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Great Gatsby

 

            What is meant by the term "The Jazz Age"? How is The Great Gatsby a portrait of the times?.
             The book Great Gatsby explains in a clear way how life was during the 1920's in America. .
             During the 1920's, the economy in America was booming. Because America gave weapons to the allies, they gained a lot of money. Moreover, America produced a lot of food, especially grain, for the poorer countries which were affected by the First World War. Because of this booming economy, there became a distinction in social classes. After World War I, many Americans felt distrust toward foreigners and radicals because they held them responsible for the war. These beliefs led to a revival of the Ku Klux Klan, a racist, anti-Catholic, and anti-Semitic group. This general distrust of liberal movements and foreigners lasted throughout the decade. .
             In 1920, Harding won the victory under the campaign promises of returning to "normalcy." People wanted peace and prosperity and Harding tried to give it to them by returning the United States to its pre-war conditions. He established probusiness policies and went against labor unions. He pushed peace by urging disarmament. The Congress passed bills to restrict the number of immigrants coming into the country. Harding was very popular because he returned the U.S. to prosperity. After his death in 1923 it became apparent that his administration was one of the most corrupt in America's history. Calvin Coolidge took over and followed Harding's policies and the prosperity continued. .
             Young people, disillusioned by their experiences in World War I, rebelled against prewar attitudes and conventions. Women refused to give up the independence they had gained from the jobs they got during the war. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment gave them the right to vote, and they demanded to be.
             recognized as equals. Women adopted a masculine look: they bobbed their hair, were more open about sex, quit wearing corsets, and smoked and drank in public.


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