The Jazz Age
A Historical Exploration of Literature
Published on 28. December 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
264 pages
979-8-7651-1595-4 (ISBN)
Description
This intriguing study examines the truth behind the myths and misconceptions that defined the Roaring Twenties, as portrayed through the popular literary works of the time.
This one-stop reference to the "Jazz Age"-the period that began after the First World War and ended with the stock market crash of 1929-digs into the cultural, historical, and literary contexts of the era. Author Linda De Roche examines the writing of the time to look beyond the common conceptions of the Roaring Twenties and instead reflect on the era's complexities and contradictions, including how gender and race influenced social mores.
The book profiles key American literature of the time, including F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, Sinclair Lewis's Babbit, Anita Loos's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Nella Larsen's Passing. Filled with essays that offer historical explorations of each work as well as suggested learning activities, chapters also feature study questions, primary source documents, and chronologies. Support materials include activities, lesson plans, discussion questions, topics for further research, and suggested readings.
This one-stop reference to the "Jazz Age"-the period that began after the First World War and ended with the stock market crash of 1929-digs into the cultural, historical, and literary contexts of the era. Author Linda De Roche examines the writing of the time to look beyond the common conceptions of the Roaring Twenties and instead reflect on the era's complexities and contradictions, including how gender and race influenced social mores.
The book profiles key American literature of the time, including F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, Sinclair Lewis's Babbit, Anita Loos's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Nella Larsen's Passing. Filled with essays that offer historical explorations of each work as well as suggested learning activities, chapters also feature study questions, primary source documents, and chronologies. Support materials include activities, lesson plans, discussion questions, topics for further research, and suggested readings.
Reviews / Votes
Instructors would do well to include The Jazz Age on a class reading list for the background it would afford those unfamiliar with the period. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates; general readers. * Choice *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
College/higher education
Primary & secondary/elementary & high school
Illustrations
20 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
406 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-7651-1595-4 (9798765115954)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Linda De Roche, PhD, is professor of English and American studies at Wesley College, Dover, DE.
Content
Series Foreword,
Acknowledgments,
Introduction: The Jazz Age and the Culture of Change,
Chronology of the Jazz Age,
1 Babbitt (Sinclair Lewis, 1922),
Synopsis of Babbitt,
Historical Background: Babbitt and the Perils of Progress and Prosperity,
About Sinclair Lewis: The Man Who Defined Babbittry,
Why We Read Babbitt,
Historical Explorations of Babbitt,
Documenting Babbitt,
The Religion of Business in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "Passing Our Tenth Milestone," Paul P. Harris, 1915,
Document: From The Man Nobody Knows, Bruce Barton, 1925,
Conformity in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "Knowledge in Contempt in America, Believe Europeans," H. L. Mencken, 1925,
Suggested Readings,
2 The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925),
Synopsis of The Great Gatsby,
Historical Background: The Great Gatsby and the Culture of Contradiction,
About F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Man Who Wrote the Jazz Age,
Why We Read The Great Gatsby,
Historical Explorations of The Great Gatsby,
Documenting The Great Gatsby,
The Automobile and the Jazz Age,
Document: From "How Many American People Can Afford Automobiles?" 1922,
Document: From "Your Car and You," 1920,
Document: From "On Which Side of the Windshield Do You Do Your Cussing?" H. I. Phillips, 1927,
Prohibition and Bootleggers,
Document: From The Volstead Act, 1920,
Document: From "Nation-Wide Prohibition Ends Fight of 112 Years," 1920,
Document: From "Volstead Law Draws Attack of Opponents," 1925,
Document: From "Rich Bootleggers Sent to Prison," 1923,
