了不起的盖茨比英文简介

了不起的盖茨⽐英⽂论⽂

摘要

弗朗西斯·司科特·菲茨杰拉德是⼆⼗世纪美国最重要的作家之⼀,被推崇为“爵⼠时代”的编年史家和桂冠诗⼈。他不仅亲⾝经历

了美国历史上“最会纵乐、最讲究炫丽”的时代的⽣活,⽽且以敏锐的⽬光,审视着那个时代所发⽣的⼀切。《了不起的盖茨⽐》

于1925年发表,是⼆⼗世纪最优秀的⼩说之⼀。托·斯·艾略特称它是“亨利·詹姆斯以后美国⼩说迈出的第⼀步。《了不起的盖茨

⽐》是对美国梦的实质的批评。美国⽂化的特征之⼀表现为:在强化追求物质财富的成功的同时,忽视了为追求物质财富的成功

⽽采取合法⼿段的重要性。

本论⽂从⼈物分析着⼿，从社会、历史、以及作者⾃⾝经历和世界观等多⽅⾯探讨导致主⼈公盖茨⽐梦毁⼈亡的根源存在。美

国梦幻灭不仅有其深刻的社会历史原因，且与盖茨⽐性格中的⾃我毁灭因素息息相关。通过分析我们可以看出盖茨⽐之梦的历

史渊源和实质，盖茨⽐性格中的天直单纯和不谙世故以及以汤姆、黛西为代表的美国社会的冷酷⽆情和道德沦丧。这些从根本

上决定了美国梦的幻灭。本⽂主要通过⼈物分析来分析作品的主题，并将⼆者有机地统⼀起来，意在较全⾯深刻地解读作品的

内涵。

关键词：《了不起的盖茨⽐》；弗朗西斯·司科特·菲茨杰拉德；成功

Abstract

otonlyaleading

participantinthetypicallyfrivolous,carefree,at

Gatsby(1925)isregaralledit“thefirst

steptheAmericannovelhastakensinceHenryJames.”TheGreatGatsbyisageneralcritiqueoftheAmericandream.

Americancultureischaracterizedbyastrongemphasisonthegoalofmonetarysuccessandaweakemphasisonthe

importanceofthelegitimatemeansforthepursuitofsuccess.

ThisthesisanalyzestherootsofthedisillusionmentofGatsby’sdreamfromthehistoricalandauthorialperspectives,By

exploringtheoriginsandesntialnatureofGatsby’sdream,thenaivetyandinnocenceinthepersonalityandthecrueltyof

JazzAgesocietyepitomizedbytheruthlessandimmoralBuchanan,thepaperdrawstheconclusionthatacombinationof

theelementsdefinesGatsby’iscussioninthispaperisbasicallydonethrough

historyandcharacteranalysis,whichaimsforbetterunderstandingofthoconnotationsofthenovel.

Keywords:TheGreatGatsby,rald,success

Contents

AbstractinChine......................................................................................................IAbstract

........................................................................................................................uction..(1)

rald(1)

1.2SocialandHistoricalBackgroundofTheGreatGatsby(1)

ionoftheAmericanDreaminTheGreatGatsby(2)

2.1TheAmericanDream(2)

2.2TheAmericanDreamofGatsby(4)

sforGatsby’sShatteredAmericanDream(6)

3.1Gatsby’sPursuitofPureLove(6)

3.2SocialConflictsDuetoDifferentEconomicStatus(6)

sion(8)

References(10)

Acknowledgements(11)

uction

rald

otonlyanactive,leadingparticipantinthetypically

frivolous,moneymakinglifeofthedecade,butalsoadetached,lifewasa

pricelesslifeandachievedmuchduringthe“RoaringTwenties”,drinkinghardwhisky,driving

fastcars,andtakingmuchdelightinit.

raldwasbornonSeptember24,1896,andnamedafterhisancestorFrancisScottKey,theauthorofTheStar-

,anintelligentchild,hedidpoorlyinschoolandwas

ebeingamediocrestudentthere,hemanagedtoenrollatPrincetonin

ictroublesandapathyplaguedhimthroughouthistimeatcollege,andhenevergraduated,insteadenlisting

inthearmyin1917,asWorldWarIneareditnd.

Fitzgeraldbecameacondlieutenant,andwasstationedatCampSheridan,inMontgomery,emetand

inallyagreedtomarryhim,buther

overpoweringdesireforwealth,fun,e

publicationofThisSideofParadiin1920,Fitzgeraldbecamealiterarynsation,earningenoughmoneyandfameto

convinceZeldatomarryhim.

