Month: November 2023

In Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, the main character, Jay Gatsby, has an elusive and undefined nature about him. He claims to be the son of a wealthy family in the Midwest (all of which are dead), and this is how he acquired his fortune.

Gatsby invites Nick Caraway to lunch, and here it becomes evident that he is in some shady business. While at lunch, Meyer Wolfsheim turned to Nick and said, “I understand you’re looking for a business gonnegtion.”. Gatsby quickly answered for Nick, saying Wolfsheim had the wrong man. Instead of questioning this further, Wolfsheim immediately drops the subject and begins to eat. By taking great caution not to openly discuss their “business”, Gatsby and Wolfsheim reveal that their business dealings are secretive and likely illicit.

In addition to learning that Gatsby is likely involved in illegal business, after doing some research Tom Buchanan finds out that Gatsby owns drug stores that sell alcohol discreetly. Tom points this out as the group begins their infamous drive to New York City, stating that if his car runs out of gas he “can stop at a drugstore. You can buy anything at a drugstore nowadays.” This remark from Tom is a subtle dig at Gatsby’s implied involvement in bootlegging.

The final piece of the Gatsby puzzle comes towards the end of the novel, where Gatsby’s father solidifies the truth about his upbringing. Throughout the novel we learn that his parents were “shiftless farms people” and Gatsby, or James Gatz, had always dreamed of a grander life. He had ran away from home at 17 and reinvented himself with a yachter, Dan Cody. He eventually met Daisy before leaving for WWI and losing her to Tom Buchanan. While we know that he tragically doesn’t realize his dream of reconnecting with Daisy and eventually dies, there still seems to be something missing about the analysis of his character. Nick hints to the qualities of Gatsby, and maybe it’s his extraordinary hope that makes it feel like there is something more to Gatsby than what we will ever know.

“Dressed to Kill: Consumption, Style, and the Gangster.” Inventing the Public Enemy: The Gangster in American Culture, 1918-1934. Ruth, David,   University of Chicago Press, 1996. 

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[BOOK CHAPTER]This book chapter from “Dressed to Kill: Consumption, Style, and the Gangster.” Inventing the Public Enemy: The Gangster in American Culture, 1918-1934  by David Ruth shows the correlation between gangsters and the wealth they amass being represented through consumerism. “Along with fashionable attire the gangster acquired other possessions that marked him as an exemplar of consumption. Whether he lived in a traditionally furnished mansion or an ultramodern penthouse, the gangster surrounded himself with a wealth of goods” (Ruth). Ruth highlights the gangster’s use of material wealth as a means of displaying the prominence and success of their gangster activities and the societal implications of consumerism during the gangster era. These focuses can be used to identify the role that criminal activities played in the gangster’s ability to amass wealth, as well as understand the motives and effects of the criminal activity. 

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The Bootlegging Business: An Economic Analysis of Organized Crime During Prohibition, Nicole, Leslie, Logan University of Tennessee – Knoxville, Spring 4-1999

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[ARTICLE]This article titled The Bootlegging Business: An Economic Analysis of Organized Crime During Prohibition by Leslie Nicole  provides insight into bootlegging and the gangster figures of the Prohibition Era, and whether or not they used economic patterns in establishing the lucrative trade of illicit liquor. The analysis argues for and shows a linkage between business practices of the time and criminal activities pursued by organized crime rings as they relate to bootlegging. “The analysis shows a clear linkage between the business patterns prevalent at the time and those activities undertaken by organized criminals”(Nicole). This linkage can be used to identify the extent to which gangsters benefitted from criminal activities as well as understand how these organized crime rings were operated. I can use this linkage to argue that gangsters used economic practices to increase the efficiency of their endeavors and benefit further.

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“Gangster City.” Murder Inc., and the Moral Life: Gangsters and Gangbusters in La Guardia’s New York, Fordham University Press, 2016, pp. 54–74. 

Whalen, Robert Welden.  JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1ctxqbs.9. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.

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[BOOK CHAPTER] This Chapter “Gangster City” from Robert Whalen’s book Murder Inc., and the Moral Life: Gangsters and Gangbusters in Laguardia’s New York, Whalen explores the motives behind the gangsters’ dealings in illicit activities. As Whalen writes about illicit practices such as gambling, drinking, and prostitution, “Those who disliked the practices were able to make them illegal; those who wanted to enjoy them gladly paid any entrepreneur bold enough to flout the law and provide them. The bold entrepreneurs were the mobsters”. Whalen argues that these mobsters were able to profit off of providing illicit services for citizens of New York. This shows that gangsters directly benefited from the underground economy by providing illegal services. I’ll be able to use this evidence to argue that gangsters benefited from doing illegal activities. 

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“The Syndicate.” Organized Crime in Chicago: Beyond the Mafia, University of Illinois Press, 2013, pp. 79–100. Lombardo, Robert M. 

 JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/j.ctt2tt9mc.8. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.

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[BOOK CHAPTER] In chapter 4, “The Syndicate” from Robert Lombardo’s book Organized Crime in Chicago: Beyond the Mafia, Lombardo details gangster Torrio’s plan to organize multiple Chicago gangs into a bootlegging syndicate, with each gang controlling a different territory, theoretically keeping the peace and ensuring each gang stays lucrative. “Realizing there was enough money to be made by all, Torrio approached the leaders of Chicago’s other top gangs and suggested they give up burglary, robbery, and crimes of violence in favor of bootlegging.” This quote shows that gangsters were aware of the lucrative nature of bootlegging and that they were able to organize with one another to maximize profits and keep the operation running smoothly. 

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“Organized Crime in Urban Society: Chicago in the Twentieth Century.” Journal of Social History, vol. 5, no. 2, 1971, pp. 210–34. Haller, Mark H.

JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3786412. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.

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[JOURNAL] This entry Organized Crime in Urban Society: Chicago in the 20th Century, by Mark Haller, explores the role organized crime played in the social and political landscape in Chicago in the early 20th century.  “For aspiring politicians, especially during the early years after an ethnic group’s arrival in a city, organized crime was often the most important source of money and manpower. (By the turn of the century an operator of a single policy wheel in Chicago could contribute not only thousands of dollars but also more than a hundred numbers writers to work the neighborhoods on election day ) On occasion, too, criminals supplied strongarm men to act as poll watchers, they organized repeat voters; and they provided other illegal but necessary campaign services.” Here, Haller argues that organized crime rings were able to influence politics through intimidation and unethical voting practices. This shows that organized crime directly impacted the social landscape of cities and played a role in how society interacted with gangsters. I’ll be able to argue that organized crime directly impacted society.

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Critchley, D. (2009). “The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, 1891–1931.” Routledge.

[BOOK]  This book talks about the roots of organized crime in America, examining the socio-economic conditions that led to criminal organizations like the Mafia. It delves into the activities of gangsters and their impact on the economy, giving an analysis of the period leading up to the 1920s. “Both Eastman and Kelly had connections to the New York County Democratic political organization colloquially known as Tammy Hall.” This shows that the criminals of the time period had political connections, benefiting their operations.

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     Bergreen, L. (1994). “Capone: The Man and the Era.” Simon & Schuster.

[BOOK]This biography by Laurence Bergreen delves into the life and times  of one of the most notorious gangsters of the 1920s, Al Capone. The book provides a detailed account of Capone’s criminal enterprises and also contextualizes them within the historical and economic landscape of the Prohibition era. Bergreen notes Capone’s rise to power, from his early days in Brooklyn to becoming the leader of organized crime in Chicago. The author examines the economic impact of Capone’s activities, particularly his involvement in bootlegging, gambling, and other illicit endeavors. Bergreen also delves into Capone’s influence on local communities and his relationships with politicians and law enforcement. “Every other racketeer knew, the store served another function as the headquarters of corrupt politicians who controlled the first ward.” This quote shows that the store was a hub for corrupt politicians, a recurring theme during the prohibition era. I’ll be able to argue that corruption was rampant.

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Corsino, Louis. “CHICAGO HEIGHTS AND ORGANIZED CRIME.” In The Neighborhood Outfit: Organized Crime in Chicago Heights, 17–41. University of Illinois Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/j.ctt6wr6fx.5.

[BOOK CHAPTER]  This chapter explores the Chicago suburb Chicago Heights, and explains the role of organized crime in the city’s history. “Closely tied to this violence was an illicit “alky” ring that arguably produced and distributed a greater share of illegal alcohol than any place in the country”. Chicago Heights was home to a massive bootlegging operation which I can argue led to economic and political gain for the gangsters of the city.

In Inventing the public enemy, David Ruth argues that the new age of American consumerism ushered in a societal fascination with the gangster. As new production methods were developed, consumerism became a staple of American culture in the 1920’s. As total consumption picked up, to distinguish themselves from competitors, firms had to introduce an element of style to their products to elevate them above competitor’s. Products now had a new importance, in the form perceptions about the owner that they conveyed.

With these new societal implications of possessions, people wanting to show off their glamor could now do so in an obvious, tangible manner. Among these people was the Gangster. Ruth points out that the most obvious aspect of a gangster’s glamor was “his attire”. Recurring symbols of consumption often worn by criminals featured expensive suits, jewels, and expensive cigarette lighters. Journalists of the time “routinely noted” the wealth of these gangsters as a testament to their criminal prowess. A New York times writer noted a gangster’s “new automobile, his tastefully furnished apartment, his diamond stickpin, his two diamond rings, his belt buckle ornamented with seventy-five brilliants, his fifty suits of clothes, his twenty-five pairs of shoes.”, showing the sheer vastness of the economic capital at the gangster’s disposal.

I find it interesting how brazen the gangsters were with their wealth, and they seemingly feared no repercussions from flaunting their wealth. However, it makes sense that the gangster would hide his fear of government intervention as part of his persona. Considering the scale of their criminal industries you’d assume they might be more careful regarding tax laws and obvious laundering. But I suppose the gangsters that were aware and privy to these ideas wouldn’t have been talked about, and wouldn’t have shown off their illicit dealings. It’s interesting comparing Gatsby to these gangsters, because he similarly flaunts his wealth, but it’s a lot less obvious to Nick as to what he is involved in.