Energy Stored Up in America

During the 1920s, with the end of the war and the introduction of main stream radio, came a new movement, called the “Jazz Age.” The jazz music and dance that emerged from the African Americans expanded and even became socially acceptable to the middle class white Americans. Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby effectively illustrates George Gershwin’s statement that “Jazz is the result of the energy stored up in America.”

When we take a look at the characters in the book, this statement seems to make sense considering that most of the characters don’t actually have a job, or a purpose in life. For example, we never see Daisy doing anything productive. She has a child, but she doesn’t take care of her. In fact, she hopes that her daughter will grow up to be a “beautiful fool,” since she believes that women have no value in society. Daisy does not clean, she does not cook; she doesn’t do any house work. She doesn’t have a real job either.

Her husband Tom is not much different from her. Whether he has a job or not, is not known, because it is never mentioned in the book. However, what would be expected from Tom would be that he sits at home and reads racist books, has midday drinks, revels with his lover Myrtle, or that he goes out riding with other wealthy couples.

Though they are similar in many ways, Gatsby has one difference from Daisy and Tom. He is one of the “new rich” who the East Eggers dislike so strongly. This means that even if it was by bootlegging, or hunting for gems, Gatsby actually had to work to make his fortune. Yet, he must have made enough money doing whatever he was doing, as he isn’t seen actually working in the book once.

Jordan Baker, Nick’s meretricious girlfriend, is introduced as a competitive golfer, but we can assume that she doesn’t take it seriously since she cheats, and spends most of her time at Daisy’s house lying around.

It is known for certain that Nick moved to New York to learn the bond business. He is the only character in the book that is seen working, but how hard he works can be doubted seeing as he always has the time to go out for lunch or dinner, go up to New York when he feels like it, go on dates with Jordan or attend parties.

These characters, who live in the cultural center for jazz, are young, energetic people who seem to have so much free time, yet nothing to do. With all these people who do not have a care in the world spending their time by just doing whatever they want to, like attending sumptuous parties, not unlike the lavish parties held at Gatsby’s mansion every week, there is no doubt that revelry, music and dancing will spread, grow and become a movement.

Everyone has to find a way to spend their lives. During the “Roaring Twenties,” when elites didn’t have to work exceptionally hard, they would spend their time and energy partying, singing, dancing and enjoying music. As George Gershwin stated, all the people who were full of life, but didn’t have a way to spend their time, created a way to spend their time and started the “Jazz Age.”