The document discusses the literary context of the 1920s in America and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It describes how World War I changed American literature from optimistic to cynical. Writers explored "modernism" through experimentation as people rejected old social norms. The 1920s was the "Jazz Age" where young people sought independence through movies, jazz, and radio. The "American Dream" involved seeing America as a bountiful land of opportunity where individuals could achieve prosperity through hard work and self-reliance.

1. MODERNISM AND REALISM IN AMERICAN LITERATURE The 1920s, The American Dream and F. Scott Fitzgerald