ‘if we don’t look out the white race will be – will be utterly submerged’ (Chapter 1 page 18). This shows that he was afraid of black people taking over their country and believed that it was important for white Americans to prevent this from happening, perhaps by lynching them.
The second editorial is about ‘our moral infirmity’, demonstrating the writer’s attitude that all of American society should respect the law. The ‘Boston riots of last week’ are mentioned and the writer explains that rioting is ‘brutal and degrading’. The Boston Police strike involved nearly three quarters of Boston’s police leaving their jobs. Because of this, the troublemaking residents took the opportunity to engage in crimes as they displayed their ‘indifference to the law’.
This object is likely to have been created by a black writer as the ‘Colored citizenry of Boston’ was shown to have not taken part in the disturbance. By including the ‘Colored citizenry’, it shows that the paper is likely to have been read by African Americans as they can feel proud that their people did not contribute to the riots.
This editorial shows that crime and lawlessness was prevalent in the 1920s and Americans were described as having a ‘growing contempt for the law’. Some Americans thought that they didn’t need to obey the authorities and as a result, became difficult to manage when the police strike occurred.
The unwillingness to listen to the authorities and disrespect of the law is shown in The Great Gatsby when Gatsby is approached by a police officer for speeding; ‘a frantic policeman rode alongside’ and Gatsby took a ‘white card from his wallet’, to which the policeman responded ‘Right you are’ and ‘Excuse me!’ This suggests that wealthy Americans found ways to not be punished by the law and could be excused from their moral infirmity by their wealth and status.
Obituaries
These two obituaries are about two women called Elizabeth Miller and Eliza Osbourne. Both women came from well-known families; the former was the daughter of a philanthropist and great landowner, the latter the widow of Hon. David M. Osbourne.
Both women were involved in the suffragette movement; Mrs. Osbourne vice president of the New York State Women Suffrage Association and Mrs. Miller the patron saint of the Ontario County suffragists. This shows that both women were supporters of the suffragist movement. They were able to use their social status and intelligence, nurtured by a good education, to help and push the cause of women’s rights towards success.
Obituaries were usually written for people of a certain social standing who had achieved prominence during their lives.
We doubt that an obituary would have been written for Gatsby as his background was neither upper-class nor aristocratic, and the integrity of his business dealings was questionable. He did not have a well-attended funeral, as Nick explains that ‘Nobody came’ apart from his father (Chapter 9 page 165). This is surprising as huge numbers of people attended his lavish parties but when Gatsby couldn’t give them anything, they deserted him; even Daisy and Tom had ‘gone away early that afternoon’ and ‘left no address’ (Chapter 8 page 156). The lack of Gatsby’s mourners conveys the shallowness and selfishness of 1920s America, as they move on to other parties, leaving the past behind.
Business
This image is from the sheet music ‘It’s Nobodys Business but my own’. It shows a well-dressed black man, Bert Williams, in front of a selection of other men, the world-famous Ziegfeld Follies.
Bert Williams was possibly the most famous African-American entertainer and after post-war rationing and the prohibition, he could use his songs to express his feelings and complain about the recent troubles. This sheet music was produced by Skidmore Music in 1919, so people could easily buy the music and play it at home. The sheet music would have been sold to both professionals wanting to perform the music and amateurs who wanted to enjoy it themselves.
‘It’s nobodys business but my own’ could have been so popular because it was about business; the public could relate to the lyrics. As money was important for many Americans in the 1920s, it was incorporated into many songs.
The title ‘It’s nobodys business but my own’ creates an atmosphere of secrecy, as if the businessman would have something to hide. The prohibition meant that it was illegal to sell alcohol, but ‘bootleggers’ used the opportunity to do so, and made millions from this activity. As more bootleggers realised they could make more money through illegal methods, ‘speakeasies’ became popular venues for their selling.
This dishonest way of earning money is hinted at in The Great Gatsby. Tom accuses Gatsby of selling ‘grain alcohol’, being a bootlegger. This does not come entirely as a surprise to the reader as Gatsby lives in the West Egg as one of the ‘newly-made rich’; he has made large sums of money recently to be able to purchase his mansion and hold his famous parties. It seems uncertain as to whether Gatsby kept within the law as when asked what his business was, he replied ‘That’s my affair’ (Chapter 5 page 87). Gatsby is shown to be rather like Bert Williams who sung ‘It’s nobody’s business but my own’ as Bert Williams was also known to hold sumptuous parties at his estate.
