The Swanky Entertainment called Dance

by Royce Le

            Along with the new addition to the jazz in American culture, there were evolutions of dances also that characterized the Modernist era. The new melodies were fast paced, thus the dances followed suit. The dances were a way for people to express themselves and release pent-up emotions and negative influences from the war, thus acted as a catalyst for making people feel better.

            Back in the 1920s, the older and more conservative generations were opposed to the Jazz era, but, the younger generations reveled in this era and the fast tempo music, thus the creation of intimacy in dances. In the early 1900s, the Tango and the Waltz were considered promiscuous since they involved physical touch between both partners, but, as jazz took off, the intimacy between partners became a social norm.

                                                                        To the left and right are images of the Lindy Hop, a dance named after the great Charles Lindbergh, also nicknamed Lucky Lindy for his skillful and lucky solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. His flight inspired the first dance to have aspects where dance partners are thrown into the air and where there are multiple jumping sequences.

            People looked at the new inspiring dances in movies, listened to steps through phonographs and radio records in order to practice the new dances before showcasing their moves in the clubs or dance floors. Dance became essential to every party and entertainment centers.  Dances were starting to be taught in schools and were used by churches in order to attract people to one another. Dances invented were Foxtrot, Square dance, and the most famous that epitomizes this era being the Charleston.

To the right is an image of the Charleston dance ad for a

Club. According to Comlumbia University Press, “The

Charleston is characterized by outward heel kicks

combined with an up and down movement achieved by

bending and straightening the knees in time to the music”.

 The steps are thought to have originated with the blacks

living on a small island near Charleston, S.C. Performed

 in Charleston as early as 1903.

            

             All-in-all, the dances were used to entertain, to express, and to help carve out the way many people lived during the Modernist Era. The impacts of the invention of these dances are the set foundation for couple dancing during today’s time and age. The dances have really transformed how youth express themselves for now arms, legs, and bodies were tossed in the air with the thought of reckless abandonment and a new ideology of optimism was set for new generations to come and live by.

I Finally Got To Vote

Women's Roles

I Finally Got To Vote

The Right of a Woman

By Hiren Ajudia

           

            When the day had finally come, her happiness knew no bounds. She had completed her daily chores with a prompt enthusiasm and had managed to finish in little less than two hours. Scrubbing the soup pan had tired her hands, but she could not feel any pain, for her mind was envisioning the future. How is the paper going to feel in my hand? Will I see Suzie there? She had worn her best blouse and hoped that she could wear it with pride later that afternoon.  In the years past, she had gotten her son ready for this occasion, but it was finally her turn. She was going to do the same this year.

            As she made her way out of her home and locked her door, she saw all the women in her neighborhood doing the same. She noticed how Ms. Smith had worn her favorite hat and how Ms. Howards had adorned her daughter and was bring her along. As she made her way to her companions, she felt a stab of nostalgia hit her like a brick—in the past she had her friends had walked the same streets with the same sense of dedication; however, their purposes had been different. In the past, heavy signs and boards were in their clutches, but now they had beautiful purses by their side. After a long 100 years, it was finally our chance to be in charge.

            Today, she saw in her mind those words which had changed her life. She was one of the millions of women who had finally gotten a chance to voice their opinions.  She had been tired of being told what she could do and what she couldn’t; she had enough of just being shafted and forced to sit in the corner while her husband and son discussed government. She had often heard her husband curse elected politicians and their actions, but now was her chance to fix that. As she and her friends reached the venue, she could hear the cries of excitement coming from the others just like her. After seeing the posters and the politicians, her blood was fueled with nothing but adrenaline. The time had finally come. Those hard months of rallying and collecting support was finally going to pay off.

We see the narrator and her two friends Ms. Smith and Ms. Howards casting their vote after they were given full rights with the passing of the 19th amendment.

            She was lead to a line with eager women in front of her. One by one, they were taken to a table with a slice of paper and a wooden box. As each woman smiled from ear to ear, they quickly folded their paper and slide it into the box. When it was finally her turn, she quickly picked up her pen and made a giant circle on her paper. The cold paper had been so soft that it could have been easily lost. As she picked it up and slide it into the slit on the box, her excitement could not be contained at all.

            She finally voted.