Celebrity Culture in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "The Secret of Charlie Chaplin's Popularity," St. John Ervine, 1921,
Document: From "Chance Writes the Lindbergh Saga," 1927,
Document: From "My Friend Babe Ruth," 1924,
Suggested Readings,
3 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Anita Loos, 1925),
Synopsis of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Historical Background: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the Gender Politics of the Jazz Age,
About Anita Loos: A Life in Words and (Motion) Pictures,
Why We Read Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Historical Explorations of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Documenting Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
The Flapper,
Document: From The Flapper, 1922,
Document: From "Flappers Flaunt Fads in Footwear," The New York Times, 1922,
Document: From "The Flapper-A New Type," Alfredo Panzini, 1921,
Document: From "Her Eternal Youth," New York Times, 1922,
Hollywood and the Motion Picture Revolution,
Document: From "Youth, the Spirit of the Movies," David Wark Griffith, 1921,
Document: From "Flappers Here to Stay, Says Colleen Moore," Gladys Hall, 1922,
Document: From "The Monstrous Movies," Charles Hanson Towne, 1921,
Document: From "Through Hollywood with Gun and Camera," Robert E. Sherwood, 1922,
Suggested Readings,
4 The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway, 1926),
Synopsis of The Sun Also Rises,
Historical Background: Hemingway, Paris, and the Modern Moment,
About Ernest Hemingway: The Man Who Wrote the Lost Generation,
Why We Read The Sun Also Rises,
Historical Explorations of The Sun Also Rises,
Documenting The Sun Also Rises,
The Lost Generation,
Document: From Exile's Return: A Literary Odyssey of the 1920s, Malcolm Cowley, 1934,
Document: From "American Bohemians in Paris," Ernest Hemingway, 1922,
Document: From Being Geniuses Together 1920-1930, Robert McAlmon and Rev. Kay Boyle, 1968,
Document: From Paris Was Yesterday. 1925-1939, Janet Flanner, 1972,
The Art of the Bullfight,
Document: From Being Geniuses Together 1920-1930, Robert McAlmon and Rev. Kay Boyle, 1968,
Document: From "Bull Fighting a Tragedy," Ernest Hemingway, 1923,
Document: From "Pamplona in July," Ernest Hemingway, 1923,
Race, Ethnicity, and the Ku Klux Klan,
Document: From "For Christian-Jewish Friendship HP," The Literary Digest, 1922,
Document: From "New York and the Real Jew," Rollin Lynde Hartt, 1921,
Document: From "The Klan Walks in Washington," The Literary Digest, 1925,
Document: From "Klan and Church," Lowell Mellett, 1923,
Document: From "A Judicial Spanking for the Klan," Literary Digest, 1928,
Suggested Readings,
5 Passing (Nella Larsen, 1929),
Synopsis of Passing,
Historical Background: Passing and the Harlem Renaissance,
About Nella Larsen: A Life on the Color Line,
Why We Read Passing,
Historical Explorations of Passing,
Documenting Passing,
The Harlem Renaissance,
Document: From The Big Sea, Langston Hughes, 1940,
Document: From Negro Life in New York's Harlem, Wallace Thurman, 1928,
Document: From " 'Charleston' Dance Sweeps New York City by Storm; Louis Chalif Is Forced to Instruct in Dance That Is Distasteful," Maxine Davis, 1925,
The African American Elite,
Document: From "The Talented Tenth," W. E. B. Du Bois, 1903,
Document: From "The Task of Negro Womanhood," Elise Johnson McDougald, 1925,
Race and the Eugenics Movement in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "Eugenics Seeks to Improve the Natural, Physical, Mental and Temperamental Qualities of the Human Family," Eugenics Record Office, 1927,
Document: From "Fitter Families for Future Firesides," 1924,
Document: From "Body of Woman Shown to Jury," The Florence [AL] Times, 1925,
Suggested Readings,
Index,
Acknowledgments,
Introduction: The Jazz Age and the Culture of Change,
Chronology of the Jazz Age,
1 Babbitt (Sinclair Lewis, 1922),
Synopsis of Babbitt,
Historical Background: Babbitt and the Perils of Progress and Prosperity,
About Sinclair Lewis: The Man Who Defined Babbittry,
Why We Read Babbitt,
Historical Explorations of Babbitt,
Documenting Babbitt,
The Religion of Business in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "Passing Our Tenth Milestone," Paul P. Harris, 1915,
Document: From The Man Nobody Knows, Bruce Barton, 1925,
Conformity in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "Knowledge in Contempt in America, Believe Europeans," H. L. Mencken, 1925,
Suggested Readings,
2 The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925),