This newspaper article is on the subject of ‘Colored business activity’. It explains how Colored citizens are becoming ‘producers as well as consumers’. The article emphasises the importance of rights for African-Americans, as shown by the capitalised ‘we MUST’. The use of the first person plural also evokes a sense of unity from the reader so they want to support their black community.
This newspaper article was written in 1919 showing that black people also have rights to business and they should strive for success. This article is from the ‘Cleveland Advocate’; we think that it was a newspaper aimed at coloured people as its articles mainly feature African-Americans.
Newspaper articles featured business information as many businesses were thriving in the 1920s. New companies, such as Ford, adopted more efficient methods of production in an effort to increase customers’ spending. This resulted in larger profits, so workers’ wages rose. Products that were previously only available to the wealthy could be purchased by the middle class due to more affordable prices, like the Ford T model. As businesses were making larger profits, company shares on the stock market increased, which in turn meant that the prices of stocks increased, so people bought more shares, hoping to make easy money.
Nick in The Great Gatsby worked in ‘the bond business’ as everybody he ‘knew was in the bond business’ (Chapter 1 page 9). This was a booming business and Nick hoped to seek his fortune as a bond salesman as business was thriving at this time in the 1920s.
Part 1 – using primary sources to interpret life during the 1920’s
This document contains a collection of images (advertisements, photographs, films and posters) reflecting parts of 1920s American life. Through observing these images, we are able to construct a detailed idea about life in the United States during the ‘Jazz Age’.
La-Mar Reducing Soap Advertisement
By advertising their ‘fat reducing’ soap, La-Mar persuades women that they need their product by offering a ‘magic solution’ to double chins, tummy fat and more. The title instantly attracts the reader as the impossible (to wash away fat) seems possible. The first sentence is short to keep the reader’s attention and the positive (‘quick and amazing’) results persuade the reader that they must buy the soap that ‘acts like magic’. …show more content…
Imagery is used in the advertisement by showing three women; each woman appearing slimmer. The visual image shows the slimmer women happier and more elegant so women think that the product will not only improve their appearance, but also their self-esteem.
The advert for the soap was made by La-Mar in 1924, a time when women had gained the right to vote and work with better wages. Because women were earning more and could decide what to spend it on, they were targeted by advertisers. As this advertisement shows, advertisers would use purchaser’s vulnerabilities (such as women not wanting to be embarrassed about their weight) and offer their product as the perfect solution to their problems.
The fat reducing soap conveys the importance of body image in the 1920s. The Americans wanted to appear fashionable and as a result, outfits became less modest as hemlines were raised. This further emphasised the need for a good figure, which Americans strove for.
We doubt the effectiveness of this product, as it appears too good to be true. It seems that there was little regulation of the effectiveness of products being sold and Americans had too much trust in advertisers if they bought products such as the soap. We would like to see a customer’s response to the product to understand if it was successful or not.
Blue Moon Silk Stockings Advertisement
The Blue Moon Silk Stockings advertisement from 1920 features a beautiful woman in her underwear. The woman’s pose shows her stretching her leg, which demonstrates the flexibility of the stockings and the freedom they give the wearer. The text at the bottom of the image persuades the consumer that they produce the best stockings; ‘America’s most beautiful stockings’. The use of the superlative tells consumers that there are no other stockings better than Blue Moon’s.
The purpose of the advertisement is to persuade consumers to buy the stockings and it is aimed at women. By using a beautiful model, the advertiser persuades women that by purchasing the stockings, they too can look like the model.
Women in the 1920s began to participate in activities such as sport and dancing, so underwear needed to be less restrictive to provide a greater freedom for movement. Women began to socialise more and in dancing the new dances and driving automobiles, hemlines of dresses were gradually raised. This meant that stockings like these were more popular and women wanted fashionable ones if their stockings became visible. This shows Americans’ desires to be attractive up-to-date with the latest trends.
We think that this advert is similar to adverts in the 21st Century because we still use idealised images of what women want to look like. Advertisers offer a way to reach the ideal image so women are easily persuaded to buy their product.
The King and Carter Jazzing Orchestra 1921 Photograph
The photograph is one taken of the King and Carter Jazzing Orchestra in 1921. The members of the jazzing orchestra are black as jazz originated in New Orleans and was brought to cities by African Americans, one of the few ways black people could become well known. The men are pictured as being relaxed, as shown by the violin player tapping his foot to the syncopated rhythm. The photograph shows a trumpeter and trombonist playing their instruments high in the air; this could be because jazz placed a great emphasis on improvisation so the music featured solos to give performers a chance to take centre stage and alter the musical texture. The photograph was taken by commercial photographer Robert Runyon, so is likely to have been taken with the intention of being sold, perhaps as a postcard.
