Question

Think about what you have learned about the 1920^ prime s , and what you have read about The Lost Generation. How does this novel demonstrate the changes that have taken place and the disobedience prevalent in the 1920's? Does the novel critique or uphold the values of the youth of the 1920's How does the novel illustrate the fears of the Lost Generation?

Answer 1

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels, including 'This Side of Paradise' and 'The Great Gatsby', exemplify the disillusionment and critique of 1920s values by the Lost Generation, showing a cultural shift towards modernism and away from traditional values.

Step-by-step explanation:

F. Scott Fitzgerald's works, particularly This Side of Paradise and The Great Gatsby, are quintessential explorations of the Lost Generation's experiences. In This Side of Paradise, he captured the disillusionment of the youth who came of age during a period marked by the aftermath of World War I, where old beliefs and ideologies seemed irrelevant.

In contrast, The Great Gatsby exposed the excesses and moral decay hiding behind the façade of a fun, fast-lived life. Fitzgerald critiqued the 1920s through characters like Jay Gatsby, portraying a society that was unscrupulous and consumed by material excesses. These works effectively critique the evolving values of the 1920s youth, moving away from traditional values towards a more modern, but arguably cynical mindset.

Fitzgerald and writers like Ernest Hemingway and Sinclair Lewis, part of the Lost Generation, felt alienated from American society post-World War I. They grappled with the effects of prohibition, the Red Scare, and a broad cultural shift from traditionalism to modernism.

Many within the Lost Generation lived as expatriates, seeking refuge in cities like Paris, Rome, and Berlin, which allowed them a perspective to criticize American society and its middle-class values. Through their writing, they illustrated fears and disillusionment by challenging the status quo and expressing a deep sense of despair and disillusionment with the norms of their time.

In the broader context of the 1920s, their works reflect broader social and cultural shifts, highlighting a transformation in attitudes and values that favored modern thoughts and ideas over traditional values. While not all Lost Generation writers shared the same degree of disillusionment or criticism, collectively their works provide a literary reflection of a period of significant change and the resulting attitudes of a generation.