《了不起的盖茨比》学士学位论文
the_great_Gatsby本科毕业论文终稿涉

SYMBOLISM IN THE GREAT GATSBYA Thesispresented toThe College of Foreign Languages Chongqing University of Posts and TelecommunicationsIn Partial Fulfillmentof the Requirements for the Degree ofBachelor of ArtsByYang ChunmeiJune 2014摘要象征主义是十九世纪末法国重要的文学思潮。
第一次世界大战前,它传播到欧洲多个艺术领域,许多作家认为,任何事物都应该有相应的内涵,内心世界和外部世界是相互渗透的,人们可以挖掘出隐藏在象征本体里的一切象征意义,因此,它提倡人们可以使用大量的意象来暗示微妙的内心世界,并将它们有机融合在一起。
《了不起的盖茨比》是弗·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德最具代表性和最受欢迎的作品之一,长期以来国内外众多学者从不同角度进行研究。
它强烈抨击了美国20世纪20年代物质主义盛行,人们内心世界的腐败和道德沦丧的社会现状。
作者巧妙地运用象征手法向读者展示一个灯绿梦渺的美国梦。
弗·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德挑选出小说中最能代表美国20世纪20年代期间社会现状的典型人物,通过他们各自对价值观截然不同的反应和所采取的行为,以此表明美国梦破灭的必然性。
关键词:象征主义;美国梦;物质主义;幻灭ABSTRACTSymbolism was regarded as an important literary trend in France at the end of the nineteenth century. Before World War I, it spread to various art fields in Europe, the writers who were for it believed that anything should have corresponding meaning, the inner world and outer world were inducted each other, and people can dig out hidden symbolism from everything. Therefore, it advocated that people can use substantial images to suggest the subtle inner world, and blend two of them together skillfully, one of the unique charms in the novel The Great Gatsby is the abundant use of symbols.In the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbols to depict the various characters and deepen the theme; he connects the visual real world with the abstract inner world by using masses of potential symbolism, showing readers characteristics, personality as well as charms of protagonists vividly; meanwhile, the proper use of symbolism adds up infinite art charm and enhances ideological implication of the work, making the novel loved by a great number of readers.The Great Gatsby is one of the most representative and popular works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, it strongly criticizes the rich’s priority for materialism and the loss of morality as well as their corruption of the inner world,also in the novel the social reality of the United States in 1920s is deeply exposed with numerous symbols by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In order to show readers a lively and bright plot, he elaborately arranges each section, taking the protagonists for example, F. Scott Fitzgerald picks out the most typical characters from different social classes in the novel to reflect their respective values during 1920s in the United States, according to their different reactions and behaviors towards materialism and morality, the author aims to indicate the inevitable tragedy and evaporation of the American dream.Key words: symbolism, the American Dream, materialism, evaporationOutlineTitle: Symbolism in The Great GatsbyThesis Statement: Symbols in The Great Gatsby represent Gatsby’s disillusions of the American Dream as well as the social moral loss.1. Introduction2. Symbolism of Colors2.1 Green: Dream and Hope2.2 White: Innocence and Beauty VS Evil and Horror2.3 Blue: Gloom, Peace and Fantasy2.4 Yellow: Power, Wealth and Status3. Symbolism of Protagonists3.1 Daisy: Selfishness and Materialism3.2 Gatsby: visionary and tragic3.3 Nick: onlooking and Injustice4. The American Dream in The Great Gatsby4.1 The American Dream4.2 Disillusion of the American Dream4.3 Inevitable Evaporation of the American Dream5. ConclusionBibliography1 IntroductionThe United States had an unprecedented economic prosperity after World War I, the life quality of people showed an uprising trend, while their mental world was descending sharply under the brand--new social environment, that is, the younger generation of America were addicted to hedonism regardless of the traditional religious beliefs and morality, they indulge themselves in the unprincipled recreation, excessively emphasizing on materials but ignoring mentality, which resulted in the disillusion of the American dream.The publication of The Great Gatsby in 1925 is the reflection of “the Jazz Age” –“the period from 1918-1929, the years between the end of World War I and the start of the roaring twenties; ending with the rise of the Great Depression, the traditional values of this age see a sharp decline while the great American stock market soars.” (Wikipedia: the Jazz age) F. Scot Fitzgerald uses a unique narration way to describe hero—Gatsby’s life. As a narrator, Nick is tired of his hometown—Midwest life and comes to New York. He rents a small apartment in the suburb of West Egg. He is Daisy’s cousin, and neighbor of Gatsby who owns a luxurious mansion. Gatsby and Daisy once love each other when they are young, but end up with Gatsby’s poverty. Then he joins World War I, and Daisy marries Tom Buchanan—a wealthy guy and they give birth to a daughter. Five years later, the Buchanan move from Chicago to the west, and Nick starts to have frequent contacts with the Buchanan; during five years, Gatsby accumulates amounts of wealth by means of illegal activity and comes to New York following Daisy. He buys a luxurious villa—Gatsby mansion. Each Saturday he would hold a grand party to attract the married Daisy, fancying arousing her notice and restart the relationship. On an accidental occasion, Gatsby learns that Nick is Daisy’s cousin, so he begs Nick to arrange a meeting for them. After that date, both Daisy and Gatsby have frequent date. However, he gradually realizes that Daisy is vane and secular not as what she used tobe, Gatsby’s beautiful dream finally breaks, but he still insists on her and has a glimmer of fantasy, which makes him suffer from a miserable outcome in the end. Later, Daisy drives Gatsby’s car to run over and kills Tom’s mistress Myrtle Wilson after drunk driving, but Tom and Daisy put the blame on Gatsby with conspiracy brutally, resulting in Gatsby’s death by George Wilson’s gun shot. While Daisy and Tom travel to Europe, there are only two people—Nick and Gatsby’s father to attend Gatsby’s funeral. Gatsby becomes a victim of selfish and cruel Daisy.F. Scott Fitzgerald describes a picture of tragic American dream with poetic language and ample colors. There are many symbols in the novel. Symbolism will be analyzed respectively from the following aspects: colors, protagonists and the American Dream will be mentioned.2 Symbolism of ColorsAmong so many symbols in the novel, most of which are colors: white represents purity, innocence and emptiness, depravation; during the process of describing Gatsby’s dream, green night becomes an important image, it means not only dream and hope, but also a bubble; besides, yellow means wealth, status and evil, and so on. The following part will illustrate different colors thoroughly.2.1 GreenGreen is the color of nature, representing hope and dream. When he is seventeen, Gatsby wears a shabby green sweater, presenting an optimistic and hopeful image; when he falls in love with Daisy deeply, however, Gatsby is too poor to marry her. Daisy immediately marries a millionaire –Tom Buchanan. So Gatsby struggles out from the bottom of society, though, he is not for a life of luxurious and material comforts, but for the “pure love”, which is an ideal and indescribable romantic illusion, a permanent expectation for him. After Gatsby makes a fortune, he is still obsessed with his love—Daisy, he spares no effort to attract and pursue Daisy, since it is his only dream, in his mind, Daisy symbolizes all of what he dreams, in a word, Daisy is his hope, goals and incardination of love.And again at the end of the novel, it refers to green:“Gatsby believes in the green night: the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before Man, it eludes Man then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow Man will run faster, stretch out his arms farther…and one fine morning.”