The Great Gatsby, the Stock-Market Crash and the...

The Twenties was a time when people did not care about anything besides having fun. The average person had a job, the economy was flourishing, foreign trade was on the rise and the stock market was booming (The Crash †¦ and Beyond.). President Hoover said, during his inaugural address, I have no fears for the future of our country. It is bright with hope but by the end of 1929 he would regret those inspiring words (Hoover). During a time when people were living the American Dream, few were prepared for or expected the stock market crash and the American nightmare that continued through the 1930s. â€Å"The cars from New York are parked five deep in the drive, and already the halls and salons and verandas are gaudy with†¦show more content†¦He did not have great wealth and despised the average rich person who abused their money instead of noticing the value of what they actually have. Gatsby attempted to use this money, like others, to achieve his dream of marrying Daisy, however failed. These bad habits learned during this time caused the Great Depression, which ruined the lives of many who enjoyed prosperity before. Many opportunities arose out of the growing popularity of the automobile. City-dwellers started to move to the suburbs where they had front-lawns, large houses and playgrounds for their kids. Employees could drive to and from work every day in the city, and suburbs provided a false sense of security because of their layout and openness. Family vacations were made possible by the â€Å"weekend†, created from a reduction in work to 5-day weeks. People sought the need to spend whatever money they received on new technologies of the age. People purchased radios, cars, telephones, and microwaves, and participated in the latest fads and fashions (The Crash †¦ and Beyond.). To purchase all these glamorous products, people had to make money. During this time, wives started to look for jobs and while they were not wel come at first, their expertise in certain areas could not be beat. With a mother and father both working, families could finally start to afford the luxuries they desired. They consideredShow MoreRelatedSymbolisms in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay846 Words   |  4 Pagesas memorable as the green light in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Shining at the end of Daisy’s dock, it is close enough to be seen, but too far away to be reached. Still, Gatsby, an eternal optimist, stares at it at night, as if it showed him that all his far-away dreams were about to come true. The green light in The Great Gatsby is symbolic of hope, a source of inspiration, and a representation of the American Dream to Gatsby and to the novel’s readers. Gatsby’s aspirations reflect theRead MoreThe American Dream1927 Words   |  8 PagesThe American Dream: Is it fact or fiction? In the United States’ Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers set forth the idea of an American Dream by providing the American people with the recognizable phrase â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness† (USHistory.org). The green light at the end of Daisy Buchanan’s dock symbolizes Jay Gatsby’s â€Å"pursuit of Happiness† in the novel, The Great Gatsby, set in the 1920s on Long Island, New York (Fitzgerald, F. Scott). The American Dream is definedRead MoreEssay about Of Mice and Men By John Steinbeck3008 Words   |  13 PagesMen? 2. To what extent is it correct that The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman and Of Mice and Men explore important, but different aspects of ‘The American Dream’? 3. What is the importance of dreams and dreaming to the success of Of Mice and Men? A. Background Information Describe the historical background to the novel i.e. the USA in the mid/late 1930’s The USA of the mid and late 1930 was still suffering from the Great Depression. Many thousands were unemployed andRead MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pages.................................................................................... 5 Christopher Columbus (â€Å"Discoverer† of the New World?)........................................................................ 7 Sacajawea (Mysterious Native American Guide) ....................................................................................... 9 Artists, Authors, and Musicians: Bob Dylan (â€Å"The Prophet of Rock and Roll†) ......................................................................