F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby”, is recognized as an American classic for many reasons, including its accurate representation of Fitzgerald’s time period. American culture during the 1920s was so greatly impacted and formed by the passing of the 18th amendment, that it went down in history as the Prohibition Era. When researching the urban culture created by alcohol, I found that places that sold alcohol illegally were called speakeasies, and were often disguised, requiring a password to get in, or an exclusive invitation. I feel this heavily reflects the culture that has made a tight knit family of stoners in today’s society, truly showing how people will set aside their differences when uniting against the power to enjoy themselves in a taboo manor. Going secret places to participate in illegal activities show another side of a person, so exploring the interaction of man against law helps create depth to a character. In my “Specialty Drinks” section, I created drinks based off of the actual text. Just as in the 1920s, alcohol is a staple in the lives of our characters from East and West Egg, so exploring an insight to the characters through their own beverages links these people of fiction to a real element of the culture in the early 1900s. By incorporating alcohol into his story, Fitzgerald captures a realistic view of the culture he formed characters in. In my menu “Classic Drinks”, I researched drinks that were commonly found at parties or speakeasies. Some of these drinks, such as "Highball", are actually mentioned in the book, which I found very exciting. These drinks reflect the state that America was in at the time of the prohibition, due to what ingredients were available or most commonly used, due to trade. Researching this was interesting because of how much I learned about America simply by researching the history of a substance that has killed many.

 

Bibliography

     "1920s Prohibition." 1920's Prohibition. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2016. <http://www.1920-30.com/prohibition/>.

 

     "Great Gatsby Cocktail Recipes: Drink like It's the 1920s." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2016. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10056693/Great-Gatsby-cocktail-recipes-drink-like-its-the-1920s.html>.

 

     "Prohibition." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/prohibition>.

 

     "Study.com -." Study.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2016. <http://study.com/academy/lesson/1920s-american-culture-city-life-values.html>.

     Whipps, By Heather. "Roaring Twenties." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 25 Aug. 2008. Web. 02 Feb. 2016. <http://www.livescience.com/5078-roaring-twenties-changed-world.html>.