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How Is Gatsby Portrayed In The 1920s

496 Words2 Pages

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, illustrates life on Long Island during the 1920s and accurately portrays the prohibition, the flappers and the overall mindset of the country. The 1920s, often referred to as the roaring-twenties and The Jazz Age, was a time where people prioritized money and status. The country was on an artificial high from their victory in World War One causing the lifestyle of everyday Americans to drastically change. Life was all about going to the most extravagant parties and acting recklessly, and that epitomizes just what the characters in The Great Gatsby did and the overall mood of the country. The extravagant lifestyles of the wealthy during the 1920s is accurately portrayed in this novel, which exemplifies the superficiality of society. …show more content…

Consumerism was at an all time high due to the end of WWI in 1918. For the first time people could live in excess leading to the glitz and glamour of this decade. In 1920, Women had earned the right to vote. Women, who were previously very modest, now cut their hair short, drank and smoked, they wore short flapper dresses, t-strap shoes and makeup. Daisy, Myrtle and Jordan demonstrate the defining qualities of a flapper girl and represent the “new women” of the 1920s in The Great Gatsby. People during this time had more opportunities to rise in social status. Jay Gatsby, much like John D. Rockefeller, built his reputation up from nothing. Gatsby was born into a poor family and built himself up to be a very wealthy man. People who were not born into wealth now had the opportunity to make something of themselves. These people who had newly acquired money lived in East Egg, while the people with old money lived in West

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