Younger generations were rebelling against old traditions and jazz music was attractive to these people. It was seen as vulgar by elder generations as it was played by black people and the syncopated (off-beat) rhythms and new dances, such as the Charleston, were said to have contributed to irresponsible behaviour. New Orleans players moved to the cities and played in venues called speakeasies. Alcohol was prohibited in these times but was sold illegally in these jazz venues, which was even more appealing to the younger generations. This photograph is likely to have appealed to jazz admirers when jazz began to gain respect as African American music so people may have purchased it to feel a part of and embrace the new style.
This object shows the changes in 1920’s American lifestyles as they socialised in speakeasies and gained more freedom by the use of the automobile and votes for women. The ‘Jazz Age’ changed society into becoming more reckless and modern and socialising became more relaxed as Charleston dances replaced formal waltzes. In order to gain a clearer understanding of this picture, I would like to know whether this photograph was sold and if so, what age the customer was as I could find out if it was mainly the younger generation who embraced jazz or not.
Crime Photograph
This 1921 crime photograph shows a well-dressed man. However, he is discovered to be a criminal by the text above the image written by the Sydney Justice and Police Museum, ‘Frederik Edward Davies stealing in picture shows and theatres Dets Surridge Clark and Breen Central 17-7-21.’ This reveals that the photograph was taken for police purposes after discovering the man’s crimes of stealing. The man is slouching with his hands in his pockets, which gives the impression that he was unwilling to show the police defeat or anger. He is well-dressed which may have helped him commit his crime as he does not appear to be in desperate need of money so wouldn’t stand out from other smart Americans. As this man was a thief, he was frowned upon by the police, which may have contributed to his photograph in front of the police station’s toilet stalls.
This photograph shows that crime was still a part of 1920s life. The Prohibition Act meant that no alcohol could be sold, made or transported. ‘Bootleggers’ made millions from the illegal selling of alcohol and as money drove many Americans, people started to follow in their footsteps. As speakeasies became popular venues for this illegal activity, the rate of organised crime grew. Those living in luxury could not afford no to be careless or gullible as criminals, such as Frederik Edward Davies, thrived in crowded venues.
We would like to know the reason for this man stealing to understand further reasons for crime in the 1920s and whether he was part of a gang of other criminals and if he was from a wealthy background or not.
‘It’ – 1920s film
This image is advertising the silent film ‘It’, which features Clara Bow, as the large print shows. Clara Bow was a leading 1920s sex symbol and an example of the new breed of women called ‘flappers’; characterized by their shorter skirts and short bob haircuts. ‘It’ tells the story of a romance between a poor salesgirl and the handsome owner of the store.
The film was produced by Paramount and appealed to its audience of both men and women as Clara Bow appealed to both genders. Women wanted to look and act like her and men were attracted to her. As the image shows, Clara Bow wore lots of make-up. Women were inspired by movies such as ‘It’ to embrace the look of the modern woman and copied Clara by having their hair cut short and using make-up to look similar to her.
Movies like ‘It’ used recent changes in America, such as women’s right to vote, and harnessed them to show independent and free women. 1920s Americans wanted to be like the movie stars and they sought to be independent, attractive and trendy. Image became an important part of 1920s America as women tried to follow the new styles popularised by the movie stars.
The film ‘It’ resulted in Clara Bow becoming the ‘It Girl’. She was an example of the girl everybody wanted to be like by possessing the ‘It’ quality of modernity and attraction. Movies demonstrated how the modern woman should behave by embracing new freedoms and featuring women smoking cigarettes and playing working roles. Clara Bow played a salesgirl in ‘It’ so women were inspired to go and seek work with their newly found confidence and independence.
1927 Film – The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer was an American musical film produced in 1927 by a ‘sound-on-disc’ method of using a phonograph to record or playback sound in time with the action of the film. The Jazz Singer was about the son of a cantor who runs away from his devout Jewish family in order to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz singer.
Warner Bros created the film in order to entertain the population and they hired a major star, Al Jolson. The advertisement for the film includes the name of this star so that people would recognise him and want to see him in the film and therefore pay to do so.
The movies entertained people after World War I and the attitudes of Americans to the movies were positive as they could go to theatres in their spare time. The movie theatre was an acceptable venue for Americans of all ages.
We think that this film inspired Americans in the 1920s to live ‘the American dream’. The star leaving his family to seek a more successful life and freedom is an example of people’s desire to lead a happy and fulfilling life.
