The 1920s: Post World War I America

The first World War brought many opportunities to American citizens that were not previously available to all. Women took on roles during the war in a variety of different fields — roles that were previously only held for men. Additionally, African American men were allowed to enlist in the war and fight beside their white peers (Hindley and Christopher). However, the first World War also brought with it anti-foreigner — especially anti-German sentiments — which led to the passing of several influential policies. Suffragists gained momentum in their fight to secure women’s right to vote, arguing that the large numbers of dedicated, female, American voters would provide enormous support for the American Democracy. Similarly-minded Progressives also pushed for the prohibition of alcohol in order to lift up America as a moral country while simultaneously financially attacking German brewers in the states.

Culturally and economically, post-WW1 America entered an industrial age that saw more citizens living in urban areas than ever before. A bulk of these citizens were African Americans attempting to escape Jim Crow laws and governance in the South to pursue economic opportunity in Northern cities such as New York City. When the majority of these citizens were forced to live in Harlem after the passing of discriminatory housing laws, African American culture exploded into the Harlem Renaissance and laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.

Racism and Anti-Semitism in The Great Gatsby and 1920s America

Both racism and antisemitism peaked in the 1920s with the resurgence of the Klu Klux Klan and racist attitudes intensifying following WW1. The KKK saw increased membership numbers during this decade by appealing to Americans who disapproved of the mass movement from rural living to urban industrialism (“The Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s”). Anyone who participated in bootlegging, motion pictures, or simply didn’t fit the ideal rural agricultural member of society was targeted by the KKK, including but not limited to Catholics, Jews, African Americans, and foreigners. One of Fitzgerald’s characters, a Jewish bootlegger named Meyer Wolfsheim, one of Gatsby’s untrustworthy associates and described as a “flat-nosed Jew” with tiny eyes and tufts of hair coming out of his nose is heavily stereotyped throughout the novel, primarily through his appearance. Wolfsheim is based on Arnold Rothstein, a leading figure in the Jewish mob during the 1920s. (Fitzgerald 69).

In addition to antisemitism, Tom Buchanan states several times throughout the novel this idea of “looking out for the white race,” fearful of being “utterly submerged” by non-white Americans. (Fitzgerald 13). Tom’s supremacist fears are reminiscent of the intentions behind the Greenwood Massacre, which utterly devastated a large area of Tulsa, OK, in 1921, an area predominantly inhabited by successful African Americans. Many crimes against these people groups and others went unchecked during the 1920s. It has not been until very recently that these events have resurfaced in History classes to provide a more holistic view of American history.

Treatment of Women in The Great Gatsby and 1920s America

During the 1920s, women that had previously served in the war efforts found themselves anxious for equality with their male peers. One obvious freedom women did not have until the 1920s was the ability to vote. Using patriotic loyalty as a primary argument, suffragists such as Carrie Chapman Catt successfully won women’s right to vote in time for the 1920 presidential election. In Fitzgerald’s novel, Jordan Baker is a perfect example of an independent, self-made, “New Woman” of the 1920s. These “New Women” sought the same political and economic rights as their male counterparts as well as the freedom to exist in spaces previously dominated by men. Jordan is a professional golfer by her own right, husbandless, and financially independent. She is the total opposite of her best friend, Daisy Buchanan.

Much like Daisy’s family history of “old money”, Daisy’s mindset is very much the product of an old-fashioned way of thinking. Daisy cannot take a single step in any direction of her own volition. The primary reason she marries Tom is that she needed someone to decide her future for her. Daisy seems very much aware of her own helplessness, and she seemingly accepts a similar fate for her daughter by telling Nick she hopes that her daughter grows up to be a “pretty little fool.” Both Tom and Gatsby recognize Daisy’s helplessness and continually seek to take advantage of her by controlling her. Not once does either man allow Daisy to speak for herself; both men take it upon themselves to tell Daisy what she wants. Daisy, always wanting to please, will always agree, even if the statements that she agrees with contradict one another.

Even though Daisy and Jordan couldn’t be more different from one another, they both act in a manner similar to the “flapper” of the 1920s. Flappers were a group of rebellious women who drank, smoked, wore short dresses, and engaged in dangerous behavior. Both Daisy and Jordan regularly smoked, drank, and partied together even though Daisy was anything but “free,” as her behavior implied. Daisy’s wild behavior is primarily for attention than to express freedom from male control; when Daisy greets Nick for the first time, she immediately wants to know if her partying friends in Chicago miss her. Even though Daisy embraces the wild and free lifestyle of the 1920s rebellious woman, she is still strictly bound to the structure of her husband’s control. 

