Lost Generation

I'm quite happy actually. I'm happy because I got to do some more research on one of my favorite eras from american history: the 1920's. I aced this unit in APUSH so I was excited to do research on it.

Anyways, modernism in the 1920's is really interesting to me. It was a time of industrialization, a time of change, a time of new ideas and values. Long gone were the days of rural lifestyle, the place to be was the city. Screw community and family living, independence was the goal.Forget the farms, the stock market was where the real money was at. Modernism was embraced by many but modernism was also rejected and frowned upon by many.

One such group that were disillusioned with all the changes were the writers of the lost generation. Ernest hemingway made the bold statement "You are all a lost generation." Many other writers of the time believed in this such as F Scott Fitzgerald. The disillusionment of all these writers were because of "the lack of purpose or drive resulting from the horrific disillusionment felt by those who grew up and lived through the war, and were then in their twenties and thirties. Having seen pointless death on such a huge scale, many lost faith in traditional values like courage, patriotism, and masculinity." (O'Connor, university of oxford)

The lost generation is important. Some of the most influential and praised books were a product of the writers of the lost generation. The Great Gatsby and a Farewell to Arms are both essential pieces of american literature. I'm excited to read the Great Gatsby.