The Great Gatsby
A sneak peek at the 1920s lifestyle
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby (1925)
• The most famous work of Fitzgerald, the novel
discusses the lifestyle of The Jazz Age.
• Fitzgerald and wife Zelda were epitome of the
American dream. They lived beyond their
means and were often in debt.
• novel critiques man’s obsession with money,
power, knowledge and hope
The Characters
• Nick Carraway: Narrator, next door neighbour to Gatsby. Becomes
disenchanted with the way wealthy socialites, like the Buchannans, lead
their lives.
• Jay Gatsby: protagonist, follows the American dream from poverty to
wealth. He is secretive with his past, and is in love with Daisy.
• Daisy Buchannan: represents women of an elite social class. Her
privileged upbringing conditions her for a particular lifestyle, provided by
her husband, Tom. Has a history with Gatsby.
• Tom Buchannan: Husband of Daisy. Wealthy, aggressive, racist. Leads a
life of luxury and is proud of his affair with Myrtle Wilson.
• Myrtle Wilson: represents women of the working class. Through her affair
with Tom, she enters into the elite social class.
1920s music
The Jazz Age
• Jazz became popular in the 20s in America and
around the world
• Al Jolson famous for “talkie” The Jazz Singer (1927),
and song Mammy.
• Louis Armstrong and the Hot 5, The Heebie Jeebies
(1926)
• George Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
• Most popular dance was the Charleston. Fashion
reflected this dance – flapper dresses were shorter,
exposing the knee during the dance.
1920s Fashion
1920s Fashion
Women liberated themselves from restricting
clothes and began to wear shorter skirts with
a dropped waist and trousers for comfort. The
“boyish figure” was desired and the bob was a
popular form of hairstyle.
Men abandoned formal wear and began to wear
sports suits, which are still worn today.
Fun Facts of the Roaring Twenties
• Cars became mass produced. 15 million
Model-T’s were sold by 1927.
• Money and Inflation: $100 from 1920s =
$1000 today
• Speakeasies, illegal bars, were a result of the
Prohibition Law (1919).
• Rise in popularity for the radio
Theme: The American Dream
• The Pursuit of Happiness
• Idea that anything can be achieved through
hard work
• The Roaring Twenties lifestyle contradicted
this ideal. Many strived to be a member of the
elite social class, who valued luxury and had a
frivolous attitude.