All the Sad Young Men

Question

by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy early, and it does something to them, makes them soft where we are hard, and cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand. They think, deep in their hearts, that they are better than we are because we had to discover the compensations and refuges of life for ourselves. Even when they enter deep into our world or sink below us, they still think that they are better than we are. They are different. The only way I can describe young Anson Hunter is to approach him as if he were a foreigner and cling stubbornly to my point of view. If I accept his for a moment I am lost—I have nothing to show but a preposterous movie.
Use the passage from All the Sad Young Men by F. Scott Fitzgerald to answer the question.
What purpose does historical context serve in this passage? Select the two correct answers.
(1 point)
to discuss the factors that contributed to the decadence of the 1920s
to explain why certain members of society are superior
to analyze the influence of international visitors on 1920s culture
to characterize the relationship between the rich and everyone else
•to introduce the main character in relation to the narrator

Answer 1

The two correct answers that reflect the purpose of historical context in the passage are:

1. to discuss the factors that contributed to the decadence of the 1920s - The passage reflects on the attitudes and behaviors of the wealthy during this time, which can be seen as part of the broader context of the 1920s characterized by excess and moral ambiguity.

2. to characterize the relationship between the rich and everyone else - The passage highlights the differences in worldview and attitude between the rich and those who are not wealthy, emphasizing a sense of superiority that the rich feel, which is central to the social dynamics of the era.

These two elements help to enrich the understanding of the text’s themes in relation to its historical backdrop.