The Lost Generation of Writers

The Lost Generation of Writers

What did some of the most greatest American writers such as Gertrude Stein Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and T.S. Eliot have in common? Why was it that their careers were all launching  during the same time? During the 1920s, these groups of writers were part of social group known as the "Lost Generation." 

In the aftermath of the first World War, there were a group of young people that came out of the conflict horrified. Since the death toll was so high from the war, many of these people became disillusioned with previously inherited values and were categorized as the "lost generation." Being a part of this group meant having the general attitude of feeling a lack of purpose in life. After seeing so much death, many had lost belief in values such as glory and honor. This led to a distrust against abstract ideals that had previously been romanticized. 

The group of writers who became associated as this "Lost Generation" reflected these feelings by writing under the common themes of decadence, commenting on gender roles and impotence, and dreaming of an idealized past. Some of these novels include A Farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises, The Great Gatsby. So despite their dissatisfaction with the world after the war, the "Lost Generation" were able to apply their frustration to works that would define American literature. 

Sources:

https://writersinspire.org/content/lost-generation

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lost-Generation