英美文学问答题

An American Tragedy

1. Discuss the character of Clyde Griffiths.

The novel's main character, Clyde is driven all his life in pursuit of his idea of the American dream. He is materialistic and pleasure-seeking, and he lacks any strong moral center. He is willing to lie and to indulge in unethical and illegal behavior in pursuit of his goals, and he repeatedly runs from difficulties, especially those he creates for himself. For Clyde, there is no clear line between reality and fantasy, right and wrong. To escape his sordid life, he daydreams of wealth and luxury. To live with his acts of cowardice, he rationalizes them. So his character is decided by his pursuit.

2.What were the root causes which led to Clyde's destruction

The original causes of Clyde's tragedy are the evil capitalist social system. In general, his destruction is decided by American dream.

Roberta‟s tragedy was very great important significant. It showed in true history that American society ruined the youth people. As we know in American society at that time, the individualism, money worship and American Dream were very prevalent in America. The American Dream was based on the assumption that each person, no matter what his origins are, could succeed in life in the sole basic of his or her own skill and effort.

Naturalism is the brief writing style that man is shaped of hereditary and environment force beyond his control. In particular, naturalism is the brief that man‟s inner sense of willingness toward a good or toward an evil is an illusion merely.Thus, for the naturalist it makes no praise the action, they are only doing what comes naturally to them. Naturalistic works exposed the dark harshness of life, including poverty, racism, violence, prejudice, disease, corruption, and filth. As a result, naturalistic writers were frequently criticized for being too blunt.

The Long Way Out

1.In the opening paragraph the narrator says,"It(the story) seemed to have nothing to do with the tortures long ago." Does he really mean it, or is it ironic. It is ironic. Mrs King has spilt personality. When she become well enough so that she could take a experimental trip with her husband there was a general interest in the center. Unfortunately, her husband's car was hit by a truck on his way from the city and died. The doctors and nurses try to varnish over the truth with a lie. Mrs King Had been living in a state of being cheated. Though Mrs King, the author reveal the real life of ordinary life.

Fitzgerald's fiction deals with the bankruptcy of the American Dream, which is highlighted by the disillusionment of the protagonists' personal dreams due to the clashes between their romantic vision of life and the sordid reality. American Dream is a popular belief that people can achieve success, whether it is wealth, fame or love through honest hard working in a new world of liberty, equality, chances and promises. The American Dream was bankrupt in the sense that the wealthy people were spiritually disorientated and morally corrupted. The fact that the rich people turned to be more indifferent and careless brought forth the disillusionment of American Dream.

1.Why, in the second paragraph, does the narrator bring in the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence which declared…that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certainunalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.‟ Thedeclaration brought to America a new sense of democratic freedom and established a notion of a society in which anything was possible. An American dream was born; a dream that boasted democracy, equality, prosperity and freedom. America became a land

of opportunity where every man had power over his own destiny.But, in fact, all men are not equal

2.In the last paragraph the narrator says,"It is not unhappy life as far as we know..."Is it really?Or does it only add to our sense of sadness and horror?

It is not really.It doesn't add to our sense of sadness and horror. Maybe it seems an unhappy life. The author display the loneliness and misery of modern life.He conveys the idea that,"Money can't buy happiness. People just live in a blind life and life is indeed dark. The novel reflects that author's recognition that one's desire for happiness does not insure one's being so and that pursuit of pleasure may only cover a lot of pain. The novel reveals the falseness of ideals and moves toward disillusion.