Are you tired of struggling to understand the themes and characters in classic works of literature? Well, I’ve got you covered! Welcome to "Read it and (Don't) Weep," the podcast that will help you breeze through your high school literature classes. I am your host, Jackey Taggart, and I taught high school English for almost 20 years. 

Join me each episode as I dive into the world of classic literature and break down the essential elements of each work. From Shakespeare to Steinbeck, I'll cover it all. My goal is to give you valuable insights and analysis on some of the most popular high school literary texts, as well as tips and tricks for acing your tests and essays.  Let’s start reading!

Hello and welcome to this episode of Read It and (Don’t) Weep. This is a special episode as I will be discussing the history of the Roaring Twenties to help you prepare to read The Great Gatsby.  I love studying the Roaring Twenties, and I love reading The Great Gatsby.  It is my favorite novel and understanding the history of the 1920s helps to enhance the major themes in the novel.  

The Roaring Twenties, often referred to as the Jazz Age – a term coined by Fitzgerald himself – spanned from the end of World War I in 1918 until the infamous stock market crash in 1929. Francis Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, were an integral aspect of the 1920s, similar to the Kardashians today, so to speak.  Famed actress Lillian Gish, called the First Lady of American Cinema, once said, 'The Fitzgerald’s didn't make the twenties; they were the twenties.' So, let's unpack that era and see how it shaped Fitzgerald's world and his immortal characters.

Prohibition

Perhaps the most infamous aspect of the twenties was the introduction of Prohibition. The 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacturing and sale of alcohol in the US, but rather than reducing crime and corruption as intended, it gave rise to illegal liquor trafficking, bootlegging, and speakeasies. Characters like Al Capone made fortunes through these illegal channels. One such speakeasy was the 21 Club in Manhattan – a whisper of a time when the nation was in rebellion against its own laws. It reminds me of Henry David Thoreau’s essay on Civil Disobedience, but that is a topic for another podcast. 

Flappers

Meanwhile, in 1920 the United States made significant strides towards equality when the 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote. This led to the rise of the flapper, a new kind of woman who was rebellious, confident, independent, and not afraid to express herself. She held a job outside of the home, danced, wore make-up, smoked in public, and 'bobbed' her hair. Bobbed hair was viewed as a clear break from the societal norms of the past when women tended to have long hair. Bobbed hair signified a woman's emancipation from traditional gender expectations. It was considered more practical, easier to maintain, and more suitable for an active lifestyle, reflecting the changing roles of women in society. Fitzgerald’s female characters embodied the flapper style. 

Hollywood

Hollywood also rose to prominence during this period, introducing us to the first 'talkie', The Jazz Singer, in 1927 starring Al Jolson. We also saw the emergence of popular figures like the flapper actress Louise Brooks, comedic genius Charlie Chaplin, and the enchanting Clara Bow, who got her start by winning a contest in a magazine. 

The era was also marked by other prominent figures. There was Coco Chanel, the queen of Paris couture; Lois Long, the flapper journalist for The New Yorker; magician and escape artist Harry Houdini; and scientist Albert Einstein, with his groundbreaking theory of relativity. There was also the musical genius, Duke Ellington, a significant figure in the jazz movement and Harlem Renaissance.

Lastly, let’s not forget our childhood favorites created in the 1920s – – Winnie the Pooh made his debut in 1926, and Mickey Mouse hit the big screen in 1928's Steamboat Willie.

Sports

In sports, the larger-than-life figures of Babe Ruth and Bobby Jones were capturing the public's imagination. Ruth set a new benchmark in baseball, and Jones made history in golf. Boxing also had its hero in Jack Dempsey, the 'Manasa Mauler.'

But the twenties were not all about celebration. There was also corruption.  In 1919, the World Series scandal saw the heavily favored Chicago White Sox lose against the Cincinnati Reds, thanks to a shady deal that resulted in the banning of eight players for life, including those who were innocent but guilty by association.

The Industrial Age

The twenties also marked the Industrial Age, with increased incomes, the introduction of credit, mass production, the assembly line, and the creation of minimum wage, leading to a significant rise in consumer spending and an expanding middle class. Yet, it all came crashing down in 1929 with the stock market crash, which sent the US spiraling into the Great Depression.

If you are working on any type of project based on the 1920s in preparation for reading The Great Gatsby, any of these topics would make great project ideas and will connect thematically to the novel.  

The Fitzgeralds

But before ending this special episode, I’d like to take some time to talk about Fitzgerald, himself, as many of his novels contained autobiographical details. Born in 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald was acutely aware of his social status. He fell in love with Zelda Sayre, a wild, free-spirited flapper from Alabama, and they married in 1919 after the publication of his first novel, This Side of Paradise. The couple became synonymous with the Jazz Age's glitz and glamour, but their lives were not without turmoil. Zelda's mental health struggles and Scott's battle with alcoholism weighed heavily on their relationship. Zelda was his inspiration and his torment, and he often drank to escape the heavy financial pressures placed on him by Zelda and her need to keep up with high society.  Fitzgerald’s writing also suffered because he could only write when sober, adding to his financial struggles.   Despite their issues, Fitzgerald was deeply devoted to Zelda and dedicated every book to her. Check the dedication in your book if you don’t believe me. 

Fitzgerald's life and experiences undeniably shaped The Great Gatsby, which captures the spirit, the promise, and the disillusionment of the Roaring Twenties. We'll delve deeper into these themes in future episodes, as we explore the book chapter by chapter.

For now, grab your copy of The Great Gatsby, ready your imagination to step into a world of flappers, Jazz, lavish parties, and simmering discontent, a world teetering on the edge of the abyss. I'll see you in the next episode as we take our first steps into the glamorous, yet poignant world of Jay Gatsby. Thank you for listening, and remember: 'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' 

Closing

Thanks for listening to this episode of Read it and (Don’t) Weep. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you will be notified when new episodes are released. If you liked today’s show, please leave a review so others can discover my show.  If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, drop me an email at readitanddontweep@gmail.com, or reach out to me on social media. I would love to hear from you. The links are in the show notes.  Happy reading!