The Lost Generation: Aftermath, Writers, and Impact of WWI
The Lost Generation
The Aftermath of World War I
It became evident that the world had changed forever. World War I ushered in a modern era of warfare with new fighting methods that affected an entire generation of young people. New technology introduced in WWI shaped the way wars would be fought from then on. Tanks, airplanes, and machine guns were used on the battlefield, magnifying the effects of the war on both combat and civilians. WWI had over 37 million casualties. Countries that were hit hardest by the war lost entire generations of men, and those who came home felt cynical about humanity’s prospects.
Origin and Connotations of “Lost Generation”
The generation born between 1883 and 1900 became known as the “Lost Generation.” This moniker is credited to writer Gertrude Stein, who passed on her garage mechanic’s words, “You are all a lost generation.” Ernest Hemingway used the phrase in the epigraph of his book “The Sun Also Rises,” and the name stuck. The phrase was also used to describe the literary landscape of this era. After the war, many American writers felt lost and aimless. Paris, where many flocked to escape their traditions at home, became one of the biggest outposts for expatriates and a center for literary achievements. These expatriates managed to capture the zeitgeist of the time.
Who Were They? What Changes Were Taking Place?
In literature, the Lost Generation refers to a group of writers and poets like Ernest Hemingway and T.S. Eliot, born at the turn of the 20th century. Some of the changes and influences of the world were:
Advances in Transportation
The automobile became a popular mode of transportation, and the Wright brothers took the first airplane flight.
Advances in Psychology and Science
Sigmund Freud released his groundbreaking work, “The Interpretation of Dreams.”
Changes in Society
Millions of immigrants poured into the United States, searching for a better life. With job competition and ever-increasing class distinctions, the Lost Generation members became independent and self-sufficient, not looking to their elders for guidance.
Influence of WWI
- Loss of Family Values: WWI had a tremendous influence on this generation because it lasted many years, and men had been affected by the horrors of battle, losing the values their parents had instilled in them.
- The Traumatic Experience of the Trenches: War forced this generation to grow up quickly, and for those who’d spent years in the trenches, war was all they really knew.
- Sense of Abandonment: After the soldiers returned home, governments started ignoring their heroes, causing disillusionment with the establishment.
- Authority Skepticism: The Lost Generation became skeptical of all authority, especially with the “Prohibition.” They started to explore their own values, ones that clearly went against what their elders had already established.
- The Roaring Twenties: The Lost Generation came up with its own social mores, with its gangsters, speakeasies, and hedonism. This self-indulgent spree ended when the stock market crashed in 1929.