           

The Cat's Meow: The Roaring Twenties

          By Royce Le

          The Roaring Twenties started with an economic struggle from its transition back to peacetime after World War I. During War World I and after, there were multiple labor union strikes. Those strikes were in hopes of bringing prosperity to the classes, to the economy, and to every individual. The largest strikes were the Seattle General Strike and the Steel Strike which took place in 1919. By 1922, there were compromises and the economy started to ascend to greatness and started to really live up to what we know now as the Roaring Twenties.
           The Roaring Twenties was famously known for being the epitome of surplus wealth due to the famous piece of literature known as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The root causes of this success

 To the right is the cover to the book written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Initially, when the book was published, the book did not get much limelight and was even criticized and condemned by the people during this era. It was only after Fitzgerald's death that people saw the beauty in the rough. The novel clearly depicted the Roaring Twenties and the life in which Fitzgerald immersed himself in. In today's society, we can see this book used in multiple classrooms in the purpose of teaching about the Roaring Twenties, how life was like compared to today, and the American Dream. Overall, this book was inspirational and did not only paint the picture of that age, but attached itself to whoever read the book.

mainly stemmed from the advantages of new technological advances, which were the development of electricity, the assembly line, the phonograph, and more. From here, employers were able to mass-produce and create surplus items, thus decreasing the prices for certain products. Moreover, there was the invention of investment buying which helped those who did not make much money to pay off the items in increments and intervals rather than paying full price at once. Through these processes, money flowed through the economy and businesses, individuals, families, and all the classes flourished. Sadly, the agricultural business and the rural side of this era were left in the ashes and suffered great. This economic boom would see light only until the 1930s where the "money" which never existed in the first place took its toll on America's economy and left them with a devastating Great Depression. Overall, the Roaring Twenties was the symbol and could even be looked as the goal America wants to achieve again with all its inventions, economic wealth, and success. Now in our day and age, we just need to figure out how to get there and keep our economy there.

Um, I am Lost. Can You Help Me?

Part III

Um, I am Lost. Can You Help Me?

American Literature and How They Got Lost

By Hiren Ajudia

What does it feel like to be lost? Remember as a child how searching up and down every aisle for your parents at the store would give you the jitters? How about going in circles on the road? Is the considered lost as well? During math class, how lost do you get when learning some new concept? Luckily for us, there was always a solution to get on the right track—Lost at the store? Go to the service desk; Lost on the road? Pull over and ask a stranger for directions; Lost in class? Talk to your teacher and get extra help. Our lives never presented us with more severe and extreme situations then this when we were unable to be found. Not all times have been as simple as today. War World I, for instance was a time that Americans were faced with fear, desolation, separation. As the world transitioned into the Modern period during 1914-1945, not everyone was able to make this movement smoothly. For some, the war had shattered their beliefs and made them question everything going on around them. Many individuals had become truly lost, and were not able to find themselves and the reason for their existence in the highly materialistic lifestyle unfolding around them.  For them, the war was no small deal—lives were lost and many people felt they were responsible. Where were they to turn for help? One of the places where people could find comfort and solace was in their writing. The lost generation was the time period where writers active following the World War emerged. This thought that people were missing was voiced by a man names Gertrude Stein when he used the phrase “You are all a lost generation.”  The time period was marked by the feeling that writers shared of disaster resulted in feelings of lost values, lost belief in the human progress, and sought the meaning of life. In order to numb their feelings of betrayal and disaster, people often found themselves caught up with activities like extra marital affairs and excessive drinking to cope with their stress.  Some of the major artists which came from this time period include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Ezra Pound, Waldo Peirce, and Sherwood Anderson.  The themes highlighted in the works of these authors including The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis are all about youthful idealism and the main characters sought the meaning of life.

Gatsby maybe a tale of a rich man, but Ms. Juarez's Ap Students know the truth behind the glitz and glamor. Not everything that sparkles is gold, and not all gold sparkles. The pain that Gatsby experiences is masked by his wealth, but it still persists in his heart.

            The Great Gatsby, which is an iconic work of literature, shows a world of glitz and glamor, but it also shows that behind that all is pain and unanswered questions. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the story helps portray the spirit of the “Jazz Age” which he himself described as “The greatest, gaudiest spree in history.” Today, we think of the Jazz age as an attractive and charming lifestyle full with legendary partiers and artistic ambitions, but in reality it was also drinking, romance, tragedy and recklessness. In the book, readers find themselves reading about the crash of the American dream, and the circulating greed and corruption. The America dream inspired people from all over the world to come and witness the miracles of the American economy.  People came to prosper, but along the way, they found themselves picking up other habits as well. Protagonist Gatsby is a member of the war, and upon coming back, he decides that he would reach the top of the status ladder no matter what it takes in order to impress his lady friend, Daisy. “Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate about being peasantry” and to reach to the top, Gatsby finds himself affiliated with dangerous men and illegal activities. In the dog eat dog world, it is seen that no one is spared of greed and selfishness.  However, both Gatsby’s dream and the American dream is shattered when Daisy choose greed and pride over Gatsby.  The easy society and fall of moral values corrupted the dream which started off very correctly. This was representative of America’s desire to prosper which cost the world its unique environment and resources.

