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The Great Gatsby

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

THE GREAT GATSBY

BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
Photo by Jon Tyson


How did the Jazz Age positively impact American morale? (Societal)

Photo by NASA

Historical Significance

-The Jazz Age, following the Great War, held important historical significance.

-Joel Dinerstein’s article, “Music, Memory, and Cultural Identity in the Jazz Age” gives context for the jazz age saying that in the 1920s, artists began breaking through Euro-American music traditions (Dinerstein 2).

-After the Great War, artists wanted to forget about traditions that they felt got them into that position, making way for the Jazz Age!

Historical Significance

-It is also important to remember that the 1920s began a period of new art forms as well as jazz music and dance!

-In “Body and Soul: The Making of American Modernism: Art, Music and Letters in the Jazz Age 1919-1925,” by Vladimir Prozorov, different art forms in the Jazz Age are discussed as interacting with each other and enhancing each other (Prozorov 1).

-In attempts to moving away from old traditions, they began experimenting with new art forms and using them together throughout the Jazz Age.
Photo by Mark Bonica

Historical Significance

-Not only was Jazz a method of moving away from old traditions, it also influenced a rebellious spirit in many people.

-“In postwar American culture, jazz musicians were influential modernist artists” (Dinerstein 10).

-Jazz music was often used as a signifier of the working-class resistance (Dinerstein 4).

-People found a sense of defiance against that which broke apart the country within jazz.

Logical Resonance with Novel

-Elements from the Jazz Age appear throughout The Great Gatsby.

- Nick describes a sequence of events for Gatsby’s parties and says, “by seven o’clock, the orchestra has arrived, no thin five piece affair, but a whole pitiful of oboes and trombones and saxophones and cornets and piccolos, and low and high drums (Fitzgerald 40).

-These instruments are all commonly used in Jazz and show how Gatsby is part of the rebellious Jazz movement.

Logical Resonance with the Novel

-During the Jazz Age, Europeans started adopting many African American cultural elements in their hope to break through the standard culture.

-At dinner, Tom talks about his adamant belief in a book that talks about the supposed science of how the “dominant white race” needs to remain dominant over the inferior races (Fitzgerald 13).

-In this section, Fitzgerald places contrast between Tom and the Jazz Age.

Logical Resonance with the Novel

-The contrast between Tom and the Jazz Age proves important in discussing the value of the Jazz Age.

-As Nick describes Tom, he describes him as arrogant and aggressive in the aspects of not only his personality, but also his physical appearance (Fitzgerald 7).

-Recognizing the racist and contentious qualities in Tom, allows the reader to see that the Jazz Age works to defy common societal structures that Tom supports. With this in mind, striving for a more inclusive, abstract, and loving society that has abundant art forms and tradition breaking proves a very encouraging endeavor.

Continued Impact

-During the Jazz Age, the attempts to move away from traditions resulted in new ideologies!

-New, exotic ideas and beliefs started growing in popularity during the Jazz Age (Prozorov 1).

-The new beliefs that came from the Jazz Age have continued to impact the world and remained a part of traditional ideas to this day!

Continued Impact

-Obviously, the jazz age created a lasting dominance of African-American music in America!

-Jazz reveals an evolution in African-American music that proved assertive and resistant (Dinerstein 10).

-Jazz has become a dominant genre adored by many throughout America, giving African-American culture a platform in society!

Continued Impact

-The Jazz Age proved a time of more experimentation with representation outside of Europeans!

-This began a time of more divergent cultural and racial representation (Dinerstein 2).

-From then on, America has become a more inclusive country and representation and diversity continue to grow.