Narrative Essay

Submitted By John_digiorno
Words: 689
Pages: 3
Open Document
The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, is hailed as one of the foremost pieces of American fiction of its time. It is a novel of triumph and tragedy, noted for the remarkable way its author captures a cross-section of American society. In The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald, known for his imagistic and poetic prose, holds a mirror up to the society of which he was a part. The initial success of the book was limited, although in the more than 75 years since it has come to be regarded as a classic piece of American short fiction. In 1925, however, the novel served as a snapshot of the frenzied post-war society known as the Jazz Age, while today it provides readers with, among other things, a portal through which to observe life in the 1920s. Part of Fitzgerald's charm in The Great Gatsby, in fact, is his ability to encapsulate the mood of a generation during a politically and socially crucial and chaotic period of American history.

To understand Fitzgerald's genius more fully, one must be aware of the politics that underlie the story. To remove the story from its full historical context is to do it a grave injustice. The novel, published in 1925, explores life in the early- to mid-1920s. Politically speaking, this was a time of growth and prosperity, as well as a time of corruption. World War I, the first war of its kind anyone had ever known, had ended in 1919. When Warren G. Harding assumed the presidency in 1920, one of his goals was to bring the country back to business as usual. However, this proved to be a difficult task because Harding's administration was plagued by scandal and corruption, as well as opposition mounted by both unions and organized crime.

After WWI ended, Harding's administration targeted business as a means of rebuilding the country. What this entailed, however, included undermining striking laborers and largely siding with management in labor dispute issues over such things as minimum wage, unions, child labor, and so on. In addition to favoring management in labor disputes, Harding and his successor, Calvin Coolidge, enacted tax legislation that benefited the wealthy more so than any other group. In addition, because of administrative policy decisions, industries such as agriculture, textiles, and certain types of mining suffered greatly, and as a result, cities grew as people moved to urban areas to make a living. Many of them, however, remained trapped in a purgatory of sorts, looking for a better life but unable to get it, not unlike the people in The Great Gatsby's valley of ashes.

Economically, the 1920s boasted great financial gain, at least for those of the upper class. Between 1922 and 1929, dividends from stock rose by 108
Show More

Related Documents: Narrative Essay

Narrative Essay

Narrative Essay The transition of a high school student to a college undergraduate is a life-changing experience that most youths go through. The course that led to this transformative event began on the first day I entered high school. Attending a technical school for four years was the best decision I could have made. It prepared me for the real world while simultaneously providing me with the skills needed for college. My first year in high school was like moving into a new city and trying to…

Words 726 - Pages 3

Narrative Essay

Michelle E. Diaz Prof. Beck ENC 1101 - 189381 November 3, 2014 Narrative Essay Revision Resentment: Self-Inflicted and Self-Cured Overcoming an obstacle doesn't mean that certain events have to stop occurring so that it's classified as overcome. I was once told, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” I believe that to be 100% correct. I was raised in a culture where the man of the family, the father, the husband, holds the utmost authority and responsibility…

Words 1014 - Pages 5

Essay on The Narrative

Essay #1: The Narrative The waves crashed down at a velocity only measurable by Mother Nature plunged me down into the abyss of the ocean floor. Her volume and mass of water tossed me around like a pin ball bouncing off rubber paddles. I helplessly squirmed around trying to find my sense of direction. Thoughts of accepting a trophy, coated with a glazy gold plastic dip, on a podium at the Olympics ran through my head as I demonstrated different variations of underwater cartwheels: one handed, two…

Words 1093 - Pages 5

Narrative Essay

Abukhalaf /Picture p 1 Summer Abukhalaf Mr.Greene Freshman Writing, Block 4 Narrative Essay 1/7/15 The 31st By Summer Abukhalaf “Meet with us in science after school, okay?” Maggie says. “Okay, let me call my mom and tell her about it,” I say. I know my mom will never let me walk with my friends to go to someones house. I’m so excited to go trick or treating with my friends. This year is supposed to be absolutely perfect. Eighth grade is very important. It’s your last year in middle school…

Words 1044 - Pages 5

Narrative And Resistance Essay

The Role of Narrative in Understanding Organizational Resistance to Change: A Social Construction Perspective “The reason for evil in the world is that people are not able to tell their stories.” - C.G. Jung Social Construction Theory as presented in Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s (1966) work The Social Construction of Reality presents a perspective on the nature of society that should be interesting to any change agent: first, that societies are continuously constructed by individuals…

Words 4596 - Pages 19

Essay on Descriptive vs Narrative

VS. DESCRIPTIVE VS. NARRATIVE: WHICH ONE IS BETTER? DIANA YOUNG ENG121: ENGLISH COMPOSITION I PROFESSOR GARTEN MAY 25, 2014 � DESCRIPTIVE VS. NARRATIVE : WHICH ONE IS BETTER? Descriptive and narrative writing are both two different styles of personal writing that are used to enhance a writer's portfolio. When looking at descriptive writing, a person is using words that describe a person, place, thing, or event to paint a vivid picture to their audience. Narrative writing is when a person…

Words 1048 - Pages 5

Personal Narrative Essay

Narrative Essay Although there are numerous famous discoveries I found, one that can top the rest of them.The one I found is that I discovered a robot that can do my homework. That's what I discovered. One cold windy day I went to school, I was done with school, my day, and got home, I had a massive deal of homework so I was thinking of ideas that I could learn and get my homework finished. Then it came to me a person to do my homework and show me how to do it so a ‘robot’ I was concluding,…

Words 402 - Pages 2

Literacy Narrative Essay

after night, I would take stacks of storybooks to her, and while I sat in her lap, she would read them to me. As a result, I learned to read at the age of five. I am a visual text such as comics and graphic novel. 4. In school I use to writing for an essay and at work like a nursing field I use writing report. Also I use email, text and chart. 5. I am a dissertation. Because I don’t really like discussion with classmates I think I can’t talk enough or share ideas with others. I like to my own when I…

Words 621 - Pages 3

History: Writing and Narrative Essay

Narrative Essay Examples In a narrative essay you tell a story, but you also make a point. So, it is like a story told for a reason. Narrative Essays: To Tell a Story There are four types of essays: •Exposition - gives information about various topics to the reader. •Description - describes in detail characteristics and traits. •Argument - convinces the reader by demonstrating the truth or falsity of a topic. •Narrative - tells a story, usually from one person’s…

Words 392 - Pages 2

Short Narrative Essay

Short Narrative Essay Chantel Tankersley Everest University Having a child young opens your eyes to a whole new world. You realize that you have to grow up and put this perfect precious being before yourself, you find a new kind of love for the child you have had the privilege of bringing into this world. I was eighteen when I found out I was pregnant, had just broken up with my boyfriend (the father of the child), was living with my parents and had no job. I was in no way ready…

Words 910 - Pages 4