Research Paper On The 1920s
In the 1920s also known as the Roaring 20s, reading became more and more popular as people became literate. After World War Ⅰ they had time to read, write, and enjoy all of their new leisure time. Leisure time was enjoyed mostly by the upper class who were stuck in their materialism and wealth. The obsession with money and power was a popular theme in the literature of the decade. Americans valued only money and reputation which changed the way the nation was viewed. After the war America’s youth was left dead, injured, and terror stricken. Literature represented the conditions and atmosphere of 1920s American society. Fictional writing gives a deeper look into American society in the 1920s through emotions and opinions that cannot be expressed in hard
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facts.TRANSITION STATEMENT TO HEAD TO THE REST OF THE PAPER.
Once the war ended,Americans Americans in the Roaring 20s were divided into the upper class, the middle class, and the lower class.
The upper class were rich and careless plus used all the new inventions. They had endless amounts of money to spend and were obsessed with materialistic values. The middle class thought little of themselves and never aspired to be anything more than middle class. The lower class struggled with being looked over and worked endlessly for the upper class. After World War Ⅰ America’s youth was left dead, injured, and terror stricken. This was a common theme of literature in the early 1920s. War stories and tragedies were popular in books. But soon (rewording needed)( America quickly started to undergo major changes?) the nation underwent some changes like the inventions of the radio, TV, and motion pictures. Soon (rewording needed) people seemed happy again which reflected in the literatures with novels about music and parties and tales of pursuing happiness. But soon (rewording needed) Authors saw changes again; negative changes that bothered them and impacted their writing greatly. They wrote about the thoughtless rich and society’s obsession with wealth, power, and
reputation. “The Lost Generation” was the generation of people lost physically or metaphorically in the war and shortly after. They were referred to as lost because they did not know what to do with themselves. Society felt empty and lost. With all of their new free time they felt vacant especially in the winter when activity was limited. There was a gap to be filled. Literature closed the gap and made people feel whole again. Books inspired people to go out and travel and try new things. Novels with fictional character showed society what they could not see. Literature was also just a fun activity that people enjoyed. Moms could read books to their kids. Women could start books clubs. Almost anyone that could afford a book could enjoy literature. It became more and more popular as new authors surfaced. Some of the most famous writers were Sinclair Lewis, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce. All of these authors were also considered a “Lost Generation” of their own. Lost in the slowly slipping America they saw. They were lost in the rush of change that surged into society to distract from the war. Most of these writers moved to France and Europe to write. They wrote about America, but also about people and events that inspired them in Europe. For example, (rewording) Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises takes place in Paris and Spain, but still highlights common themes.
Prominent topics in novels of the 1920s were wealth, and the life of the upper class. Some of these plots focused on the old rich or people who inherited money, and others focused on the new money or people who gained money in the 20s. There was conflict between these two groups which was also expressed in literature. Authors mocked their seemingly twisted values, and showed society what was invisible to them. Most of these books did not sell very well, probably because the rich did not want to think that of themselves. The writing revealed a different side of the inattentive upper class. Not all literature focused on the upper class, some literature highlighted the middle, and lower class too. At the time, no one could see how negligent the rich were or how hopeless the middle class was. Also the terrible conditions of the poor. No wonder classics are more popular now than ever before. Society did not want to see the negative side of 1920s life in America. They hide from the depression that consumed them after the war, and continued to do so with all of their newest issues. The ignored the problems that they probably should have faced like great stock market debt of average citizens, the poverty of ninety five percent of the nation, and the spending of money that does not exist. The novels we read from the 1920s show us all of the little things people concealed, and all of the big issues, and all of the themes of their decade. Fictional characters teach us about historical events, new inventions, important people, and developing topics.
Literature in the 1920s, like today, inspired people to make changes in their life, and pursue their dreams by moving into the cities, going after better jobs, and traveling to other countries. Nine decades from now people can look back on our decade, and see that books from authors today give a peek into the mood of our era. When we read literature from after the war we know how people felt, and what a hard time they were going through. The range of different subjects is huge. You can figure out almost any thing about the twenties in detail from fictional literature written then. Literature gives us a deeper look into the atmosphere of the era. Straight facts can not express the negligence of the rich, the struggles of the poor, and the pain left over from the war. Authors gives you insight. The mood, and opinions of the characters makes it easier to understand what is happening in the story, and how people felt about it. Nothing can give better details than fictional writing that you can not find in a textbook.
“The Great Gatsby is regarded as a brilliant piece of social commentary, offering a vivid peek into American life in the 1920s.” (The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Critical Essays Social Stratification) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was an inspiring novel that reflected the mood of the era, and shed light on the extravagance of the upper class. Even though the book was not very popular in the 1920s, it is viewed as an important classic today. Fitzgerald told the story of secretive character, Gatsby, with a blurry past told from the perspective his poor neighbor. The protagonist, Nick Carraway, spends his summer going to high class parties and fancy dinners with his rich friend. Fitzgerald also introduces his reader to Nick’s second cousin once removed, Daisy, who is married to unfaithful Tom whom he met in college, and their friend Jordan Baker. Nick is swept into their world of never ending wealth, and careless spending. Fitzgerald captures Nick’s frustration with their thoughtless actions as they tear things apart, and leave the peices to be picked up while they fall back on their wealth. “They were careless people, Tom, and Daisy — they smashed up things, and creatures, and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (Fitzgerald, 237). The story collides when Nick discovers Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy, and pursues her love desperately trying to relive the past. Gatsby was so stuck in the past that he wanted nothing, but to recreate it. He was stubborn, and careless which in the end brought no good his way. This novel represented most of the behaviour of the upper class.
facts.TRANSITION STATEMENT TO HEAD TO THE REST OF THE PAPER.
