The Modernest Period (1910-1945)
Introduction
The Modernism time period began in 1914 with the beginning of World War I. Optimism gave way to World War I due to the brutal and agonizing fighting of the war. Americans during this time originally believed that the war would only last a few months. However, the deadliness of the trench warfare soon became apparent and their dreams of a quick war were crushed. It was both a physically and psychologically difficult time for the American population. The country was left with a sense of disillusionment which was reflected throughout many author’s writings during this era.
Soon after the war, America went through a cultural and lifestyle revolution which became known as the “Roaring 20s. It brought in not only an economic boom and abundant wealth, but also restrictions such as the prohibition of alcohol. This led to an increase in illegal production and sell of liquor, the establishment of speakeasies, and the increase of gang activity and overall crime. The introduction of the Jazz Age was extremely controversial and brought about a less conservative era. A generation of young women called flappers redefined what was viewed as acceptable behavior and a new woman was born.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 would mark the end of a decade of excitement and prosperity. It would usher in the Great Depression and leave the majority of American people facing hardship and despair. Roosevelt’s New Deal would bring about an economic stimulus for the country through government spending. The bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 would bring about our participation in WWI and begin the recovery process for America.
World War I would mark the final severance from the medieval world. Many countries ruled by monarchies would become more democratic removing the connection to the medieval world. Modernism followed the medieval period and is defined as “an artistic rendering of the experience of modernity.” It would be the end of World War II in 1945 that would bring about the end of this time period as Americans wanted to return to the pre-war culture.
Soon after the war, America went through a cultural and lifestyle revolution which became known as the “Roaring 20s. It brought in not only an economic boom and abundant wealth, but also restrictions such as the prohibition of alcohol. This led to an increase in illegal production and sell of liquor, the establishment of speakeasies, and the increase of gang activity and overall crime. The introduction of the Jazz Age was extremely controversial and brought about a less conservative era. A generation of young women called flappers redefined what was viewed as acceptable behavior and a new woman was born.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 would mark the end of a decade of excitement and prosperity. It would usher in the Great Depression and leave the majority of American people facing hardship and despair. Roosevelt’s New Deal would bring about an economic stimulus for the country through government spending. The bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 would bring about our participation in WWI and begin the recovery process for America.
World War I would mark the final severance from the medieval world. Many countries ruled by monarchies would become more democratic removing the connection to the medieval world. Modernism followed the medieval period and is defined as “an artistic rendering of the experience of modernity.” It would be the end of World War II in 1945 that would bring about the end of this time period as Americans wanted to return to the pre-war culture.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He attended St. Paul Academy and was known as “bright, handsome, and ambitious boy (F. Scott Fitzgerald).” At the age of 13, Fitzgerald’s first piece of writing was published in the school newspaper. He was sent to the Newman School at the age of 15. There he met Father Sigourney Fay who saw his talent and encouraged him to pursue his writing. After he graduated, he attended Princeton University in New Jersey. He began his writing career at Princeton by writing scripts for Princeton’s musicals as well as stories for the Nassau Literary Magazine.
In 1917, he dropped out of school to join the U.S. Army after being placed on academic probation due to his focus on writing at the expense of other courses. Fitzgerald was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry and was assigned to a camp outside of Montgomery, Alabama. It was there that he met and fell in love with Zelda Sayre. The war ended before his deployment, so he moved to New York City with hopes to begin a career and convince Zelda to marry him. He quit his job a few months later and returned to St. Paul to write a novel. In 1920, Fitzgerald published a novel about love and greed known as This Side of Paradise. At the age of 24, F. Scott Fitzgerald |
became known as one of the country’s most promising young writers. A week after the publication of this book, he married Zelda and had a daughter, Frances Scott Fitzgerald, a year later. He was able to support his family by writing many short stories for popular publications such as The Saturday Evening Post and Esquire.
The Beautiful and Damned, Fitzgerald’s second novel was published in 1922. This helped to strengthen his status as “one of the great chroniclers and satirists of the culture of wealth, extravagance and ambition that emerged during the affluent 1920s (F. Scott Fitzgerald).”
