“It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, it was an age of satire” (Fitzgerald). The 1920s, otherwise known as the “Roaring Twenties,” was a significant time full of innovation in film and visual art. Young people accomplished their independence by experimenting with new ideas and ways of living. With that came the Flapper; she danced to jazz music and wore short skirts. Also, in the book Flappers, written by Kelly Boyer Sagert, she displayed characteristics and actions of the typical flapper; “they bound their breasts, in radical contrast to the Gibson girl curves; bared their arms; neglected to clinch their waists; wore flashy stockings, and painted their faces with bright and bold cosmetics” (Sagert 2). By going against the normal everyday appearance, flappers made a statement and forced the world to see women as individuals who were capable of anything. Over this …show more content…
There also was an increase in money spent on leisure activities, and there were new styles of music and dance within films and during everyday life. From 1920-1929 weekly movie attendance increased by over forty million people (Sagert xiv). The increase in movie attendance was directly correlated with the invention of sound for films. The transition to sound-on-film technology occurred mid-decade with the talkies developed in 1926-1927. Throughout most of the decade, silent films were the predominant product of the film industry. The landmark motion picture The Jazz Singer (1927) was immensely popular because it, as a sound film, ushered in the talking motion picture. As the arts began to highlight new forms and statements previously used in media, they began to diminish the importance of following traditions in society and the invention of sound in movies is just one example of how the 1920s impacted an entire
Flappers were young women in the 1920s who were intent on pleasuring themselves while disregarding conventional standards of behavior. "The message from Hollywood appeared to be that it was permissible for young women to imitate flappers to a certain extent, but it was unwise for them to carry the imitation too far." ("Flappers in Film") As a result, movies tended to advertise flappers more conservatively and did not mirror the true nature of their lives. One example of how movies depicted progressivism was "The Flapper," in 1920.
Flappers broke many boundaries and expectations for women, bringing about great change in society during the 1920s. Flappers had a more feminine, daring appearance than the older generation. They wore a different style of dress, inspired by Coco Chanel. Coco Chanel inspired the “garconne look”, which was a dress made out of breathable fabrics, often
Despite this, women were able to make a huge impact on America through social reforms. Many young women went against the beliefs of their parents. Prior to the Roaring Twenties, America was in a Victorian era. Women wore dresses that were floor-length, their hair was long and premarital sex was almost non-existent. During the 1920’s however, some women became what are known as “flappers”.
However not every woman enjoyed the flappers way of life. Many were not even able to afford the new clothes. Some didn’t even get the time to be able to go and enjoy time like a flapper would. So, young rich women were able to benefit from life as a flapper as shown in source 6 referring to how a flapper dressed.. However, the elderly and many religious people went against these changes.
Jazz was performed by musicians of all races and was enjoyed by audiences from diverse backgrounds (What is Jazz). Jazz music’s influence was profound and helped break down social barriers that had previously existed between people of different races and genders, paving the way for a more diverse society, where anybody can sing, dance and listen to the music they enjoy. Finally, the emergence of movie theatres in the 1920s contributed to a more enjoyable lifestyle by providing people with a new form of mass entertainment. The rise of cinema technology, such as sound and colour, became sought after by major film studios and viewers alike in hopes of a more immersive and engaging movie experience (The American Film Industry in the 1920s). The growth of this industry had a significant impact on Canadian culture, shaping the way one could view entertainment and impacting the way films are made and distributed today.
The white slavery epidemic can be traced back to the time period; the 1920s was a period of evolution for the typical woman, where the response was the flapper; a “...tomboyish and flamboyant [female]: [with] short bobbed hair; knee-length, fringed skirts; long, draping necklaces; and rolled stockings” and also it was stated in the same article that “...few women actually fit this image, it was used widely in journalism and advertising to represent the rebelliousness of the period” (Culture in the 1920s: Loosening Social Structure). The image of the new woman, the flapper, was just as manipulated by the press as it was for white slavery. The flapper was described to be more promiscuous, and to have more sexual freedom than before, having the ability to show kees which was frowned upon before.
After World War I, people in the 1920s had money to spend, which helped the entertainment industry to rise. Radio introduced music to society as well as the famous singers became easily known with it. Plays and movies also became popular. Movies had no sound at first, until 1927 when the first film with sound came out. Newspapers mainly informed about celebrities and their works.
1920s Advertising During the 1920s, advertisement started to increase and expand. Many ideas and tactics were used to lure the attention of the consumers. After World War I, America started to grow with a stable and growing economy. This flourishment made many American's live out the 1920s in prosperity.
The Effect of Flappers on American Society and the Perception of Women It is no question that the women of modern American society differ greatly from the women of preceding generations. Until the passage of the 19th amendment, women were not considered equals by the standards of the United States government, and social controversy continued long after. A large contributor to the progression in the area of women’s equality was a group of liberated and notorious women known as Flappers. These women drifted from social norms regarding women in American Society. In the 1920’s United States, the controversial conduct and morality of flappers led to a new generation of independent women, who made significant advancements in women’s social and
In this aspect, the 1920s were one of the most influential decades in U.S. history because of the introduction of the "New Women". "New Women," or flappers, were young women who embraced the new ideas, freedoms, and modernism of the Roaring Twenties. Flappers wore new and popular clothing from the era. Their signature look was short "bob" hair, which represented their independence to men. A majority of flappers were women's suffrage activist.
Since early ages, mothers have always criticized the ways their daughters acted. In the 1920s criticisms were taken a step further by the flappers, who completely revolutionized the view on females. Flappers in the 1920s had an impact on women for the future. Who they were, what they wore, and what their morals were was how their impacts changed the future for all the females. “The term "flapper" originated in the 1920s and refers to the fashion trend for unfastened rubber galoshes that "flapped" when walking, an attribution reinforced by the image of the free-wheeling flapper in popular culture.”
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.
A truly unique American mass culture saw its creation in the 1920’s where radio shows and movies could be shared all over the country and more Americans were living in cities than ever before. The creation of mass culture in America could be seen as a side effect of all of these new technologies and societal differences that took place in the 20s. Time space compression also had a large effect on mass culture as well. In the 20s because of the creation of new technologies. people could now communicate throughout the country and develop their own similar culture.
Joshua show us that the flapper was more or less a victim of circumstance. With all the new advances in technology and the reforms of the world, it was only a matter of time before women decided that they needed some independence as well. Immigrants coming in the country left and right, people of color fighting for their human rights, and men fighting for their country. They began to smoke, drink and have sex because it was their life, they wanted to vote, own property and obtain any job they wanted because it was their right, they did not want to dress in their mother’s attire and not all of them wanted to have children because it was their body. The 1920’s were revolutionary for the woman and Mr. Zeitz puts it all into perspective with his
As we moved into the age of sound films music would still play the same role as before but would become even more important t the success of a film. The first Hollywood feature film that was a talkie(a movie with a soundtrack) was a movie called The Jazz Singer. The Jazz Singer was a musical