The Flapper: Perspectives on Changing Society

1. Is this artist in favor of or against the changing society?

2. The Flapper • Appearances: bobbed hair, short skirts, bright colors, high healed shoes, makeup • Behaviors: drove cars, flirted, danced, socialized with men for fun/not marriage purposes, drink, smoke, “pet”

3. It is rather futile to analyze flappers… They are just girls – all sorts of girls. Their one common trait being that they are young things with a rather splendid talent for life. • F. Scott Fitzgerald

4. Who was she really? • northern, urban, single, young, middle-class women. • Many held steady jobs in the changing American economy • Telephone operators • Sales clerks • Typists • chose activities to please themselves, not a father or husband • Tried to fight the “double standard”

5. What doe this tell you about flappers? • semi-flapper; the flapper; the super-flapper • Do you think the semi-flapper agreed with the behavior of the super-flapper?

6. Clara Bow, the “It Girl” • Silent film star • “epitomized flaming youth – the girl who lived by her heart, not her head” • Made $5,000/week-highest paid female actress

7. How does the flapper demonstrated the conflict between old and new? • Should the flapper be considered a feminist? • Are there any “flappers” today?

8. The Dancing • The Charleston • The Lindy Hop • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYppP2x-V-I

9. Youth Culture • Challenged notions of “proper behavior” • “PARTIES, GAMBLING, BATH TUB GIN” • High school & college enrollment increased • College students epitomized “youth culture” • Glorified in the movies • Advertisers used

10. The Making of Modern American Culture • Turn of the century 60 hour work week – in the 1920s 45 hour work week • higher wages (30% increase in some areas), but inflation remained relatively low • What does this mean for many Americans???

11. Radio Programs • 800 stations by 1929 reaching over 10 million homes • By 1929 about 40% of American households had radios Movies • in 1922 - 40 million Americans attended movies, by 1930 - 115 million • 1927 – first talkies • ~25-35 cents

12. Watching & Listening to Sports • Baseball • Babe Ruth • $1 • Football (especially college) • NFL “Red” Grange • Boxing • Jack Dempsey

13. The Foodless meat/potatoesmore fruit, processed foods

14. Baby Ruth Candy Bar (1920)Wonder Bread (1920)Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink (1923)Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (1923)Welch's Grape Jelly (1923) Popsicles (1924) Wheaties (1924)Hostess Cakes (1927)Kool-Aid (1927)Peter Pan Peanut Butter (1928)Velveeta Cheese (1928)(Source: Bon Appetit magazine),

15. The Power of Advertising • By 1929 a $3 billion industry

16. Ready Made Clothing

17. How does this make America modern? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU2pR9rT39c

18. Crazy Fads/”Reality Radio” • Flagpole Sitting • Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly • Dance Marathons • People doing stupid things for attention! • Cross word puzzles, Reader’s Digest

20. A Generational Clash • viewed disdainfully by an older generation as “wild, boisterous and disgraceful.” • Trying to be like men • Hurt wages for men & in careers not suited for them • criticized for lack of activism • Suffragists of the previous generation

21. Women of the 1920s • Concept of a “woman’s place” expanded • Women wore clothing more convenient for activity and stopped wearing long skirts and corsets. • Women had more time because of modern technology • The number of working women increased by 25 per cent. • 15% of white & 30% of black married women worked • Divorce was made easier and the number of divorces doubled - women were not content just to stay at home and put up with bad husbands. • Not all women were flappers, many criticized this “new woman” • Most married women were still housewives and were not as free as their men. • Only 15% white married women worked outside home; 30% African American • Most working women were poorly paid and were employed in roles such as cleaners or waitresses.

22. What does this tell us about the flapper and women in the 1920s?