Disillusioned Society Of The 1920s Essay
The Disillusioned Society of the 1920’s The Jazz Age of the 1920’s can be described as a dizzying whirl of a time. The U.S. economy had boomed from manufacturing success in WWI, and wealth was well distributed enough for most people to not have to worry about money in major cities. However, these national achievements were not only a source of excitement, but served as a blindfold over the eyes of the 1920’s society as well. Despite the appearance of everlasting happiness for the people of 1920’s America, their belief in an ever-profitable stock market, focus on pursuing pleasure, and disregard for the concrete factors in their lives all contributed to a society living in a disillusioned present. The unregulated stock market of
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Those who could afford it, scoured their surroundings for excitement and extravagance; as in the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, “something had to be done with all the nervous energy stored up and unexpended in the War” (1). In an unsuccessful attempt by the older generation to sober up the wild youth of the 1920’s, the passing of the “18th amendment [Prohibition] led to the illegal making and selling of alcohol”, loopholes around this law were found and secret bars selling alcohol to both men and women were created (JAZZ AGE). Soon enough, the younger generation of women in the 1920’s revolutionized their attire, exhibiting short hair and even shorter dresses, adopting habits only before publicly practiced by men, such as smoking and drinking alcohol. The people of the 1920’s were “a whole race going hedonistic, deciding on pleasure” (Fitzgerald 3). With their lavish parties and their adventurous attitude, the spirited youth of the 1920’s enchanted some of the older generation, and eventually, “the people over thirty, the people all the way up to fifty, had joined the dance [...] There were very few people left at the sober table” (Fitzgerald 5). The success of entertainment magazines only added to the effect, and the population became increasingly more interested in rumours rather than real news of the sensational Jazz Age. F. Scott Fitzgerald makes note of this in his book, The Great Gatsby, when one of the female characters “[buys] a copy of Town Tattle and a moving-picture magazine” (27). Unfortunately, the people's blind luck did not last forever as was hoped, making the end of the Jazz Age all the more devastating to them, and, as Fitzgerald pointed out, “[they] will never feel quite so intensely about [their] surroundings any more”
Those who could afford it, scoured their surroundings for excitement and extravagance; as in the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, “something had to be done with all the nervous energy stored up and unexpended in the War” (1). In an unsuccessful attempt by the older generation to sober up the wild youth of the 1920’s, the passing of the “18th amendment [Prohibition] led to the illegal making and selling of alcohol”, loopholes around this law were found and secret bars selling alcohol to both men and women were created (JAZZ AGE). Soon enough, the younger generation of women in the 1920’s revolutionized their attire, exhibiting short hair and even shorter dresses, adopting habits only before publicly practiced by men, such as smoking and drinking alcohol. The people of the 1920’s were “a whole race going hedonistic, deciding on pleasure” (Fitzgerald 3). With their lavish parties and their adventurous attitude, the spirited youth of the 1920’s enchanted some of the older generation, and eventually, “the people over thirty, the people all the way up to fifty, had joined the dance [...] There were very few people left at the sober table” (Fitzgerald 5). The success of entertainment magazines only added to the effect, and the population became increasingly more interested in rumours rather than real news of the sensational Jazz Age. F. Scott Fitzgerald makes note of this in his book, The Great Gatsby, when one of the female characters “[buys] a copy of Town Tattle and a moving-picture magazine” (27). Unfortunately, the people's blind luck did not last forever as was hoped, making the end of the Jazz Age all the more devastating to them, and, as Fitzgerald pointed out, “[they] will never feel quite so intensely about [their] surroundings any more”