1924 Ford Runabout Poster
This 1924 poster is an advertisement by Ford for their new automobile called the Runabout.
The image shows a scene of a boy selling to a woman with his car parked behind him. The text confirms that he is a young businessman and explains why people need the car; it is ‘a profitable partner and happy companion for the boy who is making his mark in business and at school’.
The purpose of this poster would have been to persuade more people to buy the car, so car ownership is made to seem a great help for rapid mobility and making money as little time is wasted in travelling. The car is aimed at young men interested in business as the large text states. This is also shown by the young man smiling as it shows that his selling is successful so consumers think that their car helps them look respectable and sell more. The text reads ‘it reduces distance’ and ‘by saving time and effort, it makes larger earnings possible’. This appeals to businessmen, as they want to earn as much money as possible with minimum
effort.
The object conveys Americans’ desire for freedom and independence as cars meant that people could travel upon their own wishes, not by the dictations of their families, as they could go out alone. This appealed to young people and as the automobile was fairly new, it boosted social status to own one. The automobile also improved the American economy as the great demand resulted in a great production of automobiles so factories expanded which created the opportunities for jobs.
We would like to see whether this advertisement increased the number of sales of the Ford Runabout and whether it was mainly purchased by young men who were targeted by the advertisement.
Chesterfield Cigarettes Poster
The advertisement for Chesterfield cigarettes shows a relaxed, confident woman who is well dressed and attractive. She is an example of the fashionable 1920s American woman, as shown by her short hairstyle and smart, elegant clothes.
The poster was created by Chesterfield, a manufacturer of cigarettes and was advertised in an American Evening Post newspaper. The cigarettes are described as ‘milder’ and they ‘taste better’. They were more suitable and attractive for women so women were attracted to buy and smoke their cigarettes.
As women had gained the right to vote, they had the right to make more choices of their own, such as whether to smoke or not. This poster shows that women felt that they could be equal to men as the text in the poster reads ‘my brother and my sweetheart smoke’, so she felt empowered to do the same.
It would be interesting to know how her parents felt about her smoking habits so we could appreciate the difference of attitudes towards smoking and, more importantly, the greater freedom of choice for women between the generations.
Part 2 – primary sources from the 1920s and The Great Gatsby
News
We have located two newspaper articles from the American Memory collections, which reflect events and details in The Great Gatsby.
The first newspaper article is about the prohibition campaign. It explains how the side against alcohol was more successful than the side supporting it. The headline ‘Looks like drys will defeat wets’ instantly informs the reader of the subject of the article. The short, simple sentences of headlines hold the reader’s attention before explaining the story in further detail and make it easier to understand.
The article was created by the Ohio State Monitor in 1919. The purpose of the newspaper was to keep people updated with recent news, such as political affairs. The newspaper would have been written to sell to those living in Ohio. This is shown by ‘trend is in favour of keeping Ohio dry’ as Americans were informed of attitudes towards prohibition in an area related to them.
The newspaper article is written in third person and is likely to have been objective. However, ‘the benefits of prohibition are so apparent everywhere’ and ‘it is rare to find a man dry… who will now vote wet’ explain how prohibition is likely to change American society for the better and once people support prohibition, they are unlikely to change their mind. This shows that Americans were beginning to support prohibition and a drink-free society, although some were still determined to remain ‘wet’.
This article parallels the party in New York with Tom and the lady he is having an affair with, Myrtle in Chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby. Nick (the narrator) had only been drunk twice and ‘the second time was that afternoon’ (page 32). This shows that he was not a regular drinker like many, as prohibition prevented it. However, this party is an example of not all Americans remaining ‘dry’ and alcohol was kept hidden, ‘Tom brought out a bottle of whiskey from a locked bureau door’ (page 38). This scene is an example of why The Prohibition Act was passed as it highlights the dangers of alcohol; ‘Tom Buchanan broke her nose’ and ‘they stumbled here and there’ (page 38).
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The second document from a 1920 newspaper is an editorial. This is means that it is a subjective piece where the writer gives their personal opinion on a matter, in this case women’s suffrage. It explains why women should have the right to vote, so the reader is persuaded to also be in favour of women’s suffrage. ‘Women are part of our citizenship and have always been loyal regardless to the conditions they had to face’ persuades the reader that it is right to support women and they deserve to ‘handle the ballot’.
It seems that the editorial is written by more than one person as ‘we favour’ is in first person plural. We think that this editorial may have been written for black people. ‘It will mean much to the coloured women’ indicates that the reader would show interest in ‘coloured women’. The reader would be likely to support these women if they too were coloured.
