Were The 1920s An Era Of Social And Cultural Rebellion?
Were the 1920s an Era of Social and Cultural Rebellion?
Gilman M. Ostrander believes that the 1920s were in fact an era of rebellion. He bases one of his opinions on the flapper, which was a “new” kind of woman in the 1920s. These women’s skirts went from going all the way down to the ankles to now at the knee. The women also began to be more involved in jazz music and acting in a more sexual way than before. Ostrander states, “In sex as in other matters the girls were determined to demolish the double standard” (208). By women rebelling against standards made by society, it opened more changes to come in America like birth control. Birth control became a wanted thing by women because it was unfair that they could not control how many children they had which also caused danger for the mother due …show more content…
to childbearing being “a leading cause of death.” (208).
Another opinion Ostrander believes it was an of rebellion was because of prohibition as people began to hide and sell alcohol. Ostrander states, “Only during the first year of the experiment of Prohibition even moderately successful. Then it absolutely collapse. Systems were perfected for smuggling, moonshining and bootlegging (210). One last opinion was the invention of automobiles and the impact it had on American morals. Ostrander states, “The automobile had replaced the house as the chief status symbol in the community, and car-owners declared themselves willing to go without food decent clothing rather than give up their automobiles (212). The car was also seen as a “sex get-away” car that made it easier for people to have sex secretly which again went against all morals and
was seen as “rebelling” in the eyes of American society.
David A. Shannon believed that the 1920s were not a rebellion but instead America changing due to its growth in size and technology. Prosperity was growing and the economy changed from where it was before. With all the new inventions like the radio, automobiles, and electricity, jobs began to grow and employment was higher. The wages were also increased due to the “failure of trade unions in the 1920s: a strong counterattack against them by employers, in which government cooperated” (218). Now that families were making more money, they were able to send their children off to school which helped them receive a degree. Shannon argues that all these changes in America were the same changes as the flapper because it was just the era of change rather than rebellion.
I definitely agree with Ostrander because to break laws or go against what society believes, is rebellion. According to Dictionary.com, the definition of rebellion is as follows: “Open, organized, and armed resistance to one’s government or ruler. Resistance to or defiance of any authority, control, or tradition.” The women of the 1920s greatly rebelled against the “norm” society had set by shortening their skirts and sexual advertising themselves. For Americans to break the Prohibition law and still sell alcohol secretly is a huge rebellion because that were saying that they did not care what the law was, they were going to sell alcohol anyway. Lastly, by Americans becoming money crazed and allowing the automobile to the focus of their money, they began to break their morals and acting in a way that caused more rebellion to happen.
Gilman M. Ostrander believes that the 1920s were in fact an era of rebellion. He bases one of his opinions on the flapper, which was a “new” kind of woman in the 1920s. These women’s skirts went from going all the way down to the ankles to now at the knee. The women also began to be more involved in jazz music and acting in a more sexual way than before. Ostrander states, “In sex as in other matters the girls were determined to demolish the double standard” (208). By women rebelling against standards made by society, it opened more changes to come in America like birth control. Birth control became a wanted thing by women because it was unfair that they could not control how many children they had which also caused danger for the mother due …show more content…
to childbearing being “a leading cause of death.” (208).
Another opinion Ostrander believes it was an of rebellion was because of prohibition as people began to hide and sell alcohol. Ostrander states, “Only during the first year of the experiment of Prohibition even moderately successful. Then it absolutely collapse. Systems were perfected for smuggling, moonshining and bootlegging (210). One last opinion was the invention of automobiles and the impact it had on American morals. Ostrander states, “The automobile had replaced the house as the chief status symbol in the community, and car-owners declared themselves willing to go without food decent clothing rather than give up their automobiles (212). The car was also seen as a “sex get-away” car that made it easier for people to have sex secretly which again went against all morals and
was seen as “rebelling” in the eyes of American society.
David A. Shannon believed that the 1920s were not a rebellion but instead America changing due to its growth in size and technology. Prosperity was growing and the economy changed from where it was before. With all the new inventions like the radio, automobiles, and electricity, jobs began to grow and employment was higher. The wages were also increased due to the “failure of trade unions in the 1920s: a strong counterattack against them by employers, in which government cooperated” (218). Now that families were making more money, they were able to send their children off to school which helped them receive a degree. Shannon argues that all these changes in America were the same changes as the flapper because it was just the era of change rather than rebellion.
I definitely agree with Ostrander because to break laws or go against what society believes, is rebellion. According to Dictionary.com, the definition of rebellion is as follows: “Open, organized, and armed resistance to one’s government or ruler. Resistance to or defiance of any authority, control, or tradition.” The women of the 1920s greatly rebelled against the “norm” society had set by shortening their skirts and sexual advertising themselves. For Americans to break the Prohibition law and still sell alcohol secretly is a huge rebellion because that were saying that they did not care what the law was, they were going to sell alcohol anyway. Lastly, by Americans becoming money crazed and allowing the automobile to the focus of their money, they began to break their morals and acting in a way that caused more rebellion to happen.