Bindu 1

Yamuna Bindu

1833185

4ENGH

Prof. Diviya

American Literatures II (BENG431)

Part 1

The Jazz Age

The Jazz Age refers to a period in the United States from the 1920s to the 1930s, when jazz

music and dance became extremely popular in America. Also called the ‘Roaring Twenties’,

this decade was a period of prosperity in terms of economics and culture for America. The term

‘Jazz Age’ was coined by celebrated author F. Scott Fitzgerald, who published a collection of

short stories called Tales of the Jazz Age in 1922. One reason why Jazz music catapulted into

popularity is because it broke every rule and opened up a new form of expression – this

approach was reflected in every corner of the society during this era, from literature to fashion.

The effect of the Jazz Age was felt not just in America, but across the world, in major cities

like Berlin, London, Paris and Sydney – in France, it was called the ‘crazy years’ (années

folles).

Music

Jazz became the dominant genre of music that Americans listened to. Originating in the

African-American communities of New Orleans, Jazz has its roots in blues, Creole music and

ragtime. The classic rhythm and swing notes of jazz music were mainly played on instruments

like the saxophone, the trumpet and trombone, accompanied by the piano and the guitar. The
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vocals had call and response characteristics and the musicians often improvised on the spot

with the bluesy swing notes and polyrhythms, giving jazz music a new sound that the world

had never heard before. Although many white Americans were initially dismissive of Jazz,

since it did not follow the rules of traditional music theory, the amount of freedom jazz gave

its musicians was the main reason it became overwhelmingly popular. Some famous jazz

musicians include Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie

Holiday, Nat King Cole and John Coltrane.

Dance

The public went crazy for dancing in the twenties, with dance clubs appearing everywhere in

the country. The foxtrot, waltz, the Breakaway, the Swing dances and variations of the tango

emerged as mainstream styles that people indulged in.

Literature

The Jazz Age saw two predominant movements in literature – the Lost Generation, which was

a group of US expatriates who settled in Paris, and the Harlem Renaissance, an African-

American cultural awakening based in Harlem, New York.

After World War I, most American writers chose to stay in New York City, Paris or London.

The most famous in this generation of writers is F Scott Fitzgerald, author of one of the most

defining books of the era, The Great Gatsby, that captured perfectly the fashionable and

extravagant parties that took place in the Roaring Twenties. He was considered to be a part of

the Lost Generation, a group of young authors who came out of the First World War with a

new cynical and disillusioned view about the world. Ernest Hemingway’s Farewell to Arms

and The Sun Also Rises characterised this hopelessness experienced by expatriates after the

war.
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Another important figure of this time was Langston Hughes, a pioneer of the Harlem

Renaissance, a movement that helped African Americans gain control over the representation

of their roots and culture in Western literature and art. His poetry encapsulated the rhythms of

jazz music and promoted ideas of race equality.

Art, Fashion and Architecture

The Art Deco movement (style modern), a movement in art, design and architecture that

emphasized on bold and clear colours, lines and patters, developed in the twenties. Artists

derived inspiration from the simple and geometric styles of early twentieth century modern art

movements like Cubism. Expressionism and Surrealism also found its way into art in the

twenties. The fashion in the Roaring Twenties is considered to be iconic even now, with the

loose flapper dresses in bright colours, stylish bobs, glittery headbands and hats.

Prohibition

It was in the 1920s that many countries around the world, including the US, made illegal the

manufacture and trade of alcohol to reduce the unruliness caused by alcohol-addled citizens.

There were violent protests against the prohibition and illegal bars called speakeasies appeared

across the country selling alcohol by bribing the officers who were in charge.

Part 2.

Quote 1 - Response

The quote is from “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by F Scott Fitzgerald, published in

his collection of short stories called The Tales of the Jazz Age. The story follows the life of

Benjamin Button, who is born at the age of eighty, fully capable of sane thought and speech,

and ages backwards with every passing year.

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It may seem like the story focuses on a rare and hilarious case of reverse aging, but the story

also deals with the connection age has with identity. It is undeniable that people judge us based

on how old we are, and more specifically, how old we look. In this way, our appearance has a

lot to do with how we are perceived in society. The experiences we have lived through

determines how well-equipped we are to deal with the world. Benjamin is living the life many

people long for after they have reached a certain age – to have acquired money and security in

a short span of time, and to retire when you are physically young and healthy, free to do

whatever he wants to do.

It also posits the question of how age changes us. As we grow wearier of the world and the

people in it, our body too starts slowing down, and we find ourselves unable to do the things

we used to love doing. One interesting aspect that the story takes into consideration is the

question of how ageing works biologically – when Benjamin grows younger and inches

towards physical adolescence, he experiences the temperamentality and mood swings that

teenagers usually go through. The fluctuation of hormones and instability of thought that comes

with the age have not just to do with mental maturity but also the biological functions of growth.

The scene is set in a party that is typical of the Jazz Age, with vivid dancing and music. The

way Fitzgerald portrays with synesthetic clarity the sounds and colours of the Roaring

Twenties, with detailed descriptions of the clothing, accessories and speech that characterised

that era. This quote is taken from the chapter where a young (physically old) Benjamin meets

his future wife, Hildegarde Moncrief, who professes her preferences for older, mature men.

Benjamin marries her shortly, but later, as he grows younger and she ages, gets bored with her.

We can see many men abandoning their wives after they lose their beauty with age, and even

though in this case it is different, men have a tendency to use and throw women, knowing full

well that there will be young women out there as replacements.

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Something notable throughout the work is how Fitzgerald has portrayed the upper-class

society. Even though Benjamin’s condition is decidedly strange and a matter of medical

concern, no one quite addresses it that way – all Roger Button cares about is how it would

affect his stand in society. Even the doctors who deliver the baby are shocked about it, and

instead of scientific curiosity, all they express is concern for the reputation of their medical

practice. Fitzgerald implies here how society often does not care about the well-being of its

members, and will accommodate itself to any absurdity without question as long as it does not

affect their luxuries and social standing.

Citations

“Chapter 21: Literature in the Jazz Age”. American Literature. Classzone.com. pp 664-665.

https://sdshs.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2011/9/2/53895612/Ch_21%20-

%20American%20Litertature%20in%20the%20Jazz%20Age.pdf\

“The Jazz Age: Fashion and Slang”. study.com https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-jazz-age-

fashion-slang.html

Fitzgerald, F Scott. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”. The Tales of The Jazz Age. New

York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1922. Lit2Go.

https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/224/tales-of-the-jazz-age/5770/the-curious-case-of-benjamin-

button/
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