context

• The novella was written in 1925, exploring life in the early to mid-20s.
• Fitzgerald joined WW1 near the end, in 1917. During this, he met Zelda Sayre, who he asked to marry him. She agreed, but her desire for wealth, leisure and luxury made her delay the wedding until he was successful
• Fitzgerald was known for his love for Zelda, his alcoholism and his extravagant lifestyle, but they soon fell into a reckless and wild life of partying.
• Fitzgerald's relationship with Zelda was very turbulent. Whilst he was working himself out of debt, she had an affair, but they continued to be together despite his love being crushed.
• Fitzgerald wrote himself into the characters of Nick and Gatsby. Like Gatsby, he fell in love with a woman outside of his social class, and worked hard because he never felt like he truly deserved her.
• The inter-war period was known as the Roaring Twenties, the Golden Years and Fitzgerald's term, the Jazz Age. The war put pressure on American industries. This meant that more jobs were created and more employment resulted in economic booms.
• With all the money that the economic booms accumulated, consumption and consumerism were born. Brands and companies started to advertise more and people were influenced by advertisements.
• High consumption meant that whilst the American economy was healthy, it trapped individuals in debt.
• Because of the Prohibition Act of 1919, many people acquired their wealth through bootlegging (gangsters sold alcohol in secret bars called 'speakeasies' for a great profit). People also gambled and there was a lot of violence and mafia involvement.
• In 1924, the Immigration Act was passed. This restricted the number of southern and eastern Europeans moving to the USA. It also prohibited any Asian to come to the US. There was a lot of prejudice against ethnic minorities: think about Wolfsheim and the treatment of African-Americans in the novel.
• Despite the decadence, there was a clear status quo. 'Old money' ruled, whilst 'new money' tried to climb the social ladder, and 'no money' were excluded. It is ultimately 'no money' who bear the brunt of the ruthlessness of the 'old money'.
• 'Flappers' subverted social and gender norms, with their short skirts, short hair and make-up.
• The 19th Amendment, enacted in 1920, gave women the right to vote. In a symbolic show of emancipation, women ditched corsets to look more masculine and cut their hair into bobs.
• Jordan Baker represents a typical Flapper-type New Woman, as both of her names are makes of cars, and she has a job as a professional golfer. This contrasts greatly with Myrtle, who conforms to ideas of femininity and female sexuality to climb the social ladder.
• The American Dream was advertised as 'the land of opportunity' where if you worked hard enough, you could be wealthy and successful, despite social barriers. Gatsby personifies the pursuit of the American Dream, however despite becoming wealthy, he still never achieves the desired dream, which included Daisy and her lifestyle.