Misconceptions In The 1920s Essay

Was the Roaring of the 1920’s Just an Illusion?

The era of the 1920’s was perceived by many to be “roaring”. Exiting new inventions, entertainment, and social trends dominated the lives of people living in this decade. However, not everything was as glamorous as it seemed at the time, and hindsight has shed much light on the harsh realities of this period. Perhaps the 1920’s were not as “roaring” as people at the time perceived them. Examples of misconceptions in the 1920’s are: that the stock market was “roaring”, that everyone shared in the prosperity, and that society was making leaps forward.

In the 1920’s the stock market appeared to “roar”. People with little knowledge or understanding of how the stock market worked invested heavily, as stock prices were rising rapidly with the with the demand created by all these investors. People believed this trend would always continue, and stocks were viewed as a quick and easy way to make money. Many put themselves into debt, or
Examples of this were the “flappers”, women who were seen to push the social boundaries of the time. Flappers smoke, drank, wore makeup, and showed interest in men. They also explored new forms of leisure, such as dancing, movies, and frequent dating. All of these were considered “improper” behaviors by the older generations of the time. “Flappers” where thought to be progressive, a step forward for women. On the other hand, at the same time this was going on, Canadian courts were holding back the progress made by women, refusing even to recognize them as “persons” under the law. Women could not become judges, senators, or members of parliament. It wasn’t until an appeal with the British Supreme Court, or Privy Council, that women officially became “persons”. The wildly controversial social progressions of the 1920’s were, in some ways, also an illusion, as they was frowned upon and held back by Canadian