This newspaper article conveys the greater freedom and rights women sought to gain in the 1920s. The role of women in society was changing and many wanted the same rights as men. It shows the attitudes of Americans supporting the suffrage movement, that women deserve more rights and shows how many Americans embraced the changes in their society.
The role of women in society is discussed by Daisy in The Great Gatsby. In Chapter 1, she tells Nick that ‘the best thing a girl can be in this world’ is ‘a beautiful little fool’ (page 22). This shows that Daisy thought that intelligence in women was not accepted in her society. This is one of the reasons why women fought for the same rights as men as they wanted their intelligence recognised so they could vote. Daisy’s attitude towards the role of women was that a girl was better off being beautiful and stupid, perhaps because she believes beauty is more important than brains. She hopes that her daughter will, like her, be able to marry into money, but not be able to understand the truths of an unhappy marriage, which for Daisy includes Tom’s affair. In The Great Gatsby, men are shown working to care for their wives and seem to have power over them, especially in the case of Tom when he hits Myrtle.
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Sports
This sporting image was taken in 1915 and published in the Chicago Daily News. It shows men and women out on a golf course with the women wearing long, loose white skirts and blouses.
Newspapers such as the Chicago Daily News started to publish stories and photographs of sports such as golf. This was because they were popular and could be enjoyed by a diverse group of people, so attracted readers to purchase the newspapers.
This image would have been published for readers who were interested in sports. By newspapers including sports, readers did not have to attend the sporting events to find out the results. This image could have attracted more people towards playing golf because it featured idyllic scenery and content players.
This object conveys the rights women had started to gain to make them equal to men. Men and women could participate in the same sport and women could have greater independence. This is an example of women wanting to socialise through playing sport. Their looser clothing enabled them a greater freedom of movement and as a result, hemlines were raised and more flesh was revealed to create the ‘new’ woman called a ‘flapper’.
Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby is an example of the ‘new’ women, with a slender, boyish figure. She embraces the new freedoms for women by smoking cigarettes and not being dependent on men. She is self-sufficient with only an aunt for family and being a professional golf player. However, ‘at her first big gold tournament, she had moved her ball’, showing that she is also dishonest and will try any method to achieve success (page 58). She lacks both a man and good manners.
This photograph from 1913 was also published in the Chicago Daily News. It shows polo players riding their horses on the polo field.
This photograph is likely to have appealed to the upper class in American society as polo was considered a gentleman’s game enjoyed by the wealthy and privileged. It generated a strong, athletic image of the men who participated in the sport.
This photograph conveys the wealth and opulence of America in the 1920s. Polo was, and still is, popular among the wealthy as the cost of maintaining a string of polo ponies was significant. Polo was an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and social status whilst mingling with others of the same class.
The idea of polo being associated with the wealthy is demonstrated in The Great Gatsby as Tom Buchanan is introduced as a polo player. He lives with Daisy (Gatsby’s love) in East Egg which is known for its established aristocratic residents. When Gatsby met Tom, he was ‘standing in riding clothes with his legs apart on the front porch’ and ‘two arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face’ (page 12). Both Tom and his stance seem masculine and arrogant as he displays his power.
Advertisements
This 1915 advertisement is for a new type of pearls. The pearl border of the advertisement and italic writing creates an attractive and elegant picture to attract women to purchase them.
The advertisement for Frederic’s New Scientific Pearls was published in The New York Times. The benefits of the pearls are listed, they ‘withstand the most severe wear’ and ‘can be washed and cleaned without the slightest fear of injury’. This persuades consumers that the new pearls are necessary if they require a long-lasting item that is easy to look after. The object is for women who want to copy the style of real pearls. This is because the pearls are ‘scientific’ instead of real, so perhaps offer a cheaper solution.
This shows that style was important in the 1920s and other Americans desired the luxury clothes and accessories of the wealthy. Women embraced the new fashion as they wore more make-up and cut their hair short to appear stylish and ‘modern’. Americans wanted to be fashionable and attractive as they socialised and went out more.
Style and fashion are often referred to in The Great Gatsby; ‘Mrs. Wilson had changed her costume some time before, and was attired in an elaborate afternoon dress of cream-coloured chiffon’ (Chapter 2 page 33) gives the impression that wealthy Americans owned large wardrobes of elegant clothing for various occasions.
This advertisement shows an elegant woman using Lux washing powder. The visual images provide a supplement to the text, which explains the many advantages of the product; ‘you know how gentle Lux is’ involves the consumer so they are led to believe the advertiser.
