& INTRO TO THE GREAT GATSBY

Modernism

Historical Context

1914-1918 - World War I1920-Women gain the right to vote1920s

alcohol is outlawed Falling farm prices

1929 – Stock market crash1930s – Great Depression

Historical Context

Until now the American dream has existed as a belief in America as a land of opportunity, progress, and individualism

After WWI, many Americas fell disillusionment with the American dream

Disillusionment =A feeling of disappointment, even depression, arising from the realization that something is not what it was expected or believed to be

The Jazz AgeProhibition comes into effect

Speakeasies (illegal bars) come into vogue, esp. in New York City to revolt against religious zealous people

Women gained right to vote in 1920

Production of goods goes up, so cost comes down

Hollywood and entertainment industry begins to boom

Prohibition causes illegal alcohol trafficking.

“Gangster” image (Al Capone)Women become independent

in fashion, workplace, education.

Materialism comes into vogue. Cars become affordable and serve as status symbol.

Hedonism—pursuit of pleasure and instant gratification

Society starts to become obsessed with the “rich”

Sens e o f d i s i l lu s i o nment a nd a l o s s o f f a i t h i n Am er i ca n d r ea m

Re jec t io n o f s en t im enta l i t y a nd a r t ific i a l i t y in f a vo r o f ca p t ur ing r ea l i t y

Em pha s i s o n bo ld ex per im ent a t i on in s t y l e a nd f o r m, r eflec t ing t he f r a g m ent a t io n o f s o c ie t y

I n te r es t i n t he ind i v idua l a nd the inner wo r k ings o f t he huma n mind

TRAG IC H ERO

Elements of modernism

F. Scott Fitzgerald

1896-1940Coined the term “Jazz Age”The Great Gatsby – 1925Notorious during the 1920s for his heavy

drinking

Nick (Narrator)

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in the world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (Fitzgerald 1/1).

“I’m inclined to reserve all judgments…”(Fitzgerald 1/1).

“Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope” (Fitzgerald 2/1).

What kind of person do you think Nick is?Why might this glimpse into his character be

important?

Nick (Narrator)

“When I came back from the East last summer I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart” (Fitzgerald 2/2).

Why? What happened last summer?

Gatsby

“Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction – Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn” (Fitzgerald 22). Unaffected (unchanged) scorn (disgust) Gatsby represents everything that Nick has always

hated (had an unaffected scorn for). BUT – he was not a reason Nick wanted the world “at a sort of moral attention” – WHY?

Why would Nick write a book about Gatsby?

East Egg: Tom and DaisyOld Money

West Egg: Gatsby and NickNew Money

Whose residences are pictured below? What details from the text

support your responses? (Cite them!)

Whose residence is pictured below? What details from the text support

your response? (Cite them!)

HOMEWORK:

FINISH READING CHAPTER 1