(Fitzgerald2013:113)here the symbolism of green night is American’s enthusiastic and reckless pursuit for the illusory American Dream. In Gatsby’s eyes, green night is his guide on the one hand, which makes him feel his dream is on the way and easy to grasp; on the other hand, it is so attractive, twinkling, and vague. Finally, when his ultimate dream is lost, the green light that symbolizes hope disappears forever from him, which leads to the access to dream becoming adark journey. F. Scott Fitzgerald links it with Gatsby’s blind pursuit for Daisy purposely, making the green light have an obvious irony. F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is devastated by the excessive pursuit for materials, contributing to a futile effort. Green is Gatsby’s hope, but it is his impractical pursuit for the green light that results in his tragedy.2.2 YellowYellow is a symbol of power, wealth and luxury. It is one of the most widely used colors in the novel. In order to regain his true love, Gatsby conveys abundant information all the time to Daisy: his gorgeous and expensive car that he takes is yellow; his tie that he wears while dating with Daisy is golden; his cars, food, bars that he owns when he holds various, luxurious, grand, illuminated banquets, are all yellow; his comb that is shown to Daisy is also purely golden; In addition, Daisy is regarded as the golden girl, her name is a kind of flower with the color of yellow ; Jordan Baker has a withered golden hair, and his arms are golden; two of girls in the banquets are with golden skirts; it is the golden cocktail music that is played in the banquets all the time; All of the yellow symbols represent a noisy, wealthy and money-oriented atmosphere, it seems that everywhere in the society is full of the color of yellow.During the Jazz age, money is a symbol of success and status, people would rather desert their own moral conception and deceive each other without guilty just for money. In a word, yellow becomes seductive and charming, while Gatsby’s tragedy results in the golden lie, he struggles for the color all of his life, but his dream is destroyed at last. In such case, yellow symbolizes the characteristics of the society and the destiny of people.2.3 WhiteWhite generally symbolizes purity and innocence, but in the novel, it symbolizes horror and loneliness. The first time Daisy runs into Gatsby, she wears white clothes and drives a white car, which indicates that Daisy is pure and elegant, but Daisy’s inner heart is hollow and shallow; she lives in a white palace-stylebuilding and the curtains are white, all of which are a symbol of Daisy’s tiresome and empty spirit. White is a cold color, taking Daisy’s heart for instance, Gatsby almost uses up all of his youth and passion for her, including sacrificing himself, but she is so cold that ignores what Gatsby does for her and takes it for granted. In the eastern part of material world, her strong desire for money and material things has already twisted her into a greedy, selfish and vulgar woman.Besides, from the perspective of Gatsby, there are also a lot of symbols related to the white color: the villa that Gatsby buys and the suits that he wears, which means that he is as hollow as Daisy, he has nothing to do but pursue Daisy, even Gatsby owns more and more wealth, he has no way to save Daisy’s degraded soul, because it is the nature of Daisy. Gatsby spends his whole life on unpractical illusions, to some degree, he is rather stupid. Therefore, the color of white in the novel has a strong irony too.2.4 BlueBlue is the color of the sky and the sea, which means a broad scale, while it also means gloom and depression. In the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald describes something connected with dream and unreality. He uses blue to describe Gatsby’s house: blue lawn that is an important part in his life, and blue garden; Gatsby also gets a blue navy clothes from the captain due to his upright characteristics. All of these symbolize Gatsby’s dream and melancholy.In Chapter two of the novel,the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue, with bleak look, watching the gray valley, indicating an unfortunate disaster. In the author’s opinion, this is God’s eyes; she knows that Gatsby’s dream is doomed to fail, so her eyes are sad and gloomy. And George Wilson believes that Doctor T. J. Eckleburg’s eyes are existence of God. After his wife dies by conspiracy:“He muttered, after a long silence. “I told her she might fool me but she couldn’tfool God. I took her to the window’—with an effort he got up and walked to therear window and leaned with his face pressed against it—‘and I said, “Godknows what you have been doing, everything you have been doing. You may foolme, but you cannot fool God!”’ standing behind him, Michaelis saw with a shockthat he was looking at the blue eyes of doctor T. J. Eckleburg, which had justemerged, pale and enormous, from the dissolving night. ” (Fitzgerald 2013:100) In other words, F. Scott Fitzgerald presents the symbolisms of various colors vividly, green, on one hand, represents Gatsby’s hope and dream, he is as energetic as others; on the other hand, it seems like a prediction that Gatsby is doomed to fail. Yellow stands for wealth and status in the novel. Gatsby makes effort to climb up and accumulate money in order to cater for Daisy and prove that he also belongs to the upper class; actually, he never realizes his illusion from the beginning to the end. White is a symbol of horror and ignorant, Daisy is a typical epitome of the Jazz age. Blue is a symbol of gloom and depression in the novel. Doctor T. J. Eckleburg’s blue eyes seem to indicate the tragedy of all the people. Besides symbolisms of colors, the symbols of protagonists are worth analyzing.3 Symbolism of the ProtagonistsIt is evident that a vivid description of main character plays a key role in advancing the plots. The Great Gatsby selects several typical protagonists to reflect their different characteristics and values, and imply the hedonism during the Jazz age.3.1 DaisyDaisy is the heroine in the novel; she is Gatsby’s dream love. As a typical material girl, she is a symbol of money. She is a girl with beautiful appearance, attractive eyes, and erogenous voice. Five years ago, the poor Gatsby falls in love with the wealthy girl at the first sight, but he is so poor that he cannot afford the wedding expenses, they have to end the relationship finally. Because in Daisy’s eyes, money is the only judge to measure anything, love is no exception. For her, money is the only almighty God, the true, the good, and the beautiful are not qualified to surpass it. Daisy once loves him, but when she finds Gatsby is penniless, she never hesitates to abandon him and turns to Tom who is wealthy and illustrious but vulgar. In the material world, Gatsby’s love with Daisy is fragile and vulnerable. Daisy believes that love is not the bread of life, she is eager to live an abundant and carefree life. Actually, she is the incardination of the American Dream, which looks beautiful and pure, almost close to touch, but it is just an illusion, and finally vanishes.Though she owns abundant materials, she is very lonely and empty. While Nick has come to dinner with her family, when Tom and Jordan are chatting in another room, she uncovers her mask, tells all of her inner feelings sincerely. She complains about her unhappiness. Besides, in her daily life, although he often says something that seems to be foolish and jokes with others, she arms herself, pretends herself to be happy and live an ideal life like a carefree child, actually, she is unhappy, and no one is reliable for her to share her miserable life except Nick.3.2 GatsbyGatsby, the hero of the novel, is a sheer dreamer. He is the symbol of the American younger generation after the First World War I. Gatsby’s pursuit and