| Read the biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald. List the major influences on his life and discuss how they might impact his writing. | The dominant influences on F. Scott Fitzgerald were his undying aspiration, his love for literature, Princeton, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, whom increased his hopes upon his writing, and alcohol. It seemed that each major influence in someway affected his emotions either positively or negatively. |
| After the war ended, the economy skyrocketed, making it possible for people to spend more money and time on leisure activities. After reviewing the website in this section, write three major innovations that came out of the WWI experience. | 1) Manufacturing output rose more than 60%.2) Cheap, readily available energy sources (coal, oil) made expansion affordable.3) Technology allowed for expansion, particularly in the auto industry. 1.5 million cars were sold in 1920 and 5 million cars sold in 1929. Assembly line methods used by Ford and others made cars affordable to many American families. |
| List the dominant postwar American attitudes and the majormovements of the 1920’s. Pay close attention to the attitudes of the “Lost Generation” and the “Prosperity & Consumerism” movement. | 1) Postwar American Attitudes: Disillusionment following World War I, particularly among veterans, artists, and intellectuals (the Lost Generation), fear of Bolshevism, fear of foreigners, and the rise of the nativist Ku Klux Klan.2) Major Movements of the 1920’s: Prohibition (authorized by passage of the 18th Amendment in 1919), Fundamentalism vs. Modernism, Prosperity and Consumerism. |
| Discuss why you think the whole world changed after World War I. | Americans were obsessed with materialism and outmoded moral values, leading into the great depression when the stock market crashed. |
| What right did women gain from the passage of the 19th Amendment? Write important events and people who were influential in the women’s suffrage movement. | 1) 19th Amendment: gave women the legal right to vote. Movements included the Seneca Falls Convention, Declaration of Sentiments Rochester Convention, Ohio Women’s Convention, National Women’s Rights Convention, 1907 Mud March, Black Friday Suffrage Hikes, 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession, Silent Sentinels Night of Terror, “Give Us the Ballot,” Selma to Montgomery marches, and the International Woman Suffrage Alliance conferences.2) Women included Carrie Chapman Catt, Anne Dallas Dudley, Abby Crawford Milton, Juno Frankie Pierce, Sue Shelton White, Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, Carrie Chapman Catt, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. |
| Discuss three significant changes that occurred in The Roaring Twenties. Read through this source carefully; it sets the time period of The Great Gatsby. | 1) Harlem Renaissance2) The Jazz Age3) Flappers emerged |
| What exactly does the amendment abolish? What were the societal effects of this amendment? | The 18th Amendment abolishes alcohol from the United States. – Consumption was limited- Underworld entrepreneurs began producing “rotgut” alcohol- General reduction in overall crime- Crimes involved in the production and distribution of illegal alcohol. – Those who continued to use alcohol tended to turn to organized criminal syndicates, who were able to take advantage of uneven enforcement, suddenly overwhelmed police forces, and corruptible public officials to establish powerful, murderous smuggling networks.- Anti-prohibition groups arose and worked to have the amendment repealed once it became apparent that Prohibition was an unprecedented catastrophe. |
| What is a Speakeasy? Based on the information you have already collected from previous questions, why do you think Speakeasies popped up across the country? Briefly discuss the impact speakeasies has on communities around the country. | 1) During prohibition; an illicit liquor store or nightclub.2) I believe speakeasies popped up across the country because alcohol became illegal, and some people really wanted it.3) Many people died from alcohol poisoning because people were drinking it illegally. Others were arrested from drinking or selling it illegally. Secret clubs were established to sell the product too. |
| Arnold Rothstein: List three remarkable events in Rothstein’s life that interest you. Explain. | 1) Although never convicted, Rothstein is credited with helping to rig the 1919 World Series.2) After earning renown as a loan shark and gambler, Rothstein moved into liquor and narcotics and became a kingpin of organized crime during the Prohibition era.3) Rothstein eventually opened a Manhattan casino and invested in racetracks, his earnings moving him into the big leagues. By the time he was 30, Rothstein was a millionaire and setting his sights on grander schemes, one of which would make him infamous. |
| What was his primary occupation? What are his “side jobs”? | 1) Primary Occupation: renown as a loan shark and gambler.2) He was known as a “fixer,” someone who smoothed over the rocky relationships between those breaking the law and those who had sworn to uphold it. He was also known as a “Big Bankroll,” nickname and propensity for carrying a large wad of $100 bills. |
| According to the author, what are the essential elements of being a true flapper? | Flappers are young, teenage girls of the early 1900’s who expressed the change in the mindset and roles of women with their heavy makeup, flashy and skin-exposing clothing, bobbed, shortened hair, and, altogether, daring, “liberal” behaviors and attitudes. |
| After reading the article, look at the selected photos of Louise Brooks. Does she fit the “Flapper” profile as proposed by the author of “Flapper Jane”? Why or why not? | Louise does fit the “Flapper” profile because she matches the descriptions of a flapper. |
| Read Dorothy Parker’s poem “The Flapper.” Do you think Ms. Parker approves or disapproves of Flappers? Explain. | I think Ms. Parker approved of Flappers because they appeared more daring and free. |
| View the following websites. Why were cars “considered the most important catalyst for social change in the 1920’s”? Briefly discuss. | Many women used the cars to save time in their daily domestic chores in turn giving them more free time, in which they could educate themselves, or find a job. The younger generations loved the car as an escape from the chaperones. A juvenile court judge criticized the auto as a “house of prostitution on wheels,” due to the relatively large quantity of “inappropriate” sex occurring in the car. Businessmen, possessing a faster, more personal form of transportation, could live farther from the city and subway stops. Consequently the suburb lifestyle began in places like Queens and the Bronx. Rural Americans loved the car as a ride to town and the social circles. |
| Listen to some music from the 1920’s on YouTube. As you listen, record your thoughts and reactions to the music. You may have to complete this item from home. | I’m entertained. It sounds like really fun and upbeat music that would be fun to dance to. |
| List five slang words or phrases that interest you and their definitions from this site. | 1)Bee’s Knees2)Berries3)Gold digger |
| Why did you choose those particular terms or phrases? | They are really fun to say and honestly all of them apply to the description of some people that I know, especially the term “gold digger.” |
| Based on the information you have collected from these websites, what do you think the plot and setting of The Great Gatsby will include? What kinds of characters do you expect to encounter in the novel? | The Great Gatsby will take place in the 1920s, I’m kind of unsure when exactly though. However, I do think it will take place somewhere like New York. It will involve a rich class and a middle class (which I already could tell from what I have heard about the story). The plot will likely involve crime, considering much illegal drinking was occurring and gang-type stuff was going on. I also believe that the characters I expect to encounter will involve Flappers, rich, greedy people, pleasure-seeking individuals, drunk and sober individuals, and crime-lord type people. |
The Great Gatsby: Webquest (not done yet)
April 7, 2020