The advertisement is created by Lux in order to make their product appeal to consumers. They use persuasive techniques such as writing in the 2nd person and using testimonies from satisfied customers to make the washing powder appeal to consumers. The washing powder is aimed at women as traditionally, they did the housework. The image of a stylish woman with a bob admiring her hands persuades women that the washing powder will also save their hands and the image of a big pile of dishes shows women that they can do chores easily as ‘one teaspoonful’ is enough.
This advertisement conveys that 1920s Americans could afford to buy more expensive clothes, as they required better quality products to look after them. They also wanted to keep ‘the beautifying oils’ in their skin so sought after products such as Lux that promised just that. Americans valued a smart and stylish appearance and many could afford it. ‘It’s a real economy to use it’ appeals to customers who are money-conscious as wealth was what many Americans strove for.
The importance of appearance in the 1920s is demonstrated in The Great Gatsby; ‘his short hair looked as though it were trimmed everyday’ shows that wealthy Americans wanted to maintain stylish, well-maintained appearance, which was even more important when attending the lavish parties held by Gatsby himself.
Lifestyle
This 1926 advertisement shows an image of a smart car with lots of passengers, showing that it is capable of carrying many people. It is accompanied with text on two different cars; the Hudson coach and the cheaper version, the Essex coach.
This advertisement was for Hudson cars published in an automobile trade journal. It was created to persuade consumers to buy their cars, described as the ‘world’s largest selling 6-cylinder cars’. This indicates to the consumer that since they have sold many cars, they are popular manufacturers of good quality products. We think the object was aimed at a variety of different consumers as the advertisement features a cheaper car, so there is a way to own a car like the wealthy for a cheaper price.
This advertisement conveys the growing popularity of automobile ownership. As automobiles were fairly new in the 1920s, they could boost people’s social status meaning that many were inclined to buy them. This advertisement shows Americans’ desire to imitate the wealthy in their possessions, as they want to own similar cars and have the same privileges.
In The Great Gatsby, automobiles play an important role. We think that they symbolise the dangers of wealth as Myrtle is killed by Gatsby’s yellow Rolls Royce. This shows that cars were not only a display of wealth, but also brought about recklessness. Gatsby’s car was describes as a ‘big yellow car’ by a man who witnessed the accident (page 133 Chapter 7). This shows that Gatsby’s car was flashy; he wanted to display his wealth. Yellow is similar to gold which has connotations of money. This suggests that Gatsby was trying to show his wealth but, as Tom hints, his wealth may have been earned through illegal activities; ‘I picked him up for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong’ (page 129 Chapter 7). Maybe yellow is the colour of corruption and Gatsby’s car is a product of cheating and not honest work.
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This photograph is of yachts sailing in a regatta in 1926. It was taken for the Chicago Daily News. The photograph is likely to have appealed to yachting enthusiasts and the picture shows a beautiful view of Illinois with the sea in the foreground.
The photograph shows that yachting was popular in the 1920s, perhaps because it was seen as a gentleman’s sport; one which the wealthy could enjoy. Yachting provided the wealthy a chance to socialise among others of the same class in yacht clubs. The photograph also suggests that the wealthy liked to display their sporting skill in a competitive spirit as they participated in regular racing. Americans liked to impress others with their wealth and yachting was an appropriate leisure activity for entrepreneurs to display their social standing, rather like polo.
Nick tells the reader in Chapter 6 of The Great Gatsby that ‘the specific moment that witnessed the beginning of his (Gatsby’s) career’ was when he saw ‘Dan Cody’s yacht’ (page 94). This indicates that the yacht was a symbol of the wealth and success Gatsby was inspired to gain by Dan Cody and Gatsby was successful in achieving a life of luxury. This further suggests that yachts displayed wealth and success.
Entertainment
The photograph shows a train used by the Circuit Chautauqua with musicians, lecturers and performers who played an important part in the Circuit Chautauqua summer camp.
We think that the photograph was taken to either advertise the summer camp or was used as a memento of all the performers who took part. It was likely to have been aimed at local residents in order to show them the different types of performers that could interest them to attend the camp and the train which they could arrive by.
The Circuit Chautauqua was a summer camp, which was very popular in America during the 1920s. It appeared in more than 10,000 communities in 45 states to audiences totalling over 45 million people. Lecturers were the backbone of the Circuit Chautauqua, lecturing about religion, prisons, culture and politics. Music was also a staple and bands were popular as well as opera stars and singing groups. The audiences were ‘God-fearing, God-living and knew their Bible and Shakespeare’ which shows that many Americans were religious. The Circuit Chautauqua was an early form of mass culture, which broadened people’s lives.
