Isolationism In The 1920s

The 1920s was a time of development for America as a whole; the Progressive Era was in full swing due to the rapid American Industrialization and the change in traditional thought processes. Progressive reformers at this point in history were working towards familiarizing the nation with new beliefs, contrary to those of traditional ways of life. The newfound concept of progressivism was perpetuated due to the increase of media throughout the country - it was stated that, “The 1920s was a decade of change, when many Americans owned cars, radios, and telephones for the first time,” (“1920s: A Decade of Change”). The sources of media were expanding, thus the reach of media and news was able to spread nationwide - people from all over the country

The 1920’s in the United States also known as roaring twenties was a time for change and rebirth for a nation that just got done with a savage war. There were many technological advancements that brought about this change with large scale production methods and helpful inventions to make life easier. Although these advancements were very good for our society none was more important than the cultural movements throughout the 1920’s specifically the Jazz Movement. The Jazz movement in the 1930’s has had a tremendous impact on the American Identity by bringing different American cultures closer together which America a stronger country.

If you listen to jazz today, you will hear expanded musical harmonies, musicians playing more complex chords, and musical harmonies borrowed from many different genres of music, including pop. Many new, mainstream jazz as artists use the same techniques that artists from the early 1900’s used. Joseph “King” Oliver was the father to many of these techniques, which changed jazz and the way we hear it today. During the 1920’s, Joe “King” Oliver was the most progressive and influential artist in jazz because of his musical innovations that influenced other jazz artists to incorporate his methods,which sparked a new type of jazz. Jazz was first born in New Orleans and eventually moved to Chicago.

The Gilded Age was an age that was directly dependent on the end of the Civil War. Jazz was a major parts of what the 1920s and it helped African Americans realize the where they are at that moment was not what they had to stay at. The end of the Civil War made most of the American populace believe that the lives of slaves would change drastically. American slaves were granted freedom by order of the President and the Congress.

Jazz music has its roots in Black slave culture and arts. The white culture of the time saw these influences as “savage” and deteriorating to their music. Some saw the role of jazz as a platform for a change. Jazz was a way to bring together the different cultures. During the 1920s and 1930s jazz began to be popular and interesting among young people, black and whites.

The Harlem Renaissance,was an explosion of African American culture,especially in the creative arts, and the most influential movement in African American literary history. Making use of the literary, musical, theatrical, and visual arts, contributors to this movement sought to revive the attributes of the “African American” from the stereotypes that the white had labeled them. They also sought to let loose of conservative moral values and bourgeois shame about aspects of their lives that the white majority would have seen as an reinforcement of racist beliefs. The contributors to this movement did not particularly belong to a major school of thought. They came from all over the country to give rise to this movement.

The 1920s carried much change in society. Some of these changes were more rights for women, jazz music, and prohibition. The people of the 1920s were disillusioned by society lacking in idealism and vision, sense of personal alienation, and Americans were obsessed with materialism and outmoded moral values (The Roaring Twenties).Cultural changes were strongly influenced by the destruction of World War I ending 1918. America needed to recover and with it youth rebelled against the norms of the older generations.

The 1920s were a very upbeat, celebratory time for the American people. There were wild parties, bootleggers sneaking alcohol around due to Prohibition, and an elevated sense of materialism. People were enjoying the finer things in life, seemingly going through everyday life without a care in the world. This period of time can be referred to as the Roaring Twenties, as well as the Jazz Age. In The Great Gatsby, author F. Scott Fitzgerald displayed both positive and negative aspects of the Jazz Age through several characters, symbols, and events.

Art nouveau was a trending art style that for some, was a way of life. The decorative art style was most popular from 1890-1910. Rene Lalique, a male French designer had a big impact on the era due to the popularity of his glass art, perfume bottles and jewellery, the essay will outline this in each section of his work. To start the essay, Art Nouveau will be discussed followed by explaining Rene Lalique and his background whilst discussing in depth his work and the repercussions of it on the era at the time.

The Jazz Age and Gatsby The Jazz Age is a period categorized as a time of promiscuity, bootlegging, and automobiles. “The 1920’s are remembered as ‘teenage’ years in which an older generation said ‘thou shalt not’ and youth replied: ‘I will. ’(Ling 1)” this quote captures how the youth of this time really went through a shift in etiquette that the older generation of the time did not get. F Scott Fitzgerald captures the twenties in a way that nobody has with his novel The Great Gatsby which follows through the eyes of Nick Carraway, a young upstart who wants to make it in the bond business.