1.2SocialandhistoricalbackgroundofTheGreatGatsby

TheGreatGatsby(1925)isregaralled

it“thefirststeptheAmericannovelhastakensinceHenryJames.”However,theimmediaterespontothenovelwas

alongtime

an

cultureischaracterizedbyastrongemphasisonthegoalofmonetarysuccessanda

weakeminingthetraditional

biographicalandhistoricalapproaches,andtheapproachofculturalcriticism,thethesistriestore-explorethesignificance

oduction,thethesisbrieflyintroducesFitzgerald’slife,worksandthesocial,historicalcontextin

rOnegivesareflectionoftheAmericandream,focusingonthesacredtradition

andtheculartraditionwhichhavecontributedtotheearlyformationoftheAmericandreamintermsofreligion,economy

rTwoanalyzesthedevelopmentofGatsby’sAmericandreambydwellingonBenjaminFranklin’sand

DanCody’influenceonJamesGatzrespectively,ChapterThreeexpoundsonthewitheringoftheAmericandreamthrough

theanalysisofthecharacterizationoftheprotagonist-Gatsby,MeyerWolfsheim,and

TomreprentthetwomajorforcesinAmericansociety:becomesavictimofthenew

lusion,thethesisarguesthatTheGreatGatsbyisabout

thepredicamentofhumanbeingsingeneral,thusitisnecessaryformantofigureoutwaystominimizethecontradictions

betweenman’ssocialdevelopmentandtheworldofnature,materialisticabundanceandspiritualpursuit,idealismand

reality.

ionoftheAmericanDreaminTheGreatGatsby

2.1TheAmericanDream

TheAmericanDreamasaspecialproductoftheAmericancivilizations,beginstotakeshapeatthestartingpointofthe

AmericancivilizationwhenthefirstEuropeanPuritanttlerscametothenewworldintheearlyventeenthcentury.

Therefore,someoftheAmericanPuritanreligiousandmoralconceptshavegoneintothemakingofthefollowingthree

esntialqualitiesoftheAmericanDream.

First,theAmericanDreamadoptsapositiveattitudetowardsmaterialsuccessandconsidersitasallimportantexpressionof

plainsthereasonwhymaterialsuccessiswhatonemostlikelyfirstthinksofwhenitcomesto

thetopicoftheAmericanDream.

Secondly,theAmericanDreamisalsoknowntosupporttheideathatthechancetoachievematerialsuccesswillfallsonto

ingly,spiritualdevelopmentisnecessaryformaterialsuccessinthelogicof

eaofappreciatingspiritualdevelopmentequallystemsfromAmericanPuritanreligiousbelief.

Finally,eethisqualityfromGatsby;henever

loshisfaithandconfidenceinhisabilitytoattainhislifegoalfromthemomentwhenhekissDaisyfirsttimefiveyears

agountilthelastdaysofhislife.

TheAmericanDreamisthedreamofalandinwhichlifeshouldbericherandbetterforeveryone,providingthemwith

uragespeopletoworkthroughefforts,courage,creativityand

determinationtomovetowardsprosperity,ime,itdidhelpsomepeopletofightfor

imeflew,isca,theessayaimstodiscussthe

disillusionoftheso-calledAmericanDream,alsothethemeofTheGreatGatsby,withtheanalysisofthetragedyofitsmain

character——Gatsby.

ThispartintendstomakeanstudyofhowtheAmericanDreamgetnrichedanddevelopedwiththeadvancementofthe

nation.

First,theAmericanDreamisanidealthatexpresshumanhopesandwishesforademocratic,liberalsociety,whereman’s

basicdemandforsurvival,ppodthatinsuchasociety,noman

isdespidduetohisoriginandeveryoneshallequallyhavetheopportunitytoachievehisduesuccessandhappinessif

heworkshardtowardagoal.

Secondly,carryingforwardthePuritantradition,theAmericanDreamgoesontohealthilygrowupinAmericancapitalist

uccessfullypushestheadvancementofthenationandbecomesarealityinmanyfortunatelf-made

hepeople,BenjaminFranklin,ThomasEdisonandAbrahamLincolnare

themostfamousreprentatives.

Tuccessfullegendarycareersproclaim

totheworldthateveryonecanachievesuccessinAmericaifhehasconfidence,aspiration,determination,andvirtues,

regardlessofhisorigin.

