They were called the Lost Generation. America's most talented writers of the 1920s were completely disillusioned by the world and alienated by the changes in modern America. The ghastly horrors of trench warfare were a testament to human inhumanity. The ability of the human race to destroy itself had never been more evident. The materialism sparked by the Roaring Twenties left many intellectuals empty. Surely there was more to life than middle-class conformity, they pined.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Explain the factors that shaped the new morality and the changing role of women in the United States during the 1920s
Describe the “new Negro” and the influence of the Harlem Renaissance
Analyze the effects of prohibition on American society and culture
Describe the character and main authors of the Lost Generation