英美名著赏析

Topic 1

In the poem of “The road not taken”, the speaker, a traveler in the wood faced with the choice of two roads. The roads bear two connotations: the material roads and the roads of life.

If I was the speaker, I will take the road that which was less traveled by too. The first path is a more common route. The other is less traveled, which “was grass and wanted wear”. The two different paths signify two different kinds of lives. Choosing the common easy path, people will feel at ease and live in safety, because the outcome is predictable. However, that kind of life may be less exciting and lack of novelty. While choosing the “less traveled” road represents the gamble of facing a more difficult path in lives. This forms contrast with familiar lives of most people. People hope to achiever a satisfactory and interesting life on this road. The wish is good, but reality is full of challenges and uncertainties. Nobody can be sure of the outcome.

All in all, as to me, the road of life is accident and mystical, and my very choice was crucial in determining the consequences of my life. The ordinary people follow other’s choice, while the exceptional ones choose their unique roads of life. But the nature of the decision is such that there is no Right Path—just the chosen path and the other path. What are sighed for ages and ages hence are not so much the wrong decisions as the moments of decision themselves—moments that, one atop the other, mark the passing of a life. So I will not hesitate when I choose my path in life, wouldn’t regret my choice, and adhere to my direction forever. Because I think there is never a straight path that leaves one with but a sole direction in which to head.

Topic 2

Jay Gatsby - The title character and protagonist of the novel, Gatsby is a fabulously wealthy young man living in a Gothic mansion in West Egg. He is famous for the lavish parties he throws every Saturday night, but no one knows where he comes from, what he does, or how he made his fortune. As the novel progresses, Nick learns that Gatsby was born James Gatz on a farm in North Dakota; working for a millionaire made him dedicate his life to the achievement of wealth. When he met Daisy while training to be an officer in Louisville, he fell in love with her. Nick also learns that Gatsby made his fortune through criminal activity, as he was willing to do anything to gain the social position he thought necessary to win Daisy. Nick views Gatsby as a deeply flawed man, dishonest and vulgar, whose

extraordinary o ptimism and power to transform his dreams into reality make him “great” nonetheless.

Gatsby's commentary on the American Dream is that it's all about money, though money doesn't always make you part of the automatic elite. There is a struggle b/w the newly rich--like Gatsby--and the already established elite, and though money is important, there are other seemingly impossible barriers to penetrate. There are more complicated explanations to this, pointed out thoroughly in the link provided.

In the 1920s the American economy soared- it was evident in the book because Nick was investing his money to create a larger wealth for himself, Gatsby was already wealthy; The time period the story took place was before the Great Depression which is when there was a pretty strong economy which is evident due to Gatsby’s immense wealth and Nicks desire to become rich; People in the 1920s were attracted to the lifestyle of extravagant living. People during the 1920s were very reckless due to the log war that had previously kept everyone from their loved ones which is very clearly expressed in this novel.