Mr. Wilson is Myrtle’s husband in The Great Gatsby and he is shown to also be a God-fearing American; he says ‘God sees everything’ and ‘you can’t fool God!’ when he talks about Myrtle’s affair with Tom (Chapter 8 page 152). Perhaps he would have enjoyed the summer camp as he would have ‘known his Bible’, however Tom describes him as ‘so dumb he doesn’t know he’s alive’ (Chapter 2 page 29), so he may not have appreciated the more difficult lectures. Fitzgerald describes the ‘eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’ which ‘brood on over the solemn dumping ground’ in Chapter 2 (Page 26). We think that this image coheres with ‘God sees everything’ as the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg could represent the eyes of God; an omnipotent being frowning upon the 1920s carefree style of life, the selfishness and dishonesty of American society does not go unnoticed by God.
This image is from a 1920s sheet of music called ‘What-cha gonna do when there ain’t no jazz’. It shows a well-dressed couple dancing to music played by a jazz band, which shows the style and fun of jazz.
This music was by Pete Wendling for general sale; it would have been used for performances to entertain crowds, perhaps at parties, but the sale of sheet music also enabled people to play it at home. The music would have appealed to those who appreciate jazz music and would have been bought buy musicians and amateurs for performance and home use.
The popularity of jazz increased in the 1920s. Both the rich and poor enjoyed it, as the radio meant that it could be heard across the nation, not just at large parties and dance halls. Jazz dancing became popular and Americans would dance new dances, such as the Charleston. These dances showed the changes in American’s social lives as they had more freedom and became more reckless, even drinking illegal alcohol in speakeasies which was a popular venue for jazz.
This image parallels the jazz music played at Gatsby’s big parties. The scene of the party is described when ‘a notorious contralto had sung in jazz, and between the numbers people were doing ‘stunts’ all over the garden’ (Chapter 3 page 48). This shows the influence of both jazz music and drink, where the exciting music encourages more outrageous behaviour and dancing and adds to the fun atmosphere at the parties.
Editorials
This 1919 editorial explains how ‘two Negro Women against whom evidence of any guilt was very doubtful’ were ‘lynched by the Mississippi mob’. Lynching was a punishment by execution and was used to legally execute many African-Americans in the 1920s.
This editorial appeared in ‘the Nashville Tennesseean’ and shows the writer demonstrating outrage at the injustice of the lynching of the Negro women, who were not considered guilty. The top of the editorial reads ‘Brutes, Cowards, Hypocrites’ which shows that the writer could be labelling the Americans who performed the lynching with these insulting names, and explaining how they lived up to the names. We think that the writer was black because the subject of the Negro women being unfairly killed seemed very personal so the writer is likely to have been of the same race, wanting to combat racism. This object is likely to have been read by African-Americans if an African-American wrote it, as there were special newspapers for these people who would have the same attitude as the writer and had been angry at the lynching.
This editorial shows that racism was part of 1920s American society. White people had more rights over black, which is shown by ‘had these women been white and ten times guiltier than they were, they would not have been lynched’. This conveys the racist attitudes of many white Americans as they disapproved of black people, even if they had done nothing wrong.
Racism is also shown in The Great Gatsby. Tom shares his fear when he recommends the book The Rise of the Coloured Empires and says ‘if we don’t look out the white race will be – will be utterly submerged’ (Chapter 1 page 18). This shows that he was afraid of black people taking over their country and believed that it was important for white Americans to prevent this from happening, perhaps by lynching them.
The second editorial is about ‘our moral infirmity’, demonstrating the writer’s attitude that all of American society should respect the law. The ‘Boston riots of last week’ are mentioned and the writer explains that rioting is ‘brutal and degrading’. The Boston Police strike involved nearly three quarters of Boston’s police leaving their jobs. Because of this, the troublemaking residents took the opportunity to engage in crimes as they displayed their ‘indifference to the law’.
This object is likely to have been created by a black writer as the ‘Colored citizenry of Boston’ was shown to have not taken part in the disturbance. By including the ‘Colored citizenry’, it shows that the paper is likely to have been read by African Americans as they can feel proud that their people did not contribute to the riots.
This editorial shows that crime and lawlessness was prevalent in the 1920s and Americans were described as having a ‘growing contempt for the law’. Some Americans thought that they didn’t need to obey the authorities and as a result, became difficult to manage when the police strike occurred.