F. Scott Fitzgerald moved to France in 1924 which was where he wrote his greatest novel, The Great Gatsby. This novel is described as a “beautiful lyricism, pitch-perfect portrayal of the Jazz Age, and a searching critique of materialism, love and the American Dream (F. Scott Fitzgerald). It was not until the 1950s and 1960s that it achieved its stature as the definitive portrait of the 1920s. It is also considered one of the greatest American novels ever written.
Fitzgerald’s life began to decline after he completed The Great Gatsby. He steadily progressed into alcoholism and suffered from writer’s block. His wife also suffered from mental health issues and was admitted into a mental health clinic in the 1930’s.
On December 21, 1940 F. Scott Fitzgerald died from a heart attack in Hollywood, California. Sadly, he died believing that he was a failure because none of his works received anything more than modest commercial or critical success during his lifetime. Since his death, he has gained the reputation as “one of the pre-eminent authors in the history of American literature due almost entirely to the enormous posthumous success of The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald).”
The Beautiful and Damned, Fitzgerald’s second novel was published in 1922. This helped to strengthen his status as “one of the great chroniclers and satirists of the culture of wealth, extravagance and ambition that emerged during the affluent 1920s (F. Scott Fitzgerald).”
F. Scott Fitzgerald moved to France in 1924 which was where he wrote his greatest novel, The Great Gatsby. This novel is described as a “beautiful lyricism, pitch-perfect portrayal of the Jazz Age, and a searching critique of materialism, love and the American Dream (F. Scott Fitzgerald). It was not until the 1950s and 1960s that it achieved its stature as the definitive portrait of the 1920s. It is also considered one of the greatest American novels ever written.
Fitzgerald’s life began to decline after he completed The Great Gatsby. He steadily progressed into alcoholism and suffered from writer’s block. His wife also suffered from mental health issues and was admitted into a mental health clinic in the 1930’s.
On December 21, 1940 F. Scott Fitzgerald died from a heart attack in Hollywood, California. Sadly, he died believing that he was a failure because none of his works received anything more than modest commercial or critical success during his lifetime. Since his death, he has gained the reputation as “one of the pre-eminent authors in the history of American literature due almost entirely to the enormous posthumous success of The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald).”
"F. Scott Fitzgerald." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017. Web. 04 May 2017.
Key Authors - Click on each work to explore further
- T.S. Elliot- "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
- Ezra Pound- "A Few Don'ts" and "In a Station of the Metro"
- William Carlos Williams - "The Red Wheelbarrow"
- Hilda Doolittle- "Heat"
- John Steinbeck- "The Turtle"
- Ernest Hemingway- "In Another Country"
- James Thurber- "The Night the Ghost Got In"
- Carl Sandburg - “Chicago” and “Grass”
- Robert Frost - “Birches,” “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” "Out, Out," and "Acainted with the Night"
Langston Hughes - “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “I, Too,” “Dream Variations,” and “Refugee in America”
F. Scott Fitzgerald- "Winter Dreams" and The Great Gatsby
- Ezra Pound- "A Few Don'ts" and "In a Station of the Metro"
- William Carlos Williams - "The Red Wheelbarrow"
- Hilda Doolittle- "Heat"
- John Steinbeck- "The Turtle"
- Ernest Hemingway- "In Another Country"
- James Thurber- "The Night the Ghost Got In"
- Carl Sandburg - “Chicago” and “Grass”
- Robert Frost - “Birches,” “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” "Out, Out," and "Acainted with the Night"
Langston Hughes - “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “I, Too,” “Dream Variations,” and “Refugee in America”
F. Scott Fitzgerald- "Winter Dreams" and The Great Gatsby
Literary Themes
As a result of World War I, American optimism gave way due to the brutal and agonizing impact of war. The country was left with a sense of dissillusionment which was reflected throughout may author's writings during this era. The literary themes included loneliness, dissappointment, and hardship, propelled by the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Many American's dreams were tragically lost and uncertainty of the future existed. This would usher in the Great Depression and leave the majority of American people facing despair. Modernist authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway would use fragmentation in their writings to provide perspective and understanding and attempt to accurately reflect the feelings of American people during this time.