evaporation for dream are also what the youth dream: individually heroic ideal and the miraculous American Dream makes them believe that one can reach their own inner world that they yearn for only if they try their effort, so they come to the world with hope, looking forward to establishing a kingdom of their own in the new world, but eventually they find that what they desire and pursue are just self-deceptive, the American Dream is never to be achieved. In his short life time, he uses all kinds of means to pursue Daisy, but what a pity is that even though he costs too much to win her heart, he is killed by his beloved indirectly, and even no one is willing to attend his funeral. From the beginning to the end, he is blindfold in his own relationship; he has never experienced the true love. At the age of 17 to 18, Gatsby regards young ladies as ignorance, so he looks down upon the girls, but poor Gatsby only loves Daisy crazily, in his eyes, Daisy is beautiful, and she has an outstanding family background, Gatsby is the only one that attracts Daisy among so many suitors, here it can be seen that Gatsby loves not Daisy herself but the wealth and social status that Daisy stands for, he eagerly climbs up to upper class, so he thinks that he loves Daisy not anything else, but it can be inferred that Gatsby is trapped into the hypocritical love without self-conscious. In order to win Daisy, he takes various illegal measures to accumulate amounts of wealth. After reunion with Daisy, who is a frivolous and materialistic person, Gatsby tries to invite her to his villa just to show how rich he is now. In his mind, Daisy is the incarnation of a holy and pure heart, just like her white skirt, even Gatsby finds Daisy is a secular woman, not the same one as she used to be, but he doesn’t want to give her up. Actually, Gatsby just wants to use wealth, materials and Daisy to mask his poor birth, and win the social recognition and admiration. In Gatsby's mind, as long as there are material wealth and social status, he can regain Daisy, and he can prove his self—value. Gatsby, through illegal means to win a huge amount of wealth, makes up his personal life, so that he can achieve his dream.After Gatsby makes material success, then he has been very close to achieve the dream, he has almost caught the dream. But the very moment, everything is destroyed. Gatsby should have realized that his dreams are entirely on the basis of material; his pursuit of an illusory ideal just makes him realize that Daisy's mind is full of money, but he never understands they belong to different worlds, representing different values. And his total unconsciousness is destined to die. But in the process of interaction for Nick and the gang, even though he has contempt and disdains Gatsby, Gatsby treats love sincerely and selflessly.3.3 NickNick, as both the story teller and the moral judge, he has an irreplaceable place in the novel; he is indispensable to the progression of the story as well as to the in-depth exposure of the American Dream. Nick, as the novel's first narrator, in this novel, he has created a kind of immersive feeling that is rising up, making the whole novel not only fascinating but also more dramatic. He observes all of what happens to Gatsby, as Gatsby’s friend and neighbor, Daisy’s cousin, Tom’s classmate, he has an inextricable link with them. He cannot stand the eastern United States because of the vague and moral indifference, he witnesses the destruction of Gatsby’s growing, all the disappointment and disgust for the eastern community, and in the course, in order to further improve and standardize his own responsibility and morality, he decides to go back west. What happens in the eastern part of the story that makes Nick feel so disappointed and disgus ted is that something swallows Gatsby’s spiritual things and makes him temporarily lose interest in any temporary moment of joy and sorrow, so that he is no longer interested in participating in swollen treasures, and no longer occasionally catches the glimpse of the human heart's honor. He feels disgusted about the reality, but he is also immersed in the ugly environment, he describes Gatsby as a great man even though he sells wine illegally and pursues Daisy in an inappropriate way. “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”(Fitzgerald, 2013:1)According to his narration and comment, Nick shows a totally different type of life style between Gatsby and Daisy.In a sense, Daisy, from the beginning to the end, is a wretch, she never experiences a true love, for her, wealth and status are more important than love, she pursues something illusory in her whole life, which causes her empty and ignorant life. Gatsby and Nick, in the realization of their own American dream on the road, are losers. Gatsby, although achieves the material success, in spirit he collapses; Nick has been purified, although in spirit and perfection, but never gets the measure of success from the perspective of worldly material wealth. In the final analysis, all the three people are the victim of the American dream, which results in their tragedy.4 The American Dream in The Great GatsbyFor Americans, American dream is a faith that a person can achieve what he is eager for only if striving as much as possible, success would be on the way. Actually, it is not enough. The following parts will analyze the breakdown of American dream, the disillusion of American dream as well as the inevitable evaporation of American dream in detail.4.1 The American DreamWhen it comes to the breakdown of American Dream, there are two notable people that should be noticed.One is Norman Mailer. his fourth novel—An American Dream (1966),The book is written in a poetic style with metaphor that creates unique and hypnotizing narrative and dialogue. Mailer peels away the layers of the social norms to reveal a world of pure appetite and relentless cruelty.The other one is Edward Albee. He feels the reality of American society cannot be compromised and must be disclosed. In his play The American Dream (1961), he ironically criticizes people who only go for external things rather than seeking the practical, to meet the appearance of bodybuilding but ignore the internal weakness.Actually, The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the United States Declaration of Independence which proclaims that “all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”(Wikipedia: the United States Declaration of Independence)The American Dream is based on an ideal realm that everyone can develop their ability and finally become successful only if they are continuously making their own efforts; it is an equal opportunity to expect success in spite of family background. Americans have traditionally believed that only through hardwork, will they change destiny and obtain wealth. The American Dream is originally to achieve the dual progress in spirit and materials; however, it is gradually replaced by sheer money and pleasure. The American Dream is bait for encouraging young men to struggle and fight, and then can get what they seeks for. In fact, it is just an illusion that never comes true. Although it can make people inspired and enhance morale, it disappears quickly. The tragedy Gatsby can illustrate the point. Gatsby is embodied in the conflict of American life’s dream and reality; he is always living in his own fantasy and regarding it as reality, even pursuing it persistently. He was born poor, but he is eager for a better life.4.2 Disillusion of the American DreamFor each American, the American dream is a hope for success, it is a ladder from penniless to wealthy, and it attracts people to go to west and tries to become millionaires. Until the nineteenth century, the accumulation of wealth and material prosperity of the country suddenly gets to an unprecedented expansion, the