Example research essay topic: Jazz Age Lost Generation - 814 words

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In spite of social and economic upheaval, the 1900 s prospered as a whole. The 1920 s were marked by technological, historical, literary, and political, phenomena. Society was experiencing a new way of life, characterized by new technology that enabled Americans to kick back and enjoy all life had to offer. During the 1920 s, the United States started off on a joyride in an era of wonderful nonsense (World Book Encyclopedia p. 114).

Americans felt lighthearted and optimistic after WWI. New advances in technology were invented like the Model T and canned foods. People spent more money on travel and vacation resorts. They announced a new generation with jazz bands and a craze for sports and dances. Life in the home was also affected. Ready-made clothing, and household appliances gave women the opportunity to release themselves from everyday drudgery.

More women began to seek work outside of home. Daring girls nicknamed flappers shocked the older and more traditional members of society. Their short skirts, bobbed hair, and public use of cigarettes were frenetic compared to the previous style of that time. In 1919, Amendment 18 to the Constitution prohibited the manufacture and sale of liquor. This marked a turning point in Americas history. Many people resented this new law and drank in illegal clubs called speak-easier.

Gangsters took over bootlegging and crime increased. The federal government found it almost impossible to enforce prohibition, mainly because society had such a strong opposition towards it. The Jazz Age was a golden period in American literature, distinguished by the works of such writers as Willa Cather, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, and Carl Sandburg. At the same time, American writers began to influence world literature. A period of disillusion and cynicism that followed WWI found expression in the writings of a group of Americans living in Paris who became known as the Lost Generation.

These famous writers shared bitterness about the war and dissatisfaction with American society. Some of the most influential writers of this period include novelist Thornton Wilder, poet Archibald Macleish, and Hart Crane. The term lost generation was first used by writer Gertrude Stein in her preface to Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises (1926) to characterize Hemingway and his circle of expatriate friends in Paris (Roberts p. 27). The 1920 s saw the emergence of modernism. Modernism coincided with the mood of the Jazz Age by asserting that the individual had the potential to broaden their perspective and be unique.

Authors like James and Wharton examined the complex psychology of Americas rich population. Americans in the Roaring Twenties turned inward, away from international issues and social concerns and toward greater individualism (Encarta encyclopedia cd-rom). The emphasis was centered on getting rich and enjoying new fads, new inventions, and new ideas. The city-oriented Jazz Age was challenging the long-established values of rural America. During the 20 th century a communications revolution that introduced motion pictures, radio, and television brought the world into view. New forms of communication and new modes of transportation made American society familiar with new ideas.

Political affairs played a powerful role in the early 1900 s. Although the Republican Party regained control of the presidency during the 1920 s, the Great Depression caused complex changes in politics. The Democratic Party, which was led by Franklin D. Roosevelt, became the catalysts of the most extensive social-reform legislation in the history of the U. S. Representatives of the Republican Party supported many of the legislations policies.

The initial response from the government to the Great Depression was unproductive. President Hoover inaccurately portrayed the economy as being sturdy and that prosperity would soon return. Hoover believed the basic need was to restore public confidence so businesses would begin to invest and expand production, thus providing more jobs. By 1932, investment had dropped to less than 5 percent of its 1929 level. The tension between citizens seeking government action and Hoovers administration came to a head in June 1932. More than 20, 000 World War I veterans marched on Washington, D.

C. , to ask for early payment of government bonuses they had been promised. The government refused and when the crowd wouldnt disperse, federal troops used tear gas and bayonets to evict the men and their families. The Great Depression marked the end of The Jazz Age in 1929. The easy-life was lost as Americas society collapsed. The prosperity of the 1920 s capsized because of the weaknesses in the economy. The stock market, which supported so many peoples fortunes, crashed and left many Americans and some of the world penniless.

The lifestyle that was made famous during the Jazz Age was found impossible to maintain. Many of the technological and literary advances that were made were forgotten, as the most important issues became the challenge of feeding ones family. The glorious Jazz Era concluded in ruin. Bibliography:

Research essay sample on Jazz Age Lost Generation