           

Given into intoxicating drinks, Jake and his friends give up their environment and are scared by the dangers of the war. They question each step of life to see how they can cope with their stress.

            In his book, The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway portrays the lifestyle of a post-war disillusionment lifestyle in addition to excessive drinking and false relationships.  As seen in the passage, the book’s characters have lost connection to what is the truth around them. “You're an expatriate. You've lost touch with the soil. You get precious. Fake European standards have ruined you. You drink yourself to death. You become obsessed by sex. You spend all your time talking, not working. You are an expatriate, see? You hang around cafes. (Hemingway 120).” Coming directly from the war, Jake and his friends experience the loss of faith, and distrust in life and society. Unlike before, the group finds nothing worthwhile to do because the war altered their beliefs and resort to activities like drinking, dancing, and other forms of time wasting. In order to wipe out their memories of the war, the men find themselves prone to drinking but that is still not able to distract them from the damage cause by the war. In terms of false friendships, the story shows the journey of Jake and how he tried to connect with different people but is not able to do so, and does not even show the slightest hint of regret when he is unable to fulfill his responsibilities as a friend. Throughout the entire story, the characters are fighting against their relationships with each other and their definition of love because the war had a profound impact on their sense of logic and understanding of the world.

            Although the time has passed, these and many other sources in literature help connect the people of today with the themes and lifestyles of the people in the past.

Empathizing with the Economic Slump

by Royce Le

          Industrialization took a big blunder when they made a few bad economic choices that lead to the Great Depression. Around 1929, the Stock Market crashed and the Great Depression era started and was essentially the most depressing, drawn out, and severe economic downfall the U.S has experienced in history. The Stock Market crash was primarily due to overproduction, inflation, and the development of investment buying. People bought products such as ovens, lamps, music players, and refrigerators through investments of low prices such as one dollar each week. People essentially spent money that was never there; when they lost their jobs, companies lost money since their consumers could not pay them back. Thus lead to this whole domino effect that made prices increase, production to slow down, business started to close, people losing their jobs, and the whole depression cycle. Banks ultimately could not hand loans out anymore, consumers could not buy products, businesses could not function, and everything seemed to retrograde from there, trades with other countries suffered, thus not only did the U.S experience this depression factor, but other countries as well.

       

 To the left we see a picture of children picketing on the streets for their parent’s jobs. It was common to see children during this era to wander the streets selling items, asking for jobs, or picketing. This still occurs in third world countries today such as Vietnam, Thailand, and India. 

     

In taking a closer look at the effects on Americans, many workers lost their jobs, many companies went bankrupt and were forces to closed, and many family bonds were broken due to the issue of money.  According to a an article produced from Illinois University, “The result was drastically falling output and drastically rising unemployment; by 1932, U.S. manufacturing output had fallen to 54 percent of its 1929 level, and unemployment had risen to between 12 and 15 million workers, or 25-30 percent of the work force.” This statistic essentially depicts the impacts and the sorrow that many U.S citizens faced during the Great Depression. But instead of the effects on the citizens and businesses, one of the essential results was the transformation of government in this era for the Great Depression really tested and put the government on the hot spot for they were the ones in charge to decide the future of America. Thus why “the Great Depression is often called a ‘defining moment’ in the twentieth-century history of the United States” according to the Library of Economics Liberty. All in all, the Great Depression defied the American Dream and put a cruel burden on the citizens of America, but none the less, the federal government was transforming and have eventually led the way to new economic future where individuals and society can reach new economic dreams and endeavors that correlate with the American Dream.

The Changing World Of Fashion

Fashion 2

The Changing World Of Fashion

The Twenties and the Impact It Had

By Hiren Ajudia

Lucy Hale, A.k.a. Aria is enjoying her Halloween Party in a beautiful Flapper Dress. Look at that stunning head piece!

            At almost every costume party, we see at least one person in a very shinny and sparkly dress. We always think, where did they pick up their head piece? The dress accompanied with a matching head piece, long dangly jewelry and unusual patterns have been able to impress the critics with ease since they first appeared on the market dating back to the twenties. These dresses have been so popular that we recently saw popular actress Lucy Hale sporting a similar fashioned garment in the Pretty Little Liars Halloween special last October. 

            Back in the day, when the Jazz Age had just begun, women had taken a look at their wardrobes and demanded a change. Tired of the Victorian era clothing and old-fashioned clothing, women welcomed this new apparel and life style with open arms.. The Jazz Era had brought with it defiance to regulation, and that was clearly reflecting in the personalities of the women. Gone were the days of shame and corsets, and the true birth of the female known today was born—one with make-up, smoking habits and party goers. The aftermath of the war had caused society to relook their roles and responsibilities. As a result of the war, the social customs and morals were more relaxed then they had been in the past. As women began to pick up new jobs in society, their clothing changed as well. Previous to the war, women were limited to clothes that were more conservative in nature. Today, wearing a skirt may seem like a norm, but during that time it was an entirely different situation. As the war progressed, women had to often pick up after males in the work force, but the ending was an immediate reminder that women were not like men at all. They had a wooing figure, and other enticing features which had been covered for way too long.

            During the 1920s, clothing styles transitioned to show the real figures of women. Women freed themselves from the constricting clothing and began to wear clothing based on comfort. Men had been given the opportunity to freely wear pants, and they seemed rather comfortable as well, so now it was time for the women to give that a try.  Dresses were made with a close fit and with less material to reveal the youthful body that women had. Flapper styles of short skirts, low waistlines, and bobber hair lasted throughout the 1920s. The Victorian locks in the previous time period found themselves on the saloon floors as women began to cut their hair to fit under fashionable hats and other accessories.

            The need for recognition and the women’s rights movements also played a part in the fashion trends of the day. To create awareness and equality between both the male and female sex to add momentum to their rights movement, many women opted for the boyish look. People got to witness devices to help flatten chests, and hips, short hair styles became a popular thing, and so did shorts and trousers. This was all done to show the world how difficult it must have been to cope with sexual discrimination, but at the same time it opened new doors for the women in that time period and their wardrobes. Sure it must have been different at first, but eventually these changes have set the standard for fashion.

Different styles of flapper dresses were ready for different personalities. Different accessories were a part of each dress to make it seem unique. Here we see three different types of flappers.

            In the modern day, we see a boy cut on countless females with pride. Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway, and many more.  All inspired by this wonderful time period.

Prohibition: Progressivism taken one step too far

Yes, the Progressive Movement did a lot to change American life for the better.  Significant improvements were made in all of life’s arenas.  But in terms of prohibition, things were taken too far.

It was wishful thinking:  no one could have seriously believed that making alcohol consumption illegal would have radically made Americans decided “Hey, so I know it was legal on Monday and everything, but now since it’s Tuesday and it’s illegal, I probably shouldn’t drink.”  Habits aren’t broken that easily, especially not ones that “relieve pain,” no matter how temporary the relief.

Those who believed prohibition would be successful were incredibly shortsighted.  They put the blame on the saloonkeepers: of course saloonkeepers were the ones convincing Americans drinking was essential.  As soon as the 18^th Amendment put them out of business, Americans would be free to chose not to drink!  Seriously, were we that naïve?

American gangster Al Capone (1899 - 1947).  These gangsters were people who recognized the high demand for alcohol and well as the extremely limited avenues of supply to the average citizen. Within this imbalance of supply and demand, gangsters saw profit.

And of course the drinking businesses wouldn’t put up a fight.  It was like the people whose income came from the drinking industry were expected have a sudden epiphany: “O snap, I can’t sell alcohol anymore because it’s illegal.  Better look for a whole new career.”  No, this was not likely. The term “back-fire” would pretty much do the whole plan justice.  Instead of ridding America of alcohol and the resulting abuse that was wracking families, the illegalization of alcohol prompted the creation of a whole new area of crime.  In fact, even though the sale of alcohol was illegal, alcohol beverages were still readily available at “speakeasies” and other underground drinking establishments.  In addition, many people kept private bars. Large quantities of alcohol were smuggled in from Canada. Further, the Volstead acted permitted the consumption of alcohol for medicinal purposes.  It should be no surprise that the number of prescriptions for alcohol was incredibly high…In fact, over a million gallons were consumed per year through freely given prescriptions.

So far, what has prohibition accomplished?  Let’s see:  (1) it hasn’t greatly reduced alcohol consumption; (2) it has provided a gateway to lucrative opportunities for organized crime.  Could it be any less effective?  Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that numerous politicians and other prominent citizens later admitted to having used alcohol during this time.  President Harding, for example, kept the White House stocked with bootleg liquor (although he had voted for prohibition as a senator.  Hey, people are allowed to change their minds…).  Although it may have been somewhat successful in certain parts of the country, for the most part prohibition led to an increase in lawlessness. 

So, in summary, the best part of prohibition was that it was repealed by the 21^st Amendment in 1933.