American Dream is no longer full of positive and moral energy, spiritual need and material need are strongly conflicted, and people own more and more wealth but declined morality. The Great Gatsby is just the real description of the American society in 1920s, during which all traditional values turn into pure and mad pursuit for money. Gatsby’s dream is to combine love and money, at first, the reason why he pursues money is just to become wealthy and successful, and then he is to pursue his dream—the fantastic love, the two dreams belong to “love dream”. Therefore, the evaporation of love dream means all of his dreams are evaporated. Since Gatsby has rich materials, he is eager for restarting with Daisy. However, the American Dream cannot become true only with amounts of wealth in America; even Daisy is an ambitious, selfish, hypocritical and material girl, nevertheless, Gatsby regards her as the incardination of perfection, and pursues her at all costs, actually, it is just an illusion that cannot be realized. But he continues to chase the unrealistic dream blindly, which leads to his tragedy.4.3 Inevitable Evaporation of the American DreamThe Great Gatsby is considered as one of the typical American novel to reflect the atmosphere of the Jazz Age, F. Scott Fitzgerald describes Gatsby, the hero of the novel, as a “great” man, because he has no other dream except for love, although he also has many deficiencies and does illegal wine making, from the beginning to the end in the novel, Gatsby has only one goal, that is pursuing Daisy in spite of any obstacles, just because of the “great” goal, he is able to accumulate amounts of wealth to the upper social status. However, in the postwar era, true love is difficult to pursue, material is beyond love; in addition, Gatsby even sacrifices himself for his love, Gatsby is to Daisy what Americans are to the American dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald describes the image of Daisy deliberately to reveal the disillusion of American dream, Daisy’s beauty means the American Dream is attractive and attempting, and Daisy’s selfishness and emptiness means the American Dream is unrealistic and nonsense. Gatsby is incapable to distinguish the reality and the dream, so he spends the whole life in pursuing the illusion and creating a fantastic world. He only realizes that even though Daisy’s voice is full of money, he never realizes that they belong to totally different worlds and stands for various values. What makes Gatsby tragic is that he contributes his beautiful ideal to a superficial girl, the destroying of Gatsby’s illusion means the disillusion of the American Dream, his tragedy also reflects the author’s and the American dream pursuers’ tragedy. Gatsby and Daisy have different social statuses, for them, there is an insurmountable division, indicating his inevitable tragedy.5 ConclusionsIn the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald successfully shapes an image of the victim--Gatsby, who has no connection with the upper class, but he becomes a millionaire through illegal means at last; From the perspective of materials, he is successful; but he fails in the unrealistic illusion; while Tom and Daisy stands for the upper class, but they have little morality, responsibility and dream, they are so poor in mental wealth. Through the novel, it seems to be an ordinary love story of Daisy and Gatsby to love and break up, but the author describes the girl as a symbol of youth, money and status who just pursues material wealth. In order to pursue his love, Gatsby pours into all his feelings and intellect, he is too naïve to believe that money is omnipotent including gaining love. Unfortunately, Daisy is a vulgar and selfish girl, he is not aware of the reality of the materialistic redundancy but spiritual boredom, he lives in fantasy, abandoned by Daisy and ignored by the society, which finally causes irreparable outcome, he is a typical American young man in 1920s, what happens to him is a portrayal of splurge century. F. Scott Fitzgerald deeply exposes the sharp social contradiction in the Jazz Age of America behind the economic prosperity and the serious moral crisis faced by the Lost Generation, and reveals the nature of American life with strong responsibility, he describes a real American situation in the 1920s. The Great Gatsby is like a dream, F. Scott Fitzgerald deliberately designs each image, on one hand, it symbolizes the tragedy of Gatsby’s life; on the other hand, it contains the ups and downs of the American Dream. It is a real portrayal of the younger generation’s disillusion and anxiety in the Jazz Age, and his dream becomes a permanent historical mirror to the era.。
从《了不起的盖茨比》看“美国梦”的破灭【毕业论文+文献综述+

本科毕业论文(二〇一一届)题目从《了不起的盖茨比》看“美国梦”的破灭学院专业汉语言文学班级学号学生姓名指导教师完成日期教务处制二〇一一年五月目录摘要.............................................................................................................. 2 关键词.. (2)Abstract............................................................................................................2 Keywords ........................................................................................................2 一、弗司各特菲茨杰拉德简介..............................................................2 二、“美国梦”的历史渊源和主题变奏......................................................4 三、作品中盖茨比“美国梦三部曲”的寻求与幻灭..................................5 (一)发财梦..........................................................................................5 (二)地位梦..........................................................................................8 (三)爱情梦..........................................................................................9 四、盖茨比美国梦破灭引起的思考............................................................12 注释........................................................................................................15 参考文献........................................................................................................16 致谢........................................................................................................18从《了不起的盖茨比》看“美国梦”的破灭摘要:对“美国梦”的形成与发展以及小说主人公盖茨比“美国梦”进行分析。
了不起的盖茨比论文范文6篇(精品推荐)

了不起的盖茨比论文范文6篇(精品推荐)了不起的盖茨比论文范文6篇(精品推荐)本文关键词:盖茨,了不起,精品,推荐,论文范文了不起的盖茨比论文范文6篇(精品推荐)本文简介:范文第一篇题目:论小说《了不起的盖茨比》的悲剧意识摘要:《了不起的盖茨比》是美国作家菲茨杰拉德的代表作品。
在菲茨杰拉德这一部作品当中,其塑造了盖茨比等悲剧性的人物,表现了极为浓厚的悲剧意识,这些包含了菲茨杰拉德对于社会与人性的彻底思考与批判。
因此,要深入分析《了不起的盖茨比》中的悲剧意识,要了不起的盖茨比论文范文6篇(精品推荐)本文内容:范文第一篇题目:论小说《了不起的盖茨比》的悲剧意识摘要:《了不起的盖茨比》是美国作家菲茨杰拉德的代表作品。
在菲茨杰拉德这一部作品当中, 其塑造了盖茨比等悲剧性的人物, 表现了极为浓厚的悲剧意识, 这些包含了菲茨杰拉德对于社会与人性的彻底思考与批判。
因此, 要深入分析《了不起的盖茨比》中的悲剧意识, 要深入到故事情节与人物塑造等方面, 充分的分析这种社会因素与个人因素交缠下的宿命悲剧, 才能够深刻的体会菲茨杰拉德的批判意识。
关键词:菲茨杰拉德; 《了不起的盖茨比》; 人生悲剧美国作家菲茨杰拉德所创作的《了不起的盖茨比》, 是一部蜚声文坛的小说。
菲茨杰拉德在自己的人生当中提取出自己的经历和感情思想, 在《了不起的盖茨比》里面创作了盖茨比这一悲剧性的人物。
《了不起的盖茨比》主要是以20世纪初期第一次世界大战之后一直到资本主义经济危机爆发之前的整个社会危机作为自己的创作背景, 以盖茨比的人生轨迹作为主要的线条, 揭示了盖茨比这一悲剧性人物的美国梦想破碎以及其个人性格的异化过程。
在这一部小说当中, 美国青年盖茨比实际上是曾经有着自己梦想的, 并且带着自己的梦想参与到第一次世界大战之中。
可是自己成为战斗英雄之后, 回到国内依然是面对着非常多的悲剧。
所以盖茨比的性格在经历了这些事件之后产生了异化, 特别是在世间无情讽刺的条件下, 盖茨比对于人生的认知有着逐渐的转化。
了不起的盖茨比论文

了不起的盖茨比论文引言《了不起的盖茨比》是一部经典的美国小说,由斯科特·菲茨杰拉德(F. Scott Fitzgerald)创作并于1925年出版。
这部小说以20世纪20年代的美国为背景,以盖茨比这个神秘的人物为中心,揭示了无尽的追求和欲望对人们的影响。
本论文将探讨《了不起的盖茨比》中的几个核心主题,包括社会阶层、幻想与现实、爱情和破灭。
通过分析这些主题,我们可以更好地理解小说中的人物关系和情节发展。
社会阶层《了不起的盖茨比》通过不同社会阶层的人物之间的关系,展示了20世纪20年代美国社会的复杂性。
小说中的人物分为新贵人士(如盖茨比)、上流社会(如汤姆·布坎南)和社会底层(如尼克·卡拉威)。
这三个社会阶层的对比反映了社会不平等和金钱对人们生活的影响。
盖茨比是一个自力更生的新贵人士,他从贫苦的家庭出身,通过努力工作和谋划,成为了一个财富拥有者。
他通过炫耀奢华的派对和奇特的装饰来吸引上流社会的注意,并试图实现他心中的幻想。
然而,尽管他已经拥有了经济财富,但他并不被上层社会真正接受,因为他没有正确的血统和教育背景。
尽管如此,盖茨比仍然坚定地相信自己可以通过金钱来克服一切,以便重返他与黛西·布坎南之间曾经的爱情。
值得注意的是,在小说中,菲茨杰拉德通过描绘不同社会阶层人物之间的交往和互动,暗示了一个社会阶层壁垒不可动摇的观点。
这种观点在小说结尾时体现得尤为明显,当盖茨比死于悲剧性的结局,他被社会所遗忘,也暗示了社会中个人努力与社会等级和约束之间的冲突。
幻想与现实《了不起的盖茨比》中的主人公盖茨比是一个相当幻想主义者。
他对黛西·布坎南抱有一种执着的爱情幻想,这种幻想驱使着他成为了一个事业有成的人,但同时也成为了他自己的枷锁。
这个主题反映了20世纪20年代的美国社会,被誉为“繁荣的疯狂”时代,被金钱和物质所主导。
盖茨比将黛西视为他的救赎和幸福的象征,他通过建造一座豪华的房子和举办流光溢彩的派对来吸引她的注意。
(英语毕业论文)《了不起的盖茨比...

摘要“美国梦”是贯穿美国历史,最能体现美国人的传统价值观念和民族精神的理想。
是对平等、自由、进取和成功的理想主义信念。
美国梦所体现出来的机会均等、人人都能通过自身的奋斗取得成功吸引着成千上万的人奔赴到这片热土。
但是,20世纪20年代爵士时代的发言人司各特•菲茨杰拉德在他的经典之作《了不起的盖茨比》中却为世人反应出了一个看似光鲜实则堕落腐败的社会,展示了盖茨比梦想破灭, 象征着他所代表的那一代人的“美国梦”的幻灭。
本文旨在通过运用文体学理论分析《了不起的盖茨比》中的人物特性及他们各自心中所追求的“美国梦”,最后探究美国梦破灭的根本原因。
本文最后发现通过变换叙述视角,运用倒叙的时间性叙述,以及运用不同的叙述焦点将有助于展现美国梦的破灭这一主题。
关键词:美国梦盖茨比幻灭文体学A Stylistlc Analysis on the Characters’ American Dream in TheGreat GatsbyAbstractAmerican Dream has penetrated during the whole American history, which greatly accentuates the ideal of traditional values and national spirit in the concept of American, which is also an idealistic belief of equality, freedom, progressiveness as well as success. That the chance are even, everyone could achieve success through his hard work which reflected in American dream attracts a myriad of immigrants abroad flooding into this promising land. However, the illustrious work The Great Gatsby of Scott Fitzgerald who is universally acknowledged as the spokesman of the 1920s Jazz Age of flaming youth has exhibited a rotten society under the guise of prosperity with the disillusion of the protagonist Gatsby‟s American Dream, in effect, the disillusion of Gatsby‟s American Dream is the disillusion of the American Dream of that whole generation. This thesis will adopt the theory of stylistics to make an analysis about the characters together with their American Dream in The Great Gatsby, and the fundamental reason procuring the disillusion of American Dream will be analyzed. The findings in this thesis reveal that the shift of point of view, flashback as the chronological sequencing and different descriptive focuses are helpfull in presenting the disillusionment of the American Dream.Key words: American Dream Gatsby Disillusion StylisticsContents摘要 (1)Abstract (2)1 Introduction (4)1.1 Introduction of The Great Gatsby (4)1.1.1 Introduction to Scott Fitzgerald (4)1.1.2 Introduction to the Novel (4)1.2 Introduction to the History of American Dream (5)1.3 Organization of This Paper (5)2 Literature Review (6)2.1 Researches Abroad (6)2.2.Researches at Home (7)3. Theoretical Framework (9)3.1 Point of View (10)3.2 Fictional Sequencing (10)3.3 Descriptive Focus (11)4 A Stylistic Analysis of the Characters and American Dream (12)3.1 Gatsby (12)3.2 Daisy (13)3.3 Myrtle Wilson (15)3.4 Nick Carraway (16)5 Money Procuring the Disillusion of American Dream (18)6 Conclusion (21)References (21)Acknowledgement (23)1 Introduction1.1Introduction of The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby which was published in America in 1925 for the first time opened to much critical acclaim for its profound ideological content and the artistic way the author developed the topic in it. The following part will make a brief introduction of the author Scott Fitzgerald as well as this illustrious novel.1.1.1 Introduction to Scott FitzgeraldFrom 1920 to 1930, American literature boomed. It was its the golden age During those 10 years, batches of excellent writers emerged and outstanding works came out in an unending flow. At that time, America had just experienced the First World War, its economy was prosperous, but the social conscience was particularly corrupt[1]. Francis Scott Fitzgerald was a shining star in American literature circle during this period. His life was short but it was full of epic glory. His writing career was only 20 years, but he left four classical novels and 160 short articles. Those achievements made him an outstanding novelist in 20th century literary. He is called the representative writer of “Lost Generation” by his contemporaries as well as later generations and also considered as the “Poet Laureate” in “Jazz Age” and the excellent chroniclers[2].1.1.2 Introduction to the NovelWith time passed by, an increasing number of Americans began to realize that not everyone could achieve their American dream. Great Gatsby is Fitzgerald‟ s most famous novel and is also one of the greatest American novels.When it was published, it was regarded as “the first step the American novel has taken since Henry James” by T﹒S Eliot. There is a very special feature of this book that it touches the deep inside[1]常耀信。
论现实主义之《了不起的盖茨比》

论现实主义之《了不起的盖茨比》目睹世界,尽失初样,金迷纸醉,靡靡奢华。
时光在这首主题曲中倒回20世纪20年代的纽约长岛,随着尼克的视角,我们目睹了一场名为“了不起的盖茨比”的梦之悲剧。
《了不起的盖茨比》是菲茨杰拉德的杰出作品,讲述了20世纪的美国社会,美国人民在物欲横流的社会中,在金钱至上的价值国度里,逐渐迷失里自我,失去了精神追求。
以盖茨比为典型,最终梦想幻灭,其中,不无体现着现实主义特征。
从时代背景来看,当时美国在第一次世界大战中大发横财,经济发展迅速,出现了空前繁荣的局面,而小说正是以20年代这种繁荣的局面作为故事发生的环境背景。
欢歌载舞,奢华狂欢,纸醉金迷,灯红酒绿,这是对美国当时“爵士乐时代”的准确刻画。
就其故事取材上说,据说小说主人公盖茨比便是作者菲茨杰拉德,他们一样贫穷,一样经历过战争,一样是获得财富后才获得了爱情,因此,在情节安排上,感情流露上便多了几分真实。
对于人物形象的塑造,黛西是青春与财富的象征,是金钱的具体化。
或许之前她是爱过盖茨比的,但嫁做人妇后,他生活在优裕的生活中,她与再见的盖茨比玩起感情游戏,尽管盖茨比说:“她的声音充满了金钱。
”可他依然义无反顾的投入到与黛西的恋爱中,或许时过境迁,他并不是那么爱黛西了,他爱的是自己成功后可以追回逝去爱情的决心,他爱的是想要证明能力与金钱都拥有的自己。
可是不管怎样,黛西都是必要的证明,于是他爱黛西胜过爱自己了。
可是黛西并不这么想,他想要两个男人的爱,这种虚荣导致他不能舍弃汤姆太太的称号,在车祸事件后,黛西和汤姆退缩到金钱或者麻木不仁或者不管什么使他们留在一起的东西了,让盖茨比以死亡为代价替他们收拾烂摊子。
黛西的这种做法未免让我们有点心寒,但是我们没有权利去指责他。
人性都是自私的,爱别人前首先要爱自己,黛西只不过是爱自己胜过了爱爱情。
现在依旧也有很多女孩,宁可在宝马车里哭,也不愿在自行车上笑。
这是一个现实而又势利、物质到骨子里的社会,拜金主义之风肆虐横行,吞噬着人内心中的温暖与道德。
论现实主义之《了不起的盖茨比》[范文模版]
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论现实主义之《了不起的盖茨比》[范文模版]第一篇:论现实主义之《了不起的盖茨比》[范文模版]论现实主义之《了不起的盖茨比》目睹世界,尽失初样,金迷纸醉,靡靡奢华。
时光在这首主题曲中倒回20世纪20年代的纽约长岛,随着尼克的视角,我们目睹了一场名为“了不起的盖茨比”的梦之悲剧。
《了不起的盖茨比》是菲茨杰拉德的杰出作品,讲述了20世纪的美国社会,美国人民在物欲横流的社会中,在金钱至上的价值国度里,逐渐迷失里自我,失去了精神追求。
以盖茨比为典型,最终梦想幻灭,其中,不无体现着现实主义特征。
从时代背景来看,当时美国在第一次世界大战中大发横财,经济发展迅速,出现了空前繁荣的局面,而小说正是以20年代这种繁荣的局面作为故事发生的环境背景。
欢歌载舞,奢华狂欢,纸醉金迷,灯红酒绿,这是对美国当时“爵士乐时代”的准确刻画。
就其故事取材上说,据说小说主人公盖茨比便是作者菲茨杰拉德,他们一样贫穷,一样经历过战争,一样是获得财富后才获得了爱情,因此,在情节安排上,感情流露上便多了几分真实。
对于人物形象的塑造,黛西是青春与财富的象征,是金钱的具体化。
或许之前她是爱过盖茨比的,但嫁做人妇后,他生活在优裕的生活中,她与再见的盖茨比玩起感情游戏,尽管盖茨比说:“她的声音充满了金钱。
”可他依然义无反顾的投入到与黛西的恋爱中,或许时过境迁,他并不是那么爱黛西了,他爱的是自己成功后可以追回逝去爱情的决心,他爱的是想要证明能力与金钱都拥有的自己。
可是不管怎样,黛西都是必要的证明,于是他爱黛西胜过爱自己了。
可是黛西并不这么想,他想要两个男人的爱,这种虚荣导致他不能舍弃汤姆太太的称号,在车祸事件后,黛西和汤姆退缩到金钱或者麻木不仁或者不管什么使他们留在一起的东西了,让盖茨比以死亡为代价替他们收拾烂摊子。
黛西的这种做法未免让我们有点心寒,但是我们没有权利去指责他。
人性都是自私的,爱别人前首先要爱自己,黛西只不过是爱自己胜过了爱爱情。
现在依旧也有很多女孩,宁可在宝马车里哭,也不愿在自行车上笑。
了不起的盖茨比毕业论文

了不起的盖茨比毕业论文《了不起的盖茨比》是美国作家斯科特·菲茨杰拉德的经典小说之一,出版于1925年,描述了20世纪20年代的美国社会,以及其中一个富豪盖茨比与他的一段复杂的爱情故事。
本文将重点就小说中所反映的美国社会特点、人物性格以及主题等方面进行分析。
一、美国社会特点20世纪20年代的美国是一个经济快速发展的时期,许多人暴富,社会经济上的分化呈现出日益扩大的趋势。
在小说中,以盖茨比为代表的新贵阶层通过参加派对、穿着奢华、驾驶跑车等方式表现出自身的地位和财富,他们住在纽约市的豪华公寓和大别墅中,过着奢侈的生活。
另一方面,以尼克为代表的老牌贵族则更加关注传统的美国价值观,例如诚实、正直和尊重等。
他们有着良好的教育背景和社会地位,并且保持着旧时美国家族的风貌,但他们却无法抵挡派对和酗酒所带来的诱惑,也逐渐沉浸在新兴阶层所提供的激情和魅力中,不断远离了自己的信仰和价值观。
二、人物性格小说中的人物形象各异,具有鲜明的个性特点。
其中,盖茨比的形象给人以神秘感和虚幻感。
他是一个新贵富豪,拥有极端的自信和独特的魅力,但却隐藏着一个不可说的秘密,他深深地爱着黛西,而黛西则是他过去的恋人,他为了重获黛西的爱情而不择手段,甚至牺牲了自己的生命。
另一方面,尼克·卡拉威是一个明智而正直的人,他具备敏锐的洞察力和自我控制力,能够准确地分辨出真实和虚假的东西。
他尊重一个人的精神品质,而不是他/她的地位和财富。
在整个故事中,尼克一直是一个中立的定海神针,既是旁观者,也是操纵者,他以公正、善良,审慎和谦逊的态度完成了自己的任务。
三、主题《了不起的盖茨比》通过描绘20世纪20年代的美国社会与个体,探讨了许多主题,其中最主要的是爱情、财富和社会信仰。
首先是爱情,小说中黛西和盖茨比的爱情故事可以说是本书的重点所在。
盖茨比的爱情是一种强烈的爱情,充满了牺牲和情感纠葛。
他追逐黛西的过程,如同幻梦般,美好而不真实。
而黛西的心灵遭到了一次次的打击,她感到被财产和地位所左右,最终选择放弃了盖茨比和她的爱情。
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本科生毕业设计 (论文)题目:A Contrastive Analysis of the Greatness of Gatsby and the Meanness of His Foils in The Great Gatsby教学单位外国语学院__ _ ________姓名 _朱兴春 ________学号_200730701142___________年级 2007级 ________专业英语 _______指导教师文培红__________________职称 _副教授_________________2011年 5 月 14日Abstract: The scholars have already done some researches on the book The Great Gatsby which was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, such as the writing styles of the author in the book, symbolism and metaphor, the failure of the “American dream”, the analysis of the protagonist —Gatsb y—the representative of hero and Daisy’s and other women’s selfish and mental emptiness. On the basis of these, it revealed the failure of the “American Dream”people had in that times when they paid more attention to the materialistic hedonism but spiritual void by analyzing the characters such as Gatsby, Daisy and Tom. Therefore, Gatsby’s “American Dream”—Daisy—was doomed to failure. However, he was great because he speared no efforts to make his dream come true.摘要:学者们已经对《了不起的盖茨比》中作者的写作手法——象征及比喻、“美国梦”在现实中的幻灭、盖茨比的人物分析——英雄主义的代表、以及故事中黛西等女性角色空虚自私的生活等分析与评论。
因此,在这基础上,通过对盖茨比与黛西、汤姆为代表的上层人物进行逐个分析,从反面揭示出以黛西、汤姆为代表的重商主义者在美国现实社会下对物质的追求与享乐但精神空虚如同行尸走肉般的人们注定了像盖茨比一类人的“美国梦”的破灭。
因此,盖茨比的“美国梦”——黛西——注定是失败的,但是他为了实现自己的梦想不断奋斗的精神是了不起的。
Key Word: greatness Gatsby meanness of the foils American Dream 关键词:了不起盖茨比大众的粗恶美国梦Contents Abstract (I)1 Introduction (1)2 The author’s experiences and the social background (1)2.1 The author’s experiences (1)2.2 The social background (3)3 The analysis of Gatsby’s greatness (4)3.1. Gatsby’s courage and persistence (4)3.2 Gatsby’s kindness and generosity (6)3.3 Gatsby’s sacrifice, filial piety and self-discipline ……. ………. …….. ..64 The analysis of Daisy’s and Tom’s meanness (7)4.1 The analysis of Daisy (7)4.1.1 Daisy’s beauty and her attractive voice (7)4.1.2 Daisy’s apathy, indifferent, and selfish (7)4.1.3 Dais y’s desire for material and money, and her empty spirit (8)4.2 The analysis of Tom (8)4.2.1 Tom’s cruel ty and crudity (8)4.2.2 Tom’s selfishness and his awareness of his status and possessions..95 The description of the follies (9)6 Conclusion (10)References (12)Acknowledgements (13)1 IntroductionThe Great Gatsby is written by American author Francis Scott Fitzgerald, who is considered a member of the “lost generation” of 1920s. It was first published in 1925. The following is the main plot of the novel. A young man named Nick Caraway, who came to New York City in spring of 1922. He became involved in the life of his neighbor at the Long Island, Jay Gatsby, a very rich man, who entertained hundreds, even thousands of guests who did not know each other and Gatsby at his party. Gatsby revealed to Nick, that he fell in love with Nick’s cousin Daisy before the war. However, he was poor at that time. Therefore, Daisy married Tom Buchanan, a rich but boring man of high social position. When Gatsby came back after the war he found Daisy was married because he had no money but he still loved her. So he wanted to regain Daisy by earning money as a bootlegger. After he was rich, he persuaded Nick to bring him and Daisy together again. Gatsby tried his best to convince Daisy to leave Tom and live with him. Unfortunately, in return, Tom revealed that Gatsby had made his money from bootlegging. So they asked Daisy whom she loved and who she wanted to live with. Daisy had no idea and began to sob helplessly. So she wanted to escape from this situation. Driving Gatsby’s blue car, she hit and killed Tom’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson, and she was so crazy that she did not know what she could do. Gatsby remained silent in order to protect her. But Tom told Myrtle’s husband Wilson that it was Gatsby who killed his wife. Wilson murdered Gatsby and then committed suicide. Tom and Daisy left Long Island in the afternoon when Gatsby was killed and did call neither Nick nor Gatsby. Nick was left to arrange Gatsby’s funeral, attended only by Gatsby’s father and one former guest. The Great Gatsby was the reflection of the times which Fitzgerald called “the Jazz Age” and recorded the life people lived in that time.2 The brief introduction of the author and the social backgroundFrancis Scott Fitzgerald lived in the period that was between the WWI and the roaring twenties. He had his own traditional value which was contradicted to the main value in those years. So he had double and contradictory personality.2.1 The introduction to the authorFrancis Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, and named after his ancestor Francis Scott Key, the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Fitzgerald was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Though an intelligent child, he did poorly in school andwas sent to a New Jersey boarding school in 1911. Despite being a mediocre student there, he managed to enroll at Princeton in 1913. Academic troubles and apathy plagued him throughout his time at college, and he never graduated, instead of being enlisted in the army in 1917, as World War I came to the end. Fitzgerald became a second lieutenant, and was stationed at Camp Sheridan, in Montgomery, Alabama. There he met and fell in love with a wild seventeen-year-old beauty named Zelda Sayre. Zelda finally agreed to marry him, but her overpowering desire for wealth, fun, and leisure led her to delay their wedding until he could prove a success. With the publication of This Side of Paradise in 1920, Fitzgerald became a literary sensation, earning enough money and fame to convince Zelda to marry him. Many of these eve nts from Fitzgerald’s early life appear ed in his most famous novel, The Great Gatsby, published in 1925. Like Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway was a thoughtful young man from Minnesota, educated at an Ivy League school (in Nick’s case, Yale), who moved to New York after the war. Also similar to Fitzgerald was Jay Gatsby, a sensitive young man who idolized wealth and luxury and who fell in love with a beautiful young woman while stationed at a military camp in the South. Having become a celebrity, Fitzgerald fell into a wild, reckless life-style of parties and decadence, while desperately trying to please Zelda by writing to earn money. Similarly, Gatsby amassed a great deal of wealth at a relatively young age, and devoted himself to acquiring possessions and throwing parties that he believed it would enable him to win Daisy’s love. As the giddiness of the Roaring Twenties dissolved into the bleakness of the Great Depression, however, Zelda suffered a nervous breakdown and Fitzgerald battled alcoholism, which hampered his writing. He published Tender Is the Night in 1934, and sold short stories to The Saturday Evening Post to support his lavish lifestyle. In 1937, he left for Hollywood to write screenplays, and in 1940, while working on his novel The Love of the Last Tycoon, he died of a heart attack at the age of forty-four. Fitzgerald was the most famous chronicler of 1920s America, an era that he dubbed “the Jazz Age.” Written in 1925, The Great Gatsby was one of the greatest literary documents of this period, in which the American economy soared, bringing unprecedented levels of prosperity to the nation. Prohibition, the ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol mandated by the “Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution”(1919), made millionaires out of bootleggers, and an underground culture of revelry sprang up. Sprawling private parties managed to elude police notice, and “speakeasies”—secret clubs that soldliquor—thrived. The chaos and violence of World War I left America in a state of shock, and the generation that fought the war turned to wild and extravagant living to compensate. The staid conservatism and timeworn values of the previous decade were turned on their ear, as money, opulence, and exuberance became the order of the day. Like Nick in The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald found this new lifestyle seductive and exciting, and, like Gatsby, he had always idolized the very rich. Now he found himself in an era in which unrestrained materialism set the tone of society, particularly in the large cities of the East. Even so, like Nick, Fitzgerald saw through the glitter of the Jazz Age to the moral emptiness and hypocrisy beneath, and part of him longed for this absent moral center. In many ways, The Great Gatsby represented Fitzgerald’s attempt to confront his conflicting feelings about the Jazz Age. Like Gatsby, Fitzgerald was driven by his love for a woman who symbolized everything he wanted, even as she led him toward everything he despised.Fitzgerald’s novels and stories reflected vividly the shattered “American Dream”and showed the mental outlook of the high social status men’s in the “waste era”during the Great Depression. He not only had the successful and prosperous life experiences, but also had the bitter and frustrated suffering. So he was called “the authority of the failure”. His life was intertwined with ambition and reality, success and failure, proud and down, to revel in and decadent, love and suffer, the conflict between the American culture and Europe culture, between the east and west, between the dreams and disillusionment, etc.. With all these feelings in his heart, he lose his value and direction. So he was also one of the representatives of “The Lost Generation”.2.2 The social background between the WWI and the “Roaring T wenties”The WWI was ended in 1919 and America was undoubtfully the winner. Since America afforded the munitions to the both sides of the countries at the beginning of the WWI, America got a lot of money and its economy was strengthened which made America become a creditor nation from a debtor nation. After the war, America was in an unprecedented era of economy prosperity and bountiful substance. At the same time, its society was filled with the moral decadence, because justice and faith became the cheating words which defeated the whole generation as the essence of the imperialist war was exposed gradually. Of the ruins of the ancient tradition, faith, and idea, the American youth lived in a deficit spending and pleasure life. Money was regarded as the most important thing in the world. While the traditional value facedchallenge, the new value was not formed. So the people in these years had decadent value and empty life, and they wanted to be millionaires overnight or perused material meet and get-it-while-you-can. “American Dream”made all the people’s eyes dazzling as a colorful balloon wandering in the air. (吴建国,p32)“All the gods have all death ray, all the battle has been finished, all the faith all has completely lost.”(Fitzgrald,p253) The Jazz Age referred to the ten years from the year of 1919 to the year of 1929, and Fitzgerald described the atmosphere of this period as “This is a constantly miracles era, a prosperous times, a profligate era, an era of irony.”(Fitzgerald,p14) in his article of Echoes of the Jazz Age.Before the WWI, the laissez-faire democratic ideal that America had always believed was the product of an age when individual effort counted, when a man could rise his own efforts, and when if his affairs were not succeeding he could at least escape by signing up for a whaling voyage or lighting out for the territory ahead of the rest. When the system failed, it was the fault of rapscallions and crooks; the version remained an ideal and the standard from which criticism and judgments could be made.However, WWI shattered this version. It ended once and for all the faith in individual effort that had been eroding since the Revolution and had persisted –sometimes naively and sometimes defensively-in the fiction in this period. As Mark Schorer had pointed out, disillusionment with the American system and the efficacy of individual effort was the distinguishing characteristic of postwar American writing. “The rootlessness of postwar American society, its restless alienation, and its consequent reliance on money were regarded as a code for expressing emotions and identity.”(Brueccoli,p46)3 The analysis of Gatsby’s greatnessGatsby was a man who spared no efforts to achieve his dream-Daisy and his love. In order to realize it, he changed his name first and then made money by bootlegging. However, he did not get what he wanted and his dream failed. Finally, he was murdered by a man whose wife was killed by Daisy. Though he was dead his persistence was worth to be learned by us. From the idealism he idealized his “American Dream”and his life, and he lived in a life he imaged. Thus, his dream doomed to failure, but his courage and persistence were great.3.1 Gatsby’s courage and persistenceGatsby was completely a man who tried his best to promote his social status from a lower class to higher class. His perseverance, courage and efforts made him get numerous money and stride into the higher class. “The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard-it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion.”(Fitzgerald,p9)From these words, we can speculate his efforts of being a rich man.He fell in love with Daisy when he was a lieutenant and he wanted to get married with her. However, he joined the army oversea to fight. In the army, he wrote letters to Daisy to keep touch with each other. After he knew that Daisy was married to Tom who was very rich he intended to obtain Daisy again. Thus, he came back to Daisy’s hometown to get some information of Daisy. For five years he inquired about her, and he also did some business to make money to attract Daisy to him. His courage and willpower for Daisy was great though he was failed at last.In order to get money, he changed his name first and then inherited money from Cody. “James Gatz-that was really, or at least legally, his name. He had changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment that witnessed the beginning of his career-when he saw Dan Cody’s yacht drop anchor over the most insidious flat on Lake Superior.”(Fitzgerald, p97) At that time when Gatsby saw Cody, Cody was fifty years old and he was a rich man. Cody got lots of money through copper transactions in Mantana. Thus, many girls and women wanted to gain his money, trying their best to achieve their dreams. Cody asked Gatsby a few questions and found that Gatsby was quick and extravagantly ambitious. A few days later, Cody took him to Duluth and bought Gatsby a blue coat, six pairs of white duck trousers, and a yacht cap. Cody left some money to Gatsby but Gatsby received no money because Cody’s woman Ella Kaye got it after Cody’s death. What he got was appropriate education; the vague contour of Jay Gatsby had filled out to the substantiality of a man.Gatsby’s pursuit for love, Daisy, and money and his continuous efforts to make them come true made him rich and obtained a higher social status. His courage and persistence were the characteristics of the “American Dream.”“Gatsby’s life was filled with dream, the dream of beauty and love. He dedicated all his life to realize his dream.”(张福勇)3.2 Gatsby’s kindness and generosityEvery week Gatsby would hold party for all the guests coming to his gorgeous house. “In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.”(Fitzgerald, p49) “On weekends his RollsRoyce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains. And on Mondays eight servants, including an extra gardener, toiled all day with mops and scrubbing-brushes and hammers and garden-shears, repairing the ravages of the night before.”(Fitzgerald, p49) “Every Friday five crates of oranges and lemons arrived from a fruiterer in New York –every Monday these same oranges and lemons left his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves.”(Fitzgerald, p49) Gatsby treated his guests with sumptuous feast and from all his actions he was known as a kind and generous man. When his guest’s tore her gown on a chair, and Gatsby asked her name and address –a week later she got a package from Croirier’s with a new evening gown in it. Gatsby treated all the people in his banquet well no matter others did not know him. And his smile was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it. His smile let other person feel comfortable. When Gatsby planned to meet Daisy in Carraway’s house he asked his gardener to mow his lawn. He wanted to introduce Carraway a job as a reward.3.3 Gatsby’s sacrifice spirit and filial piety, self-disciplineWhen Daisy drove Gatsby’s car on the way home, Daisy killed Tom’s mistress Myrtle without stopping. Gatsby kept silence in order to protect Daisy. And that night he waited outside of Daisy’s house and saw if Tom tried to bother Daisy about that unpleasantness in that afternoon. “He spoke as if Daisy’s reaction was the only thing that mattered.”(Fitzgerald, p140) The next day Gatsby was murdered by George and Daisy and Tom left for. He pursued his love and sacrificed his life at last. In this sense, he was a great man.Gatsby also loved his father. After he died, his father drawn his book he owned when he was a child. On the last fly-leaf was printed the word SCHEDULE, and the GENERAL RESERVES. Gatsby visited his father two years ago and bought him a house. With the schedule and the reserves he wrote he would have a big future in front of him and ever since he made a success he was very generous with his father.4 The analysis of Daisy’s and Tom’s meannessDaisy and Tom belonged to the higher social class. “They were the representatives of the aristocrats and they pursued life’s elegance and pleasure. However, their spirit was empty so they spent money in idling away their bored life. They were selfish, irresponsible, had a degenerate moral.”(苗永敏) “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…“(Fitzgerald, p174)From the mercantilism Tom and Daisy were cared about their wealth, not other people’s feeling.4.1 The analysis of DaisyDaisy was a woman who was beautiful, elegant, lovely, and romantic but her pretty was just an illusion. She was a cold and detached person with an empty spirit. What she pursued was the desire for material.4.1.1 Daisy’s beauty and her attractive voiceWhen carraway came to Daisy’s house for the first time she wore a white dress which was rippling and fluttering as if she had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house. When she asked Carraway some question in her low, thrilling voice Carraway was drawn his attention to it. Daisy’s voice was the kind of voice that the ear followed up and down, as if each speech was an arrangement of notes that would never be played again. Her beauty and charming voice made many men propose her.4.1.2 Daisy’s apathy, indifference, and selfishnessWhen Daisy killed Myrtle, she did not admit her mistake; instead, she and her husband Tom told George that it was Gatsby who killed Myrtle. After Gatsby went back home, she did not call him and she did not visit him as well after Gatsby’s death. All she concerned was her luxurious life. Daisy had a daughter but their relationship was not mother and daughter. Pammy just liked a toy which was brought when its master needed it. She did not love her daughter but funny. She convinced Gatsby that she would go with him, but she still cared Tom’s wealth and status and she knew that she still need them when she knew that Gatsby was not belonged to her social class.As far as Daisy was concerned, moral, responsibility, and obligation did not exist in the world. To sum up, Daisy only cared about herself without taking other people into consideration. She could desert anyone in order to protect herself.4.1.3 Daisy’s desire for material and money, and her empty spiritDaisy and Gatsby fell in love with each other; however, when Gatsby took apart in the army she married Tom who was very rich because Gatsby was poor. During the five years Gatsby knew that he tried to get her again he must become rich through his efforts to attract Daisy to him. When Gatsby showed Daisy his “achievement” to her, she was attracted. While Gatsby took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before Daisy, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk covered the table in many colored disarray, Daisy began to cry stormily and said she never saw these beautiful shirts. “For Daisy felling itself was not a true thing but just a ‘pose’.”(王晓环) As the words said by Gatsby that Daisy’s voice was filled with money.Daisy’s spirit was blank and empty, she had not goal or idea to pursue or set up. Just as she said she did not know how to live that afternoon when Gatsby first came to her house, what she would do the next day, and the next thirty years.4.2 The analysis of Tom“Tom Buchanan lives according to a certain social code.”(Bruccoli, p70) He belonged to the higher social class and he inherited the wealth from his family. Thus, he did not care the feeling of other person and he was cruel, selfish, and indifferent. He only paid attention to what he possessed no matter money or women. Tom was a playboy who traveled with a waitress of a hotel by driving and then dated Myrtle in New York. “He was foolish, selfish, arrogant and supercilious.”(苗永敏) He could have mistress and have a self-indulgence life but he could not bear his wife to have a man. “She knew before we were married –God knows where!”(Fitzgerald, p120) “Tom was evidently perturbed at Daisy’s running around alone, for on the following Saturday night he came with her to Gatsby’s party.”(Fitzgerald, p103)4.2.1 Tom’s cruelty and crudityWhen Tom was in New Haven he was one of the most powerful ends that ever played football. “Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always learning aggressively forward.” (Fitzgerald,p11) And that was the body capable of enormous leverage-a cruel body. His words and his voice were full of cruelty. When Carraway came to New York with Tom he lived in Tom and his mistress’s apartment for one night. That night Carraway heard Tom Buchanan and Mrs Wilson discussing in impassioned voices, standing face to face. Tom beat Myrtle and broke her nose when she said Daisy’s name. Tom was so crude that even his mistress he beat.4.2.2 Tom’s selfishness and his awareness of his status and his possessionsTom and his wife, Carraway and Jordan, and Gatsby went to city by driving car. On the way to New York, he refueled Gatsby’s yellow car at George’s garage and he knew that his possession-Myrtle would leave him. So he turned his head and looked back for Daisy’s driving car, and if the traffic delayed Daisy and Gatsby he slowed up until they came into sight just because he was afraid to lose Daisy and Myrtle. When he went to New York with Myrtle, he let her seated in another car in order to avoid the sensibilities of those East Eggers who might be on the train. After Daisy killed his mistress, he told George selfishly that it was Gatsby who killed his wife for owning his Daisy. All he concerned were his possessions and he did not allow anyone to grab from him. He could do anything to grasp them.5 The description of the folliesIn Gatsby’s splendid party, all the guests were not invited by Gatsby except a few of them. They got into automobiles which took them to Gatsby’s house or they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby. And after that they conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with an amusement park. They came to Gatsby’s house without seeing him or knowing him but for a simplicity of their heart for joy. In the party, there were some celebrities, rich men, businessmen, who came from both East and West Egg. They did not know about Gatsby, so they guessed that Gatsby was killed a man once or Gatsby was a German spy. What they could guess the role Gatsby was bad. They came for enjoying their emotion. They danced on the canvas in Gatsby’s garden; old men pushing young girls backwards in eternal graceless circles, superior couples holding each other tortuously, and keeping in the corner, many young girls dancing individually or relieving the orchestra for a moment of the burden of the banjo or the traps. With the dancing continuing, the hilarity was upsurged. They came all the summer to do these.However, when Gatsby died no one came to see Gatsby; instead, they stayed away from Gatsby. When Carraway called them to take part in Gatsby’s funeral, they all said they had no time, especially Gatsby’s friend Wolfshiem. Carraway sent Gatsby’s butler to New York with a letter to him and asked him to come to see Gatsby. He did not come but returned only a letter which said that he was sad to hear this news but he was very busy and his business could not mix with Gatsby’s affairs. When Carraway phoned Gatsby’s friends to come to his funeral, his friends just said that they would have a picnic or something else on Gatsby’s funeral day and they said deliberately that they would do their best to get away and attend Gatsby’s funeral. Even when Carraway went to New York to invite Mr. Wolfshiem to attend Gatsby’s funeral, Wolfshiem did not see Carraway at first and after seeing Carraway he told him something about Gatsby’s past and said that he would not come to Gatsby’s funeral because he did not want his business disturbed by Gatsby’s affairs. Gat sby’s funeral was very cold and cheerless, without friends but his father, Carraway and the owl-glasses man. On that day it was rain as if God sympathized with him.All of Gatsby’s guests and friends were very selfish, indifferent and callous. They only concerned their wealth, money, social status and material enjoyment. They were the same class in which Tom and Daisy lived.6 ConclusionIn the years when people desired material enjoyment, Gatsby’s naïve and mirage “dream” doomed to fail. During those years, people did not care about other’s feeling, even if the one was his or her relative. In the novel Fitzgerald vividly described the relation between people and people and this relationship was the reflection and refraction of the roaring twenties’life. Because there were Tom and Daisy who stood for the upper class, Gatsby’s would not success for the upper class was cold and cruel. Gatsby was the incarnation of his idealistic “American Dream”and he did every thing to realize his unpractical ideal. He was great although his dream was failed at last and he was killed eventually compared to the cold and cruel Tom, Daisy, and all the follies. His perseverance of achieving his dream was great, his unswervingly love for Daisy was great, his kindness for his guests was great, and his filial piety for his father was great.“Gatsby was worth to sympathize with, and his life was beginning with a dream and ended with a dream. Gatsby’s tragedy reflected a main contradiction that was thecontradiction between ideal and reality. Gatsby and Tom stood for the two main powers-one was the idealism which broke away from the reality, the other was extremely crude pragmatism.”(娜仁花)It showed Gatsby’s greatness by describing Tom’s meanness. 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