Good Times, Good Times...

World War 1 had a profound impact on the world and brought success and expansion to America; it instilled a new confidence and patriotism in the American people. This brought America into one of its greatest eras—the Roaring Twenties, also known as the Jazz Age. This era benefited all corners of the American society and brought economical and political advancements, as well as literary inspiration.

However, what directly caused this sudden economic prosperity? It can be mainly attributed to the highly active consumer market after the Great War and their investments in stocks. The 1920s was now a period where it was not uncommon to own a car, radio, telephone, and other luxuries that previously were only owned by the upper class. In class, we looked at a few ads which advertised useless products such as car curtains; this depicts the wealth among Americans and their desires to buy fancy, unnecessary things. Although, the Americans should be careful around this time because this excess wealth brought upon stability, pride, overconfidence, and then arrogance; this success foreshadowed the most tragic economic collapse known as the Great Depression.

Another improvement that was established during the Jazz Age was the 19^th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. This brought a major change in the role and importance of women in the society; the political equality that women sought for centuries was finally granted in the United States. The “new woman”, also known as the flapper, emerged and depicted their newfound independence and confidence in making an impact in society, both politically and socially.

All of this change broke traditional values and began a new era in literature—modernism. Many writers were inspired by this dynamic change to show their view of the changing views and traditions during the Jazz Age. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald exemplifies this period of wealth in the setting of The Great Gatsby through the character of the affluent Jay Gatsby.  The luxuries and freedoms enjoyed during the Roaring Twenties were taken for granted, but in the meantime it inspired many great Modernist contributions to American literature.

Punctuation.?!

“Evaluate the significance of punctuation.”

I’m sure that a great percentage of people asked that question would respond that punctuation is very important and adds emotion, meaning, and clear expression of thought in a piece of writing. I would too. We’ve been using it since kindergarten and we can’t really find anything wrong with it because it is ingrained in our formal writing style. I mean what is punctuation? It’s a variety of symbols that indicate a pause, separation of ideas, and even a continuation of an idea. It was made to help deliver a writer’s thought clearly without misunderstandings, like “lets eat grandma” instead of “let’s eat, grandma!” However, it is obvious that no one wants the complete eradication of punctuation; the opposition only gives a lower value to punctuation. Lewis Thomas describes the usefulness of each main symbol of punctuation and states that “there are no precise rules about punctuation.” Why then, do I get marked down on an essay for not having correct punctuation? The simple answer is that incorrect usage of punctuation can negatively impact your writing and its meaning. You aren’t controlled by punctuation, but you can use punctuation however you want to express your ideas and emotions. I hate to see “fights” regarding this “very sensitive” topic. If I didn’t use quotation marks in the previous sentence, you might not have sensed my sarcasm. (That example was a joke, please don’t hurt me) Unfortunately, we can’t come to a compromise in this debate and the answer isn’t “Why not both?” But in all seriousness, I believe that punctuation isn’t something to be toyed with because using it correctly effectively conveys a common message to be understood by both the readers and the writer.

Intolerance and Inequality

Intolerance and Inequality

            Puritans are infamous for their intolerance in religious and societal matters. They came to the New World in order to set up their “City Upon a Hill.” They came to the New World in order to practice their own religion freely, yet it’s ironic that they persecuted others that didn’t follow Puritan beliefs—the kind of behavior that they ran away from England. Although the Puritans aren’t completely bad, Nathaniel Hawthorne highlights the bad qualities and shows the absurdity of some Puritan beliefs in The Scarlet Letter. He wants the readers to sympathize for Hester Prynne and Pearl, and look upon the Puritan society, even Dimmesdale, with disappointment.

            Hawthorne negatively portrays Puritan intolerance and hypocrisy in The Scarlet Letter. The townspeople ostracize Hester for the adultery she committed, yet refuse to accept that Reverend Dimmesdale took part in the same sin due to his high status and religious knowledge. This shows the inequality of the townspeople regarding this sin. The Puritans punish Hester, but cannot even think of giving a punishment to Dimmesdale; mainly because she is a woman and that her identity is shaped solely by her virginity and actions. Hester is publicly shamed, but she endures the scarlet letter on her chest with fortitude, yet Dimmesdale bears his scarlet letter beneath his ministerial robes as a secret from the Puritan society to avoid judgement and punishment.   

            Hawthorne illustrates the inequality faced by Puritan women in the 1600s, which is still in a way applicable to what women face today. Women were treated as an inferior kind in all places, even in the United States, until the major advancements in women’s rights in the 20^th century. Women were given the right to vote, right to work a “man’s job” and even run in elections for positions like governors and even presidents; however, it confuses me as to why women do not have equal rights and are forced to grow in the shadow of a man. Many mistakenly argue that women have not taken equal responsibility, so they don’t have equal rights; this is wrong because women, in reality, actually have more responsibility than men in some cases, like raising children and keeping a job. So do they need more rights? I think, at least in the United States, that women have been given the same rights as men. The main problem lies in the ingrained preconceptions of society that men are superior to men. If we somehow peacefully put away these notions, forget what the Puritans followed, and listen to Hawthorne’s morals in The Scarlet Letter, it is possible for women to be truly equal to men.

Status, Status, Status

Your status in the social hierarchy determines a lot about you: your wealth, character, and credibility. Most of us try everyday to keep our reputation and status high among society. Why do we give so much importance to this concept of status when it actually may be a disadvantage to you? A higher status means higher expectations from society. This means that if you are to do something wrong while having a reputable status, you will have a harsher aftermath compared to the same sin done by one who has a lower status.

In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester has committed adultery with Dimmesdale, dooming her to wear a scarlet “A”—an indelible mark for her unforgivable sin in the intolerant Puritan society. She is forced upon the scaffold to bear the shame of her mistake and is ostracized from the Puritan people; however, she has confessed her sin. On the other hand, Dimmesdale has kept his identity as the adulterer of Hester a secret. As a priest, Dimmesdale has a very high social status among the Puritan people, and he is thought of as one who wouldn’t make mistakes. As a result, he has a lot of pressure to make the choice of whether or not to confess his sin. Later on, Dimmesdale suffers from an illness most likely caused by the severe inner turmoil he is going through. He knows that if he confesses, the Puritan people would leave no mercy for him. Dimmesdale’s reputable status gives him a disadvantage compared to Hester’s case.

This concept also applies in current events as well. When Bill Clinton was found guilty of having an affair with Monica Lewinsky, he was given all the spotlight of infamy, while Monica Lewinsky wasn’t as heavily accused. Clinton was removed from office and had an imaginary letter “A” to wear on his chest.

Status does play a huge role in our lives, but this doesn’t mean we should place huge significance on it. After all, it is a weakness.