Great Gatsby Essay

A historical lens uses actual historical events that occurred during the time of the story to better understand why things in the story happen. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, historical events play a role in the structure of the entire story. The relationships between characters along with the physical environment of the story are all reflected off different historical themes. Placing the story in this lens allows the reader to contextualize the story much better, as they are able to understand the reasoning for events that happen in the story. A historical approach to the Great Gatsby highlights the effects of prohibition, social class structure, and the flourishing 1920s economy. Prohibition had an effect on the way people in

Bootlegging was an illegal act at the time made illegal by prohibition, and it involves the sale/distribution of alcohol. The upper class wasn’t highly affected by this ban on alcohol. During Gatsby’s parties it is described that, “the bar is in full swing, and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside, until the air is alive with chatter and laughter.” (Fitzgerald 40). People, especially the upper class, openly drank alcohol regardless of the rules against it, despite the negative stigma around bootlegging and Gatsby’s mysterious past. The theme of alcohol is very prominent in the story and plays a large role in the stories and developments of a variety of the different characters. The social class structure of the ‘20s also influenced relationships between characters in the story. Lower class in the story consisted of people who were mostly unemployed or low paying laborers, while the upper class were highly wealthy and educated. The contrast between East and West Egg versus the Valley of Ashes puts this class distinction into a more comprehensive