The 1920s were heavily influenced by Prohibition. Prohibition law restricted the production, consumption, transportation, and sale of alcohol. The law was adopted in the 1920s to lower crime and corruption rates in the United States. It was also said to reduce social problems and lower taxes. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald examines the negative repercussions of Prohibition on the economy, the characters in The Great Gatsby, and the different social classes of the 1920s. Prohibition was passed to eradicate the demand for liquor but had the unintended effect of increasing the crime rate in America. Robert Scott said, “Prohibition was supposed to reduce crime and corruption, reduce social problems, lower the taxes needed to support prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and sanitation in America” (Scott 2 ). As the demand for alcohol increased, people began to find new methods to disguise the production and consumption of liquor. It became easier to break the rules. Organized crime flourished, and many law-abiding citizens turned into criminals. The justice and prison systems were overtaken, and Americans' drinking habits changed for the worse. Prohibition had its greatest effect on The Great Gatsby's most important character, Jay Gatsby. Bob Batchelor states in his book Gatsby: The Cultural History of the Great American Novel, “Gatsby is a deeply flawed hero” (Batchelor 250). Gatsby is a hero because he achieved the American dream by working hard to get to the top. Gatsby, however, was flawed because his dreams revolved around impressing and winning back Daisy. He was so blinded by his love for Daisy that he was unwilling to realize his true dream. In The Great Gatsby, it is strongly inferred that Gat... middle of paper.... As soon as the 21st Amendment was appealed, the 18th Amendment lapsed. Prohibition was ended because it failed to impose sobriety in the United States. The government has spent billions of dollars enforcing this law. Prohibition lost much of its support by the early 1930s. When Prohibition was no longer supported by citizens, Prohibition was ended in most states. Other states complied with the law by enforcing temperance laws. Works Cited “1920s Prohibition.” Prohibition in the 1920s. Np, October 2012. Web. February 26, 2014. Bachelor, Bob. Gatsby: The Cultural History of the Great American Novel. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. Print.Nishi, Dennis. Prohibition. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2003. Print."Prohibition." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. February 26, 2014. “The Prohibition Era.” The Prohibition Era. Historic Patterson, March 22, 2013. Web. February 26. 2014.