The “Roaring Twenties” and The Great Gatsby

As Americans moved to urban areas and saw economic prosperity during the surge in industrialism, suddenly more citizens had disposable income to spend on parties and luxury goods. Consumerism took off with widespread advertisement, and many people could afford to have the same fancy clothes, listen to the same music, or see the same movies. Certain luxuries previously only available to the social elite, such as the Buchanans, were suddenly available to all.

Tom Buchanan is visibly irritated by this wave of “new money” individuals when he attends one of Gatsby’s parties. The various celebrities she sees in attendance enchant Daisy, but Tom is annoyed because he doesn’t “know a soul” (Fitzgerald 104). When Gatsby introduces Tom as “the polo player” to his friends, Tom is even more aggravated. The idea of being lumped in with these suddenly successful actors, musicians, and polo players is offensive to Tom, who sees himself seated in higher social strata due to inheriting his wealth and status.

Another key member of the roaring twenties is the automobile; cars gave people the freedom to go where they wished and gave them access to places where public transportation never traveled. Gatsby’s car is known for shuttling party-goers to and from his mansion, and the car’s bright yellow exterior and rich green interior both serve as stunning witnesses to his financial prowess. However, when Tom insists on driving Gatsby’s car, this is a direct assault on Gatsby’s status, further enforcing Tom’s idea that Gatsby is merely an imposter in the world of the wealthy. 

Prohibition

However, other laws, such as prohibition, were heavily enforced during the 1920s. The prohibition of alcohol was marketed as a religious cause, and a means to curb immoral behavior and lead to a virtuous society. However, this prohibition was also intended to hurt German brewers financially as anti-German sentiments carried on after the war’s conclusion. But the prohibition on alcohol had so many exceptions that it did not do much to curb the sale and consumption of alcohol. Since only the sale of alcohol, not its consumption, was made illegal, American citizens could still easily access alcohol, thanks to the efforts of mobsters like Al Capone.

Organized Crime in 1920s America and The Great Gatsby

No one knows how Gatsby earned his newfound wealth, but the most popular rumor was that Gatsby was a bootlegger. This rumor becomes closer to the truth when Nick is introduced to Gatsby’s business partner, Meyer Wolfsheim. Wolfsheim is clearly a shady character given his late-night phone calls to Gatsby’s house or his absence from Gatsby’s funeral. Even though Gatsby’s dealings with Wolfsheim brought him immense wealth, the cost of this wealth was an untimely death, absent of any true friends except Nick Carraway. 

The “Jazz Age”

Between 1910 and 1920, The Great Migration brought large numbers of African American citizens to northern cities seeking new economic opportunities in the industrial industry. However, many of these new African American residents were forced to live in only certain areas of town, including the Northern Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. This neighborhood soon became known as a rich breeding ground for African American art, music, and culture, and the movement headed by great figures such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Louis Armstrong was called the Harlem Renaissance. Jazz clubs even began to tear away at strict segregation laws as white patrons sought out this new form of music, attending integrated clubs such as The Savoy. 

Conclusion 

Many readers approach Fitzgerald’s novel through rose-colored glasses, wanting to emulate the glamorous lifestyles and parties held at Gatsby’s mansion. However, Fitzgerald’s intention was not for readers to imitate the lifestyles of the residents of East or West Egg. Rather, he wanted to caution his readers against becoming entrapped by “all that glitters”, realizing that it is not gold but empty vanity. Even though this novel was set during the 1920s and has many connections to this specific time frame, it is still relevant today as readers consider their motivation for success and what that success might cost them in the end. 

Works Cited

“1920s Racism.” Living New Deal, 7 July 2020, livingnewdeal.org/tag/1920s-racism/.

Hindley, Meredith, and Tom Christopher. “World War I Changed America and Transformed Its Role in International Relat.” The National Endowment for the Humanities, www.neh.gov/humanities/2017/summer/feature/world-war-i-changed-america-and-transformed-its-role-in-international-relations.

History.com Editors. “Harlem Renaissance.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/harlem-renaissance.

Jacksonville, Florida State College at. “U.S. History II: 1877 to Present.” Lumen, courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-fscj-ushistory2/chapter/the-great-war-to-the-roaring-twenties/.

“The Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/flood-klan/.