Preview

Theme Of Prohibition In The Great Gatsby

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
605 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Theme Of Prohibition In The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald relates to prohibition and gender roles by showing how they were present in the 1920s. Prohibition on America affected the characters of the time. The 1920s brought more problems than celebrations; for instance it brought social and political changes. (History)
During the 1920ś there were rights that were given and some that were deducted. The 18th amendment banned the manufacture, transportation and sale of intoxicating liquors. This resulted to bootleggers and other organized crime figures such as Chicago gangster Al Capone. Prohibition movements had spread across the United States because of threat to the nation. The issue of male drinking alcohol causing domestic violence, lead to amendment 18th. Women wanted to restrict the drinking of alcohol. The eighteenth and nineteenth amendment bought women’s movements to success.Prohibition was difficult to enforce and fail
…show more content…
During the 1920s men were powerful over women. The Great Gatsby shows this when Tom punches Myrtle in the nose to control her. We know because it says, “...Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.” Jordan and Daisy were short dresses this shows the trend. Daisy says, “'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”Daisy agrees to being a fool after she finds out she gave birth to a girl. She expresses how a girl needs to be stupid to survive. She knows this because of the fact that Tom is cheating on her. The novel shows how Daisy and Myrtle are cheating on their husbands, this goes back to women being careless for their actions. (Shmoop) In conclusion the roaring 20s had it’s advantages and disadvantages. The prohibition of alcohol brought more crime. Gender roles changed drastically. Many Americans disagreed with this new lifestyle of luxury, music, clothing trend and living in the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, the changing and conflicting roles of women and their persistent mistreatment by males emphasizes the struggle for women’s equality in the 1920s. Fitzgerald uses the differences between Daisy and Jordan’s lifestyles to highlight the changing roles of women at the time. Although the female characters in the novel appear to progress toward independence, the persistent mistreatment by male characters stresses the lack of acceptance for women within upper-class society. The lack of strong, independent female characters shows the absence of progression and the mindset that “the best thing a girl can be [is] … a beautiful little fool.” (17). The lack of strong, female viewpoints portray the gender…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 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

    The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald makes trouble now seem a little less worrisome. Gatsby, the main character, must deal with war, betrayal of love, and illegal acts. Nick Carraway, the narrator, takes the reader on a journey not only through the novel but also his own life. He starts by saying that his father taught him to never hold people to the personal standards of one's self in fear of misinterpreting the person as a whole. This advice is carried throughout the novel and is by far one of the most notable aspects within the story. The Great Gatsby is a delicately written story of a young man trying to fight his way through the 1920’s with the issues of prohibition, which lead into organized crime, and the forthcoming of the second industrial…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 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
  • Good Essays

    One of the most significant events that occurred in the 1920’s was the Prohibition, which banned the consumption and selling of alcohol in America. During this iconic decade, many authors wrote novels that vividly depicted how life was during the Prohibition. Novels such as The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Killers, by Ernest Hemingway, use symbolism throughout the story to portray the Prohibition.…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1920 Reforms

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Great Gatsby is an intellectual stimulating novel showing factious character’s responding to social conflict in ways that were similar to that age. Throughout this essay you will be exposed to the accounts in questions and the opinions of those behind the research. The purpose is to expose 1920’s society during the prohibition and compare the events of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby.” Through this essay the thoughts and morals of Fitzgerald’s characters will be evaluated and associated to different critical approach categories based of their own factious actions, remembering always to look back upon the history to find similar events. Historical content, events and characters have all been represented through Fitzgerald’s work and hold a higher importance in accurately displaying the life of an average 1920’s post-war society.…

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The 1920s was a time in history defined largely by Prohibition and organized crime. In The Great Gatsby, life back then is perfectly illustrated from the wild parties to the behind the scene drug deals. Throughout the novel Fitzgerald is constantly showing you that behind the elegant parties and extreme wealth, America is not what it claims to be.…

    • 944 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

    Fitzgerald became very rich and famous after his first novel took a step into familiarity. However, this celebrity lifestyle shook of fitzgerald. Partying, drinking, smoking, etc. became popular in this time period, and Fitzgerald began to actively involve himself in these activities. In other words, Fitzgerald loved to party. Alcoholism and partying became of problem for Fitzgerald, which influenced his writing (“F. Scott Fitzgerald and the American Dream”). The Great Gatsby, which in fact was Fitzgerald’s greatest novel, shows much of Fitzgerald’s own life within the many scenes the reader can depict throughout the novel. In many of Gatsby’s parties, the reader sees that there was jazz music playing, laughing, men and women coming from near and far, champagne, all these things that Gatsby ut together for his guests to enjoy (Fitzgerald 43). All this things were things Fitzgerald himself witness at the parties he attended. The drinking of alcohol was illegal at this time, which was the prohibition period. However, Fitzgerald incorporated the usage of alcohol in…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    From 1920 to 1933, it was not legal to produce, transport or sell alcohol in the United States. This began with a movement that was fixated on enabling prohibition in America. The people who took part in this movement believed that the consumption of alcohol was damaging families as well as the health of the person drinking. In addition, during World War 1, President Woodrow Wilson established temporary prohibition so that they would be able to spare some grain for food. Later that year, the 18th Amendment was submitted. This prohibited the manufacturing, transportation and selling of alcohol. The 18th Amendment was ratified two years later, but regardless of the new law, people were still finding ways to drink alcoholic beverages. Alcohol…

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory 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
  • Good Essays

    During the roaring twenties, society began evolving into political and industrialize perspectives which allow growth in many different aspects of life. The events occurred during this period exceed the feminine rights to vote and show prospects in equality of gender. However, many illegal activity began due to the eighteenth amendment enacted on January 16th, 1920. The eighteenth amendment was ratified to decrease drunkenness and family abuse when consumed alcohol. The prohibition interdicted the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcohol in the United States. Thus, contributed in the creation of bootlegging liquor business as a complex criminal enterprise and many other illegal activities.…

    • 1341 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prohibition In The 1920's

    • 271 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The 18th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution banned the manufacture, transportation and sale of liquor known as Prohibition. The result of a widespread temperance movement during the 20th century, Prohibition was difficult to enforce and people would go through extreme lengths just to get their hands on alcohol. The illegal production and sale of liquor, the proliferation of speakeasies, and the rise in gang violence and other crimes went way up. This led to waning support for Prohibition at the end of the 1920’s.…

    • 271 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The ratification of the 18th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which banned the manufacture, transportation and sale of intoxicating liquors known as prohibition. The Prohibition era had its positive and negative affects on America and its culture during the era. In the 1820 and 30s, a wave of religious awakening swept the United States, leading to increased calls for temperance.…

    • 381 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prohibition was a time of great change in America. In 1920, the 18th Amendment to the U.S Constitution was ratified, and a new and popular would be spread throughout the nation. This was Prohibition. Prohibition banned the manufacture, production, and sale of alcohol across all U.S states. This was a huge change in many ways from socially to economically, and it came with many side effects as well.…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays