Case Study - The 1920s

The 1920s in the US – also known as the Roaring Twenties – was full of change. Life was two-sided, with one side being full of partying and entertainment, while the other was full of tension and isolation.

In exploring the 1920s, we'll look at: 

• Conditions
• Technology
• Attitudes

Conditions - How did people live?

Life in the 1920s depended on which class you were in. 

The Upper and Middle-class in particular enjoyed the developments in the 1920s.  The rich spent much time partying and going to speakeasies. The middle class enjoyed much more leisure time thanks to many inventions from this time period. Slang was a common part of how people spoke in the cities (Whitley, 1999).

On the farms, life was very different. A lot of technology and developments simply weren't available; things like indoor plumbing and electricity and appliances were absent. Life revolved around the seasons, with entertainment being mainly limited to occasional social events and gatherings (Reinhardt).

Developments - What did people have access to?

The first "talking pictures" were shown in 1926, turning movies into a business (Whitley, 1999). The radio and radio programs provided news and entertainment to people across the nation.

Household appliances became widely available, with tools like the toaster oven, vaccum and washing machine. They cut down the time needed for household chores, freeing that time up for other activities (Lorance, 1998).

Cars became commonplace as well, with the beginning of mass production of the Model-T by Henry Ford (The People History, 2004). 

Attitudes - What typical opinions did people have?

The 1920s was full of cultural tensions and disregard for the law.

The Prohibition led to a huge outbreak of organized crime. People obtained alcohol through many illegal and questionable means, including smuggling, home brewing, and medicinal prescriptions (Scoot, 2005). Eventually, it lead to people treating the law with contempt in general.

Racism was common as well. Intolerance for immigrant groups was widespread. Vigilante groups and the Klu Klux Klan took the law into their own hands and lynched blacks and other groups (The People History, 2004).

Above all though, it was a time for rebelling against old ideals and beliefs. Women challenged expectations by wearing loose clothing and partying. Traditional Victorian values were challenged by new ideas. Things were changing in the US.

Sources: 

The People History. (2004). 1920s history. Retrieved from http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1920s.html

Whitley, P. (1999). American cultural history 1920 - 1929. Retrieved from http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade20.html

Lorance, L. (1998). Promises, promises: The allure of household appliances in the 1920s. Retrieved from http://www.brickhaus.com/amoore/magazine/house.html 

Reinhardt, C. (n.d.). Farming in the 1920s. Retrieved from http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe20s/life_01.htm 

Scoot, R. (2005). Prohibition in the united states. Retrieved from http://www.1920-30.com/prohibition/ 

Creating Characters - The basics

Before creating a historical character, first you need to understand how to create a normal one. Creating a good character can take a lot of time at first. But with practice, you will get better at it, and it will get easier.

Parts of creating a good character

• Basic information
• Personality
• Backstory
  
  

Basic Information - Who is your character?

Give your character basic information like their name, age, gender, and appearance. This information helps set up who your character is. Some of these facts are used for reference, while others can even influence how your readers view them.

A character's appearance can be things like

• hair color and length
• eye color
• distinguishing features
• personal style

Appearance in particular can be used to allude to other aspects of a character, which is useful in avoiding info dumps.

 

Personality - How does your character act?

Focus on a few key factors that will determine your character's personality. Factors that influence personality can be moral values, key characteristics, and important beliefs. These factors should determine how your character reacts to as many different situations as possible.

A word of caution: It's impossible to plan every aspect of your character's personality, let alone have them show it in your story. Try to focus on just a few key aspects, rather than every possible reaction your character might have. It's easier and much faster for you, the author.

Backstory - Where does your character come from?

Backstory involves things like your character's history; what their life was like; and where and when they grew up . Think of these as sort of foundation for your character's personality: their backstory should help influence their traits.

Creating Historical Characters - An Introduction

Characters are a vital part of any story; so is credibility. To maintain your credibility, you – the author – must do adequate research on topics in your story. Research is especially important when your story is historical fiction, especially for your characters. But researching this information can be lengthy and time-consuming. This blog is here to help shorten that time, by giving you important historical information that you need to create your characters.

The Need for Credibility in Historical Fiction

Many readers of historical fiction are already familiar with history itself. These readers will be able to tell if information in your story is inaccurate. Inaccurate information can ruin a reader's experience, and even make it difficult for them to keep reading. And if you lose readers, then it's clear you have a major problem with your story. To avoid having this sort of problem, it's better to do adequate research before publishing.

Characters in Historical Fiction

A character's environment has a huge impact on how their mindset - how they think, feel, and act. To accurately portray a historical character, you need to understand what life was like back then. Many historical sites give information on social, religious and economic forces, but they don't have as many details on everyday topics. Everyday topics, unfortunately, are a vital part of understanding what life might be like for a historical character.

Creating Historical Characters

Historical Information is out there. The goal of this blog is to gather it and give it to you, for fast and easy reference. Each post will cover a different time period, and give you details that will help you the most in creating a believable historical character. Believable characters make for believable stories.