Once the war ended,Americans Americans in the Roaring 20s were divided into the upper class, the middle class, and the lower class.
The upper class were rich and careless plus used all the new inventions. They had endless amounts of money to spend and were obsessed with materialistic values. The middle class thought little of themselves and never aspired to be anything more than middle class. The lower class struggled with being looked over and worked endlessly for the upper class. After World War Ⅰ America’s youth was left dead, injured, and terror stricken. This was a common theme of literature in the early 1920s. War stories and tragedies were popular in books. But soon (rewording needed)( America quickly started to undergo major changes?) the nation underwent some changes like the inventions of the radio, TV, and motion pictures. Soon (rewording needed) people seemed happy again which reflected in the literatures with novels about music and parties and tales of pursuing happiness. But soon (rewording needed) Authors saw changes again; negative changes that bothered them and impacted their writing greatly. They wrote about the thoughtless rich and society’s obsession with wealth, power, and
reputation. “The Lost Generation” was the generation of people lost physically or metaphorically in the war and shortly after. They were referred to as lost because they did not know what to do with themselves. Society felt empty and lost. With all of their new free time they felt vacant especially in the winter when activity was limited. There was a gap to be filled. Literature closed the gap and made people feel whole again. Books inspired people to go out and travel and try new things. Novels with fictional character showed society what they could not see. Literature was also just a fun activity that people enjoyed. Moms could read books to their kids. Women could start books clubs. Almost anyone that could afford a book could enjoy literature. It became more and more popular as new authors surfaced. Some of the most famous writers were Sinclair Lewis, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce. All of these authors were also considered a “Lost Generation” of their own. Lost in the slowly slipping America they saw. They were lost in the rush of change that surged into society to distract from the war. Most of these writers moved to France and Europe to write. They wrote about America, but also about people and events that inspired them in Europe. For example, (rewording) Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises takes place in Paris and Spain, but still highlights common themes.
Prominent topics in novels of the 1920s were wealth, and the life of the upper class. Some of these plots focused on the old rich or people who inherited money, and others focused on the new money or people who gained money in the 20s. There was conflict between these two groups which was also expressed in literature. Authors mocked their seemingly twisted values, and showed society what was invisible to them. Most of these books did not sell very well, probably because the rich did not want to think that of themselves. The writing revealed a different side of the inattentive upper class. Not all literature focused on the upper class, some literature highlighted the middle, and lower class too. At the time, no one could see how negligent the rich were or how hopeless the middle class was. Also the terrible conditions of the poor. No wonder classics are more popular now than ever before. Society did not want to see the negative side of 1920s life in America. They hide from the depression that consumed them after the war, and continued to do so with all of their newest issues. The ignored the problems that they probably should have faced like great stock market debt of average citizens, the poverty of ninety five percent of the nation, and the spending of money that does not exist. The novels we read from the 1920s show us all of the little things people concealed, and all of the big issues, and all of the themes of their decade. Fictional characters teach us about historical events, new inventions, important people, and developing topics.
Literature in the 1920s, like today, inspired people to make changes in their life, and pursue their dreams by moving into the cities, going after better jobs, and traveling to other countries. Nine decades from now people can look back on our decade, and see that books from authors today give a peek into the mood of our era. When we read literature from after the war we know how people felt, and what a hard time they were going through. The range of different subjects is huge. You can figure out almost any thing about the twenties in detail from fictional literature written then. Literature gives us a deeper look into the atmosphere of the era. Straight facts can not express the negligence of the rich, the struggles of the poor, and the pain left over from the war. Authors gives you insight. The mood, and opinions of the characters makes it easier to understand what is happening in the story, and how people felt about it. Nothing can give better details than fictional writing that you can not find in a textbook.
“The Great Gatsby is regarded as a brilliant piece of social commentary, offering a vivid peek into American life in the 1920s.” (The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Critical Essays Social Stratification) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was an inspiring novel that reflected the mood of the era, and shed light on the extravagance of the upper class. Even though the book was not very popular in the 1920s, it is viewed as an important classic today. Fitzgerald told the story of secretive character, Gatsby, with a blurry past told from the perspective his poor neighbor. The protagonist, Nick Carraway, spends his summer going to high class parties and fancy dinners with his rich friend. Fitzgerald also introduces his reader to Nick’s second cousin once removed, Daisy, who is married to unfaithful Tom whom he met in college, and their friend Jordan Baker. Nick is swept into their world of never ending wealth, and careless spending. Fitzgerald captures Nick’s frustration with their thoughtless actions as they tear things apart, and leave the peices to be picked up while they fall back on their wealth. “They were careless people, Tom, and Daisy — they smashed up things, and creatures, and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (Fitzgerald, 237). The story collides when Nick discovers Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy, and pursues her love desperately trying to relive the past. Gatsby was so stuck in the past that he wanted nothing, but to recreate it. He was stubborn, and careless which in the end brought no good his way. This novel represented most of the behaviour of the upper class.