The most famous artistic product of the drunken twenties is that of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby, a novel about a man who tries to recreate an ideal past in a drunken and materialistic present. It is one of those books that almost everyone has a strong impression of whether they have actually read it or not, making it difficult for many to approach the story with fresh eyes.
If you are a teacher looking for interesting and relevant ways to go deeper The Great GatsbyWhy not try something like this? The 1920s were for World War I what the 1970s were for the hippy movement. The unprecedented worldwide carnage that followed the so-called “War to End All Wars” caused disillusioned Americans to turn inward, setting their priorities on money, bootleg liquor, and partying. Similarly, after hippies failed to raise world consciousness with peace, love, and patchouli oil, 1970s America drowned its sorrows in disco music, drugs, and polyester pants.
For homework, ask your students to compare The Great Gatsby to a song from the 1970s along these lines. Take, for example, The Eagles Hotel California, one of the best selling and recognized songs of this (or any other) era in American history.
Hotel California features some of the most analyzed and memorized lyrics in rock and roll. If the element of mystery means a lot to you, you’ll probably be disappointed to hear Don Henley’s two cents: “It’s basically a song about the darkest part of the American dream.” Not that a lot of rock stars knew anything about it. In other words, the symbol of Californian prosperity (when it still existed) stands as a microcosm of American decadence in the 1970s.
The California “hotel” (wink, wink) is not a Motel 6. It has mirrored ceilings, patios, master’s bedrooms, pink champagne, and high-end guests. The narrator can’t help but notice the seductive woman with a Benz, a mind that is “twisted for Tiffany” and a bunch of hot guys following her. He asks for wine, to which the captain replies, “We haven’t had that spirit here since 1969.” Since wine is not a liquor (and we bet the Eagles have a basic understanding of liquor), let’s go ahead and assume Henley is referring to some other spirit of 69.
In a hair-raising turn of events, there is then a beast-slaying ceremony involving “knives of steel” prompting the narrator to “return to the scene.” [he] it was before. “Only when it is too late does he realize that he can” go “but” never leave. “How, please tell me, can a person be examined without going anywhere physically? We are thinking that there might be something of chemistry involved.
So let’s review: luxury, substance abuse, a beautiful temptress, materialism, violence, living in the past and being trapped. Reminds you of someone?
As a general rule, music is one of the best resources for teachers because it can be deeply personal and easily identifiable at the same time. Also, the fact that lyrics are often very open to interpretation means that your students will be working a lot harder than they think.
