Introduction to the Literature of the Jazz Age

These flashcards cover key terms, concepts, and figures related to the literature and culture of the Jazz Age, particularly focusing on F. Scott Fitzgerald's works and the broader context of the 1920s.

Jazz Age

A term coined by F. Scott Fitzgerald referring to the cultural period of the 1920s known for its jazz music, flappers, and prosperity.

Prohibition

The legal ban on the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol in the U.S. from 1920 to 1933, enforced by the Eighteenth Amendment.

The Great Migration

The movement of over six million African Americans from the rural South to cities in the North for better opportunities.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

An American novelist and short story writer, widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the twentieth century.

Modernism

A literary and artistic movement reacting against traditional forms, emphasizing new techniques and perspectives.

Flapper

A young woman in the 1920s who challenged social norms through her fashion and behavior, often associated with jazz culture.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement in the 1920s centered in Harlem, NYC, celebrating African American literature, music, and art.

Golden Age of Jazz

A period in the 1920s characterized by the rise of jazz music, popular among American youth and defining the cultural era.

American Dream

The national ethos of the United States, promising freedom and the opportunity for prosperity and success.

Bootlegging

The illegal production and distribution of alcohol during Prohibition.

Suffrage Movement

The fight to grant women the right to vote, culminating in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

Eighteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that instituted Prohibition, banning alcohol in the United States.

Nineteenth Amendment

The amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote.

Critical Reading

Analytical reading that involves understanding and evaluating the text's meaning and purpose.

Social Class

A division of people based on social and economic status.

Urbanization

The process by which more people move into urban areas, increasing the population density of cities.

Nick Carraway

The narrator of The Great Gatsby, representing a Midwestern perspective on the East Coast elite.

Jay Gatsby

The mysterious title character of Fitzgerald's novel, known for his lavish parties and tragic love for Daisy Buchanan.

Daisy Buchanan

A central character in The Great Gatsby, representing idealized beauty and the unattainable American Dream.

T.J. Eckleburg's Eyes

A symbol in The Great Gatsby, representing the moral neglect and social decay of American society.

Valley of Ashes

A desolate area in The Great Gatsby symbolizing the moral and social decay resulting from the uninhibited pursuit of wealth.

Al Capone

A notorious gangster of the 1920s, symbolizing the era's crime and chaos.

Cultural Criticism

A form of literary critique that examines cultural products within historical contexts.

Selfhood

The individual state of being oneself, particularly in the context of societal expectations.

Ragged Edge vs. Warm Center

A thematic exploration contrasting the moral emptiness of urban life with the stability of Midwestern values.

Flappers and Philosophers

A collection of Fitzgerald’s short stories that encapsulates the spirit of the Jazz Age.

Echoes of the Jazz Age

Fitzgerald's reflective essay discussing the complexities and legacies of the 1920s.

Langston Hughes

A leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance known for his poetry that celebrated African American culture.

Zora Neale Hurston

An influential author and anthropologist linked to the Harlem Renaissance, known for her works about Black folklore.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

A prominent poet of the 1920s, known for her feminist themes and use of traditional forms.

Georgia Douglas Johnson

A poet and playwright associated with the Harlem Renaissance, highlighted for her focus on women's issues.

H.L. Mencken

A journalist and cultural critic known for his satirical commentary on American society in the 1920s.

Cultural Revolutions

Significant social changes that occurred during the Jazz Age, reshaping norms around gender, race, and lifestyle.

Moral Hypocrisy

A theme in The Great Gatsby suggesting that characters often act immorally while believing themselves to be moral.

Jazz Clubs

Venues where jazz music was performed, integral to the music scene of the 1920s.

Speakeasies

Illicit bars that served alcohol during Prohibition, where jazz music thrived.

Dapper Gangsters

Stylish criminals in the 1920s, emblematic of the era's tumultuous social landscape.

Bourgeois Morality

A critique of the moral values held by the middle and upper classes during the Jazz Age.

American Mythology

The formation of narratives surrounding the American identity, often idealized and romanticized.

Surrealism

An artistic movement characterized by dream-like scenes and bizarre imagery.

Pecuniary Emulation

A term by Thorstein Veblen describing the aspirational pursuit of wealth to surpass others.

Conspicuous Leisure

The public display of leisure activities to signal social status.

Conspicuous Consumption

The act of buying expensive items to display wealth.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows more about a situation than the characters, creating a sense of tension.

Satire

A genre that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize or mock ideas and societal norms.

Epigraph

A quotation at the beginning of a literary work used to set a thematic agenda.

Intertextuality

The relationship between texts and how they reference or influence one another.

Narrative Perspective

The point of view from which a story is told, influencing how information is presented and interpreted.