Conquently,withitsworthwhileroleintheprogressofthenationandindividuals,theAmericanDreamgraduallybecomes

anunwaveringbeliefinthemindofthewholenation.

2.2TheAmericanDreamofGatsby

Inthelastchapterofthenovel,Gatsby’sfatherproudlyshowedGatsby’sscheduleandgeneralresolveswrittenin1906on

thelastfly-leafofthe“ragged”copybookcalledHopalongCassidy(Fitzgerald,1992:110)showdeeplyyoung

GatsbyhasabsorbedtheideasofBenjaminFranklinthroughhisautobiographyintohisambitiontobesuccessful,believing

thatamancanbewhathewanttobebyhardworking.

HoratioAlger(1834-1899),writerofthebookHopalonCassidy,isanotherpersonwhohadlargeinfluenceonyoungJames

asprobablybeenthemostwidelyreadofallAmericanwriters.“Hisnovelstendtofollow

thesamepattern:aboyworkshiswayupfrompovertytorespectabilitythroughhardwork,thriftandgoodluck.”(Matterson,

1990:65)ToAlger,evactuallystartsby

strugglingforadvancementintheAlgermethod.

So,Gatsby’sDream,assomecriticshavepointedout,hasbeenanillusionthathecouldneverhasfulfilled.

ThedevelopmentofGatsby’sdreamisthehistoryofhisinvolvementwithasocialclass,eginning,

heplanedtoberichanailedintheend.

ThenhemetDanCody,whobecomesGatsby’simageofthewealthyandsuccessfulman,fromthattime,Gatsbydeveloped

hisnewownsocialstyleandlearnedhiswayofacquisitionofwealth.

Aswellasimageforhimlf,however,Gatsbyneedsanimageofsomething

beyondhimtowhichhecanaspire,andthisfinalstageofhisimaginativedevelopmentiscompletedwhenhemeetsDaisy

andfallsinlovewithher,Whenhekisdheratthefirsttime,hehas“wedforeverhisineffablevisiontoherperishable

breath”and“theincarnationwascompleted.”(Fitzgerald,1992:71)Andeversincethenshebecomesthecenterofhis

,eandeverythingaboutheris

anotherworldtohim.

Asamatteroffact,learnsalotfromthefactthathelosherjustsimplybecau

“hehadnocomfortablefamilystandingbehindhim”,thathemusthave“thesamestatus”asherlfandenoughmoneyto

giveher“anofcurity”(Fitzgerald,1992:95)ngthefollowedyearssincetheirparting,

Gatsbyworkvenhardertoaccumulatewealththrougheverypossiblemeanswithouttheleastnofguilt.

Asanalyzedabove,Gatsby’dgewritesthatGatsby’sdreamhasthree“basicandrelatedparts:

thedesireformoney,thedesiretorepeatthepast,andthedesireforincarnationof“unutterablevisions”inthematerialearth.”

InTheGreatGatsby,itisclearthatFitzgeraldiscriticaloftheAmericandreamitlf,eingitas“anillusionoflibertyand

openness，nvalidatedbyitscrudeassociationwithmaterialism.”

(Matterson,1990:33)ThisisstronglyreprentedinthecareerofGatsby,whoasknownisthetrueco-heiressofthe

fusionofthe

gapbetweentheintensityofGatsby’sdevotionandthe“cau”veall,

asanembodimentoftheAmericandreamsGatsby’sdreamisfatallyinconflictwiththerigidreality.

TheconflictofGatsby’sdreamwioffthereal

pastofhimlfandinventsforhimortof

hisnewidentity,Gatsbyadoptswhathebelievesarethetruemannerisms

r,Gatsby’

worldhecreatedissofragilethatitcannotbeartheslightesttestofthereality.

sforGatsby’sshatteredAmericanDream

3.1Gatsby’spursuitofpurelove

ToGatsby,theauraofcharm,wealth,graceandaristocracythathe

ity,however,DaisyfallsfarshortofGatsby’eautifulandcharming,butalsofickle,shallow,

owsGatsbytotake

y,ratherthanattendGatsby’sfuneral,Daisyis

lovewithmoney,easy,mstoloveGatsby,butnotofsustainedloyaltyorcare.

Fromtheabove,themainreasonwhyGatsby’sdream

tsbyfellinlovewithDaisy,“heknewthatDaisywaxtraordinary,buthedidn’trealizejusthow

extraordinarya“nice”ishedintoherrichhou,intoherrich,fulllife,leavingGatsby-nothing.”“In

variousunrevealedcapacitieshehadcomeincontactwