US Prohibition In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Evan Bartley Mrs. Caniff English 11 8 May 2024 U.S. Prohibition and The Great Gatsby The 1920s in the U.S. was a time of societal change and economic growth. America was booming with prosperity as people began to leave their homes and enjoy leisurely activities. The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts these times as well as the prohibition. The prohibition of the 1920s becomes a major plot point as the author uses symbols to represent deeper meanings within the writing. These leisure activities included going to movie theaters and baseball games, as well as attending clubs and parties. Outings such as these are often accompanied by heavy consumption of alcohol. Outings such as these are often accompanied by heavy consumption

culture and economy. This usage was evident early in the country's history as some of the very first ships to the Massachusetts Bay Colony carried three times as much beer as water. This tradition continued as 200 years later in 1830, America reached its peak consumption at 7 gallons of pure alcohol a year per citizen. As the nation swelled with alcoholism, many recognized the problem that was forming in America. Numerous activist groups such as the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) were formed to prevent the overwhelming grip that alcohol had taken over American society. These groups, often led by religious values, ran anti-alcohol promotions to try and convince the public that alcohol was only good in moderation and the establishments that sold these beverages were harmful to society. After numerous years of back-and-forth discussions over what was to be done about the problem surrounding booze. The U.S. government passed the 18th Amendment. This led to outrage by many citizens. Businesses were shut down in the past. Saloons and bars were abandoned as the fifth largest industry within the United States closed its doors for the first time in the country's