We have read the book and seen the movies, if you haven’t yet then I encourage you to do so, and throughout this story there is a reoccurring theme, ALCOHOL! In case you had not noticed, it is all over this story, we see it in a few different ways.
During the time this story took place was during the 1920’s, yep the era where prohibition was in place, but that did not stop many from getting their hands on alcohol. Alcohol has somewhat of an importance in the novel, especially in Gatsby’s life. We learn that he is a bootlegger, he sells and ships alcohol illegally. And this is how he has obtained his fortune. Gatsby also throws these over the top lavish parties, where there is an abundance of alcohol and plenty of people there consuming it. We also see alcohol around when there is some violence happening, like when Tom hits Myrtle, he had been having a few drinks. Or when Daisy hits Myrtle with the car and killing her, they had just been drinking in the city. I know she was also upset while driving since they just had that moment of truth back in the city with the whole gang there. But still alcohol was present.
We can see this theme of alcohol all over the novel Fitzgerald wrote to us, and it really makes me wonder if it had anything to do with the time period in which this story takes place, the twenties. The twenties are this time period of bootleggers, flappers, drinking, and Jazz , all giving it that “roaring” title. But was all of that actually a good thing? I don’t know, maybe I am reading too much into it, those are just my thoughts. Let me know yours in the comments below!