The unwillingness to listen to the authorities and disrespect of the law is shown in The Great Gatsby when Gatsby is approached by a police officer for speeding; ‘a frantic policeman rode alongside’ and Gatsby took a ‘white card from his wallet’, to which the policeman responded ‘Right you are’ and ‘Excuse me!’ This suggests that wealthy Americans found ways to not be punished by the law and could be excused from their moral infirmity by their wealth and status.
Obituaries
These two obituaries are about two women called Elizabeth Miller and Eliza Osbourne. Both women came from well-known families; the former was the daughter of a philanthropist and great landowner, the latter the widow of Hon. David M. Osbourne.
Both women were involved in the suffragette movement; Mrs. Osbourne vice president of the New York State Women Suffrage Association and Mrs. Miller the patron saint of the Ontario County suffragists. This shows that both women were supporters of the suffragist movement. They were able to use their social status and intelligence, nurtured by a good education, to help and push the cause of women’s rights towards success.
Obituaries were usually written for people of a certain social standing who had achieved prominence during their lives.
We doubt that an obituary would have been written for Gatsby as his background was neither upper-class nor aristocratic, and the integrity of his business dealings was questionable. He did not have a well-attended funeral, as Nick explains that ‘Nobody came’ apart from his father (Chapter 9 page 165). This is surprising as huge numbers of people attended his lavish parties but when Gatsby couldn’t give them anything, they deserted him; even Daisy and Tom had ‘gone away early that afternoon’ and ‘left no address’ (Chapter 8 page 156). The lack of Gatsby’s mourners conveys the shallowness and selfishness of 1920s America, as they move on to other parties, leaving the past behind.
Business
This image is from the sheet music ‘It’s Nobodys Business but my own’. It shows a well-dressed black man, Bert Williams, in front of a selection of other men, the world-famous Ziegfeld Follies.
Bert Williams was possibly the most famous African-American entertainer and after post-war rationing and the prohibition, he could use his songs to express his feelings and complain about the recent troubles. This sheet music was produced by Skidmore Music in 1919, so people could easily buy the music and play it at home. The sheet music would have been sold to both professionals wanting to perform the music and amateurs who wanted to enjoy it themselves.
‘It’s nobodys business but my own’ could have been so popular because it was about business; the public could relate to the lyrics. As money was important for many Americans in the 1920s, it was incorporated into many songs.
The title ‘It’s nobodys business but my own’ creates an atmosphere of secrecy, as if the businessman would have something to hide. The prohibition meant that it was illegal to sell alcohol, but ‘bootleggers’ used the opportunity to do so, and made millions from this activity. As more bootleggers realised they could make more money through illegal methods, ‘speakeasies’ became popular venues for their selling.
This dishonest way of earning money is hinted at in The Great Gatsby. Tom accuses Gatsby of selling ‘grain alcohol’, being a bootlegger. This does not come entirely as a surprise to the reader as Gatsby lives in the West Egg as one of the ‘newly-made rich’; he has made large sums of money recently to be able to purchase his mansion and hold his famous parties. It seems uncertain as to whether Gatsby kept within the law as when asked what his business was, he replied ‘That’s my affair’ (Chapter 5 page 87). Gatsby is shown to be rather like Bert Williams who sung ‘It’s nobody’s business but my own’ as Bert Williams was also known to hold sumptuous parties at his estate.
This newspaper article is on the subject of ‘Colored business activity’. It explains how Colored citizens are becoming ‘producers as well as consumers’. The article emphasises the importance of rights for African-Americans, as shown by the capitalised ‘we MUST’. The use of the first person plural also evokes a sense of unity from the reader so they want to support their black community.
This newspaper article was written in 1919 showing that black people also have rights to business and they should strive for success. This article is from the ‘Cleveland Advocate’; we think that it was a newspaper aimed at coloured people as its articles mainly feature African-Americans.
Newspaper articles featured business information as many businesses were thriving in the 1920s. New companies, such as Ford, adopted more efficient methods of production in an effort to increase customers’ spending. This resulted in larger profits, so workers’ wages rose. Products that were previously only available to the wealthy could be purchased by the middle class due to more affordable prices, like the Ford T model. As businesses were making larger profits, company shares on the stock market increased, which in turn meant that the prices of stocks increased, so people bought more shares, hoping to make easy money.
Nick in The Great Gatsby worked in ‘the bond business’ as everybody he ‘knew was in the bond business’ (Chapter 1 page 9). This was a booming business and Nick hoped to seek his fortune as a bond salesman as business was thriving at this time in the 1920s.