Preview

What Does Prohibition Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1316 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Does Prohibition Symbolize In The Great Gatsby
The 1920s was known as The Roaring Twenties because America’s economy increased and society morals changed. The 1920s was modern America. The economic increase looked good for America but no one knew what was occurring behind the scenes. Prohibition was enforced on July 19, 1920. The legislation of prohibition introduced gangsterism. Prohibition was meant to enforce discipline, instead it created corruption. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main character, Jay Gatsby, was new money and gained his money through illegal business encounters. He came from a poor family where he was previously known as James Gatz. Jay Gatsby was able to become successful because of the opportunities in the 1920s. The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, embodies the culture of the 1920s by depicting the rise of illegal activity and economic advances.
The 1920s was an era of corruption within the law. Through prohibition, the government was enforcing discipline. Prohibition was forbidding the production of alcohol and restrictions because of the reckless use of alcohol. The government banned alcohol in attempt to “reduce drinking by eliminating the businesses that manufactured, distributed, and sold alcoholic beverages” (“Why”). The effect of prohibition was bootlegging, which
…show more content…
Thier lifestyles revealed to us what was really occurring during the economic increase and prohibition. Prohibition was meant for the good of the country but instead it just brought more chaos. In a sense it definitely did help many americans allowing them a way to make money quickly. Money has a big influence, it made people do thing with out being conscientious about the consequences. The era was corrupt and people were only concerned about materialism. All in all the era of opportunities ended quickly when the stock market crashed, the” good things” only last for so

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In October of 1919 the Volstead act passed over Wilsons veto and declared that after new year’s day of 1920 all traffic in beverages that contained more than one half of one per cent of alcohol by volume was illegal. Prohibition had been brought about by the movement towards conservatism and ‘normalcy’. As a result of prohibition a new class of criminal came about, usually an everyday citizen trying to make their fortune in ‘bootlegging’. Bootleggers were people who evaded the law and brewed their own alcohol, to sell to people on the street or to supply the ‘speakeasy’s’, which were essentially clubs where people could go to buy drinks and socialise. There was another business that sprung up as a result of prohibition, this was the rum trade, rum would be brewed in the Caribbean loaded onto ships that would be brought to America by people known as ‘rum runners’. Prohibition was almost impossible to police and enforce, while there would be small seizes of alcohol the majority of it would slip through the net. This was mainly because the local and federal police were being paid by the wealthy to turn a blind eye to ‘bootlegging’. One twelfth of the members of the prohibition bureau were dismissed for corruption and how many went undetected and remained in service will never be known. Prohibition on…

    • 1771 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates the social rejection of the Prohibition in the 1920s. Prohibition, the ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol, made millionaires out of bootleggers like Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel. F. Scott Fitzgerald was driven to write many novels because of his love for Zelda. Great Gatsby, a novel written by Fitzgerald, portrayed the lavish lifestyle of the rich in the 1920s and their ignorance toward Prohibition.…

    • 1959 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol was legal product until Volstead Act and alcohol became huge money maker for gangs in 1920s. Demand for alcohol was still high but smuggling was the only ways to get alcohol. Washington Post that was published in 1920s explained well about the situation and how much crime rate was increased during Prohibition. Washington Post stated, “Almost hopeless situation in Chicago.” Also, “Prohibition was blamed as the font from which murder, bribery and gang war.” It means that people in 1920s believed that gang violence was started because of Prohibition and it increased rapidly as well. Also, gangsters were so powerful to the point; they didn’t even bother to hide from law…

    • 1368 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prohibition’s main goal was to improve the morale of citizen throughout the United States, however the public found ways around the new laws by participating in illegal activity. Speak easies, illegal alcohol production and gangs all flourished during the time of prohibition. While many negative things came from prohibition, not all negatively affected our society. Prohibition in Chicago in the 1920’s is generally viewed as a failure; yet there were some positive aspects, such as the formation of support groups for alcoholics and their family members, which came from prohibition that still strongly influences Chicago today in a positive manner.…

    • 689 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The 1920s, also known as the Roaring Twenties, was a time period full of decadent parties and an abundance of hope and reform. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, described this time period in New York directly following World War I. It portrays the exciting social and economic changes that came with the 1920s through a complicated love story that eventually leads to a bitter end to an American Dream. He uses his writing throughout the novel to evaluate the lifestyle of the 1920s.…

    • 2015 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The 1920s is always referred as “the roaring 20s”. Significant and multiple changes in lifestyle and culture occurred. However, there were also some negative effects. After the 18th Amendment was passed by Congress on December 18,1917, the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol was prohibited. Along with the Prohibition, the rate of organized crimes increased.…

    • 418 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Roaring Twenties was the time period right after World War II. During this time period new technology was becoming produced such as the vacuum cleaner, motion pictures and the refrigerator. The American Dream, in the 20s’, was a belief of the Americans that everyone deserves a chance to be successful and more equality. Women started to protest more and take action on their inequality because of this women were becoming more involved in the labor force, politics and they were now able to vote. Francis Scott Fitzgerald was a writer during The Roaring Twenties. Fitzgerald was an alcoholic so when prohibition was passed in the US, him and his wife moved to Europe, where he wrote “The Great Gatsby”. Fitzgerald wrote about characters that he could live through. Many of his works had to deal with men and women relationships. Francis Scott Fitzgerald's writing was a reflection of what was happening in that time period, “The Roaring Twenties”, because he was able to capture the mood of the 20s’ and it also reflected greatly on the the American dream.…

    • 1222 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    People all around the country disregarded the law and did not respect it much at the time, as organized crime was booming everywhere. It was hard for anyone to trust each other, which is certainly understandable when a Major league baseball team intentionally loses the World Series, an administration made by the president of the country is corrupt and leases locations to private oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding, and when American mobsters were the most liked by everyone just from the prohibition of alcohol. The 1920s and 1930s proved to Americans that regulating morality was counterproductive (Park). The crime activity that had taken place has definitely affected our country today and the way we look at certain issues as a whole. For example, professional sports are always under a microscope and is observed vary closely just to make sure things are not happening that shouldn’t. To add on, The United States is taking a close look and experimenting with the legalization of marijuana, and some of that contributes from the prohibition of alcohol and the events that had taken place at that time and how they relate today with Marijuana. One of the lessons from prohibition is that we need effective regulations. States should regulate and tax the marijuana market (Peck). This is a clear sign that the prohibition of alcohol was a time of learning from our country, and that our government must prevent that kind of event from taking place in our country again, along with all of the other crime activity and…

    • 1268 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although there were numerous advances towards freedom brought on by the 1920’s there were also some restrictions presented. Prohibition was one of these restrictions. Prohibition…

    • 649 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Prohibition commenced on 16th Janurary 1920, which was followed by the Volstead Act (formally known as National Prohibition act) a year later. The government's intent was to raise the nation’s moral standards, however, it had the opposite effect. In practice it was difficult to enforce and it was not difficult for drinkers to find alcohol, as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel makes very clear. Bootlegging, the unlawful production and provision of alcohol, became big business, making fortunes for criminals such as the gangster Al Capone. This appears to be the principal source of Gatsby’s wealth, the core of corruption within his…

    • 102 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    When Americans went dry during the 1920s, they didn’t know how history would be changed. America then changed its mind about Prohibition due to a rise in crime, a lack of law enforcement, and a loss of potential tax revenue.…

    • 310 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The idea of his imagination not accepting his parents shows his yearning for wealth. By using the term imagination, it suggests that Jay Gatsby, is just part of Jay Gatz’s imagination, created for social status. In the way that Nick suggests his imagination disapproving of his parents proves that Jay Gatsby, a generated ego, does not accept his parents as his own because of his imagined status and wealth. The society that Jay Gatsby wants to be apart of is based on money and power. In order for Gatsby to achieve material wealth, he finds himself strained to earn his money through unlawful activities. Gatsby displays examples of moral corruption through his acquisition of wealth. Gatsby’s business is not clear; he admits to Nick that he is “in the drug store business” (95). During the prohibition era, which synchronizes with the “Roaring 20s”, the drug store business was also known as bootlegging. Bootlegging was a profitable business and was commonly associated with gangsters, much like Meyer Wolfsheim, Gatsby’s business partner. Gatsby also displays his corruption of wealth and power when Nick and Gatsby are driving; Gatsby easily evades…

    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prohibition was one of the main changes to society during the Roaring 20’s. Prohibition was a ban all on distribution, production and consumption of alcohol and was created in 1919. Prohibition began because of the societal issues caused by drinking. Some of these issues included parents not being able to support their family because they spent all their money on alcohol, abusive drunks and underage drinking. In Document 1 an excerpt from…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prohibition was introduced into the U.S. Constitution, changing many people's lives for the positives or negative. Jay Gatsby used this to his advantage making his large fortune bootlegging. Gatsby was a very smart man. He took advantage of the time in society to make money and did it very secretively and smart so he wouldn't carry the risk of getting caught. Prohibition was introduced because the U.S. Government thought it would reduce the amount of drinking and deaths in the U.S. annually…

    • 563 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the Jazz age, in the 1920’s, prohibition is a law that enforces rules against drinking. Prohibition is the illegal distribution of alcohol from 1919 to 1933. This is created during the 18th amendment to reduce crime and improve the health of citizens. Prohibition created more crime and made a lot of people smoke more as a habit, taking place of their drinking. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F Scott Fitzgerald, speakeasies and bootleggers began to sell their own alcohol and make their own money. Because of this the crime rate was high and went against the point of prohibition which was to decrease felonies. Everyone in Gatsby, or most everyone, attended the parties that Gatsby threw and all drank alcohol that he provided. Gatsby is…

    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays