context Flashcards
Names for the 1920s
the Jazz age
the roaring 20s
F. Scott Fitzgerald
A lot of TGG is inspired by his own life (somewhat auto-biographical)
Like Fitz, Nick was born in Minnesota, atteneded an Ivy League, and moved to NY after the war
Like Gatsby, Fitz ideolises wealth and luxury.
Like Gatsby, Fitz falls in love w a woman outside of his social class (Zelda)
Like Gatsby, Fitz tries to prove his social standinh to secure her love (Zelda delayed their marriage until he was successful, he gained sucess in 1920 w ‘This Side of Paradise’)
Perhaps, Gatsby being killed was Fitz’ prophetic foresight into his marriage w Zelda would suffer and irreparable break. By keeping the Buchanans alive, he reveals his partialnes to the upper class. Perhaps he never felt like he deserved Zelda.
In ‘Tender is the Night’ 1934, as the woman recovers, the man deteriorates. And in this novel Fitzgeral alludes to Zelda’s affair. Also auto-biographical.
Tom is said to be based on Zelda’s father- the antagonist and obstacle in the way of D&G’s love or Z&Fs love
The Jazz age
The twenties were a time of growth and prosperity w a lot of cynicism and corruption
Cultural, artistic and social developments
Extravagance of Gatsby’s parties reflects the lavish and golden decade
Status quo= old money rules whilst new money tried to cilmb the social ladder and no money were excluded
- It is ultimately the ‘no money’ that bear the brunt of the ruthlessness. (myrtle is killed, george kills Gatsby and himself)
Flappers/ women
Flappers= liberated young women
They subverted social and gender norms w their short skirts, short hair and makeup
19th Amendment 1920 = gave women the right to vote
Jordan Baker= ‘new woman’
Myrtle
Jordan Baker
‘Jordan’ and ‘Baker’ were makes of cars= lack of femininity
She subverts all traditions of femininity in her job as a pro golfer
She is unmarried and childless
Myrtle
Conforms to ideas of femininity and female sexuality to climb the social ladder
The American Dream
The term American Dream was coined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams in his book ‘Epic of America’
When America was discovered by the settlers, the American Dream was advertised as the ‘land of opportunity’
America was advertised as a place where if you worked hard enough, regardless of social background, you could be successful and wealthy.
People migrated to America to escape something eg: Irish to escape the potato famine
Through the text, Gatsby personifies the American Dream, yet doesnt achieve the AD despite being more invested in it’s promise than other characters
Daisy is a proxy for wealth and the AD
Myrtle is another example of the failed american dream, she clings to the AD which kills her (gatsby’s car is a symbol of this AD)
Media and the mass market
Advertising billboards were introduces in the mid 19th century and by 1920s ads were everywhere
finance companies loaned ppl money to but the attractive products that ads demonstrated. Many people fell into debt but the high consumption levels kept the american economy healthy
the eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg
Symbolises the power of advertising in 1920s America and the tensions between reality and appearance
Symbol of religion- when Myrtle dies, Wilson remarks that ‘God sees everything’ whilst looking at the billboard.(C8) Perhaps if God is advertising, then capitalism is a religion.
Fitz characterises this advert as a ‘voyeur of the valley’ and ‘its retinas are one yard high’ and they ‘brood on over the solemn dumping ground’ (C2).
Here, Fitz highlights that they eyes look over the valley of ashes, perhaps judging its people as God may do.
Fits use of the ad as a proxy for God exposes America’s diminished faith in conventional religion and divinity.
George ‘doesn’t belong to any’ church (C8) but finds solace in the eyes on the billboard
Conspicuous consumption
Term coined by Veblen
The post-war wealth of the 1920s & wartime advances in science and technology= cars, fridges and radios
Conspicuous consumerism critiques the rise of power in America of wealthy businessmen who displayed their wealth through pretentious mansions and behaviour.
Prohibition and organised crime
prohibition act 1919
bootlegging= gangsters sold alcohol to speakeasies
in 1925 there were apparently 100k speakeasies in NY alone
G is involved w Meyer Wolfsheim, which places him in the underworld of gangs and gambling
Wolfsheim talks ab ‘Rosy’ Rosenthal. Real event where gambler Rosenthal was shot in 1912 at the request of corrupt police officers
Wolfsheim is based on ‘Arnold Rothstein’ who allegedly fixed the 1919 world series and gained profit
when was the 19th amendment and what
1920
women right to vote
when was the prohibition act and what
1919
made it illegal to manufacture, sell or transport alcohol
How many speakeasies were there in NY in 1925
100,000
who is Wolfsheim based on
Arnold Rothstein
Race and prejudice
1000s of immigrants arrived in America in the 19th Century to follow the AD
Alot of them lived in NY as they arrived in Ellis Island, New York
Led to tension and prejudice between diff groups (northern european established older immigrants and new Southern and Eastern immigrants)
1924= immigration act was passed. ( Restricted the number of southern and eastern Europeans moving to the US and prohibited asians coming.)
A lot of prejudice toward ethnic minorities
Racism, despite 1833 slavery abolitin act, AAs still treated as second-class citizens
- chapter 4: Nick refers to AA as ‘bucks’ and is surpised they got their wealth legitimately
Prejudice against ‘new’ immigrants is reflected in Nick’s anti-semitic representation of Wolfsheim, a jewish character (C4 description)
Through Wolfsheim, Fitz is perhaps indicating legitimate power belongs to nordics like Tom.
when was the immigration act passed and what
1924
Restricted the number of southern and eastern Europeans moving to the US and prohibited asians coming.
why were there lots of immigrant in New York
to achieve the AD
They arrived in Ellis Island, New York