Synopsis of The Great Gatsby,
Historical Background: The Great Gatsby and the Culture of Contradiction,
About F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Man Who Wrote the Jazz Age,
Why We Read The Great Gatsby,
Historical Explorations of The Great Gatsby,
Documenting The Great Gatsby,
The Automobile and the Jazz Age,
Document: From "How Many American People Can Afford Automobiles?" 1922,
Document: From "Your Car and You," 1920,
Document: From "On Which Side of the Windshield Do You Do Your Cussing?" H. I. Phillips, 1927,
Prohibition and Bootleggers,
Document: From The Volstead Act, 1920,
Document: From "Nation-Wide Prohibition Ends Fight of 112 Years," 1920,
Document: From "Volstead Law Draws Attack of Opponents," 1925,
Document: From "Rich Bootleggers Sent to Prison," 1923,
Celebrity Culture in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "The Secret of Charlie Chaplin's Popularity," St. John Ervine, 1921,
Document: From "Chance Writes the Lindbergh Saga," 1927,
Document: From "My Friend Babe Ruth," 1924,
Suggested Readings,
3 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Anita Loos, 1925),
Synopsis of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Historical Background: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the Gender Politics of the Jazz Age,
About Anita Loos: A Life in Words and (Motion) Pictures,
Why We Read Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Historical Explorations of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
Documenting Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,
The Flapper,
Document: From The Flapper, 1922,
Document: From "Flappers Flaunt Fads in Footwear," The New York Times, 1922,
Document: From "The Flapper-A New Type," Alfredo Panzini, 1921,
Document: From "Her Eternal Youth," New York Times, 1922,
Hollywood and the Motion Picture Revolution,
Document: From "Youth, the Spirit of the Movies," David Wark Griffith, 1921,
Document: From "Flappers Here to Stay, Says Colleen Moore," Gladys Hall, 1922,
Document: From "The Monstrous Movies," Charles Hanson Towne, 1921,
Document: From "Through Hollywood with Gun and Camera," Robert E. Sherwood, 1922,
Suggested Readings,
4 The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway, 1926),
Synopsis of The Sun Also Rises,
Historical Background: Hemingway, Paris, and the Modern Moment,
About Ernest Hemingway: The Man Who Wrote the Lost Generation,
Why We Read The Sun Also Rises,
Historical Explorations of The Sun Also Rises,
Documenting The Sun Also Rises,
The Lost Generation,
Document: From Exile's Return: A Literary Odyssey of the 1920s, Malcolm Cowley, 1934,
Document: From "American Bohemians in Paris," Ernest Hemingway, 1922,
Document: From Being Geniuses Together 1920-1930, Robert McAlmon and Rev. Kay Boyle, 1968,
Document: From Paris Was Yesterday. 1925-1939, Janet Flanner, 1972,
The Art of the Bullfight,
Document: From Being Geniuses Together 1920-1930, Robert McAlmon and Rev. Kay Boyle, 1968,
Document: From "Bull Fighting a Tragedy," Ernest Hemingway, 1923,
Document: From "Pamplona in July," Ernest Hemingway, 1923,
Race, Ethnicity, and the Ku Klux Klan,
Document: From "For Christian-Jewish Friendship HP," The Literary Digest, 1922,
Document: From "New York and the Real Jew," Rollin Lynde Hartt, 1921,
Document: From "The Klan Walks in Washington," The Literary Digest, 1925,
Document: From "Klan and Church," Lowell Mellett, 1923,
Document: From "A Judicial Spanking for the Klan," Literary Digest, 1928,
Suggested Readings,
5 Passing (Nella Larsen, 1929),
Synopsis of Passing,
Historical Background: Passing and the Harlem Renaissance,
About Nella Larsen: A Life on the Color Line,
Why We Read Passing,
Historical Explorations of Passing,
Documenting Passing,
The Harlem Renaissance,
Document: From The Big Sea, Langston Hughes, 1940,
Document: From Negro Life in New York's Harlem, Wallace Thurman, 1928,
Document: From " 'Charleston' Dance Sweeps New York City by Storm; Louis Chalif Is Forced to Instruct in Dance That Is Distasteful," Maxine Davis, 1925,
The African American Elite,
Document: From "The Talented Tenth," W. E. B. Du Bois, 1903,
Document: From "The Task of Negro Womanhood," Elise Johnson McDougald, 1925,
Race and the Eugenics Movement in the Jazz Age,
Document: From "Eugenics Seeks to Improve the Natural, Physical, Mental and Temperamental Qualities of the Human Family," Eugenics Record Office, 1927,
Document: From "Fitter Families for Future Firesides," 1924,
Document: From "Body of Woman Shown to Jury," The Florence [AL] Times, 1925,
Suggested Readings,
Index,