The Memorable Periold of the 1920s in The Great Gatsby by...

The 1920s was a memorable period in history because numerous notable events were occurring. Throughout the 1920s, commonly referred to as the â€Å"Roaring Twenties†, were the Women’s Rights Movement, Prohibition, and The Great War, among other events. Fitzgerald grew up during this era, which he described in his novel The Great Gatsby as a time when much sinfulness and immorality was occurring. Excessive drinking, extravagant parties, organized crime, and gambling were all major social issues throughout the â€Å"Roaring Twenties.† Fitzgerald struggled with alcoholism (Baughman, et al.), which was more than likely a result of the constant availability of alcohol. Alcoholism led to Prohibition being passed, but Prohibition was a failure, and, in the end, led to an increase in organized crime and bootlegging. In Fitzgerald’s novel, Jay Gatsby and Meyer Wolfsheim were partners in organized crime. Fitzgerald conveys the empty and shallow lifestyle that comes with the pursuit of wealth, and demonstrates in his novel that wealth does not necessarily guarantee happiness. By 1830, the average American over fifteen years old consumed approximately seven gallons of pure alcohol a year, which is three times as much as people drink today. In addition, alcohol abuse (primarily by men) was destroying many people’s lives, particularly in an era when women had limited legal rights and were completely reliant on their husbands for support. The country’s first momentous anti-alcohol movement