The Great Gatsby Group

Question:

debbydoll141
debbydoll141
Student
High School - 10th Grade

The Great Gatsby is often referred to as the quintessential novel of the "Jazz Age." Explain what this term means.

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Posted by debbydoll141 on Wednesday August 1, 2007 at 11:07 AM and tagged with jazz age, the great gatsby.

Answers:


  1. julikiyomi Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The "Jazz Age" was a time of economic prosperity and moral decline.  The term "quintessential novel of the 'Jazz Age'" is showing that The Great Gatsby is the most perfect embodiment of this specific time. This time period was characterized by post-WWI decadence and hedonism, as well as the growth of individualism.  We see these things repeatedly throughout the novel through characters such as Daisy and Gatsby.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/gatsby

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    Posted by julikiyomi on Wednesday August 1, 2007 at 5:40 PM


  2. asorrell Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    When you read about the Jazz Age in a history book, you'll no doubt read about Prohibition, music, flappers, automobiles, lavish lifestyles, etc.  All of these are included in the novel.  Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda lived this lavish lifestyle themselves, so he was well aware of all of the things that made the Jazz Age unique.  Gatsby's parties, the fashions of Daisy, the description of the cars, and the overabundance of illegal alcohol all come together to make it the "quintessential" novel of the Jazz Age.

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    Posted by asorrell on Tuesday August 28, 2007 at 7:09 PM

  3. mguadagno
    mguadagno Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    The Great Gatsby is often referred to as the quintessential novel of the "Jazz Age" for many reasons.  First of all, it was a great era of social, economic and cultural change in America. People were riding high on success and thought little about the future.  Fitzgerald does such a stunningly good job of depicting the lazy, self-centered, apathetic image of the wealthy during that time period. Daisy, for example, is named for a nondescript weed that is pretty on the outside but really has no substance.  Her character also had little substance. The "Jazz Age" was an age of fun and glory. It was followed by the Depression which snapped everyone, including the wealthy, back into reality. 

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    Posted by mguadagno on Thursday September 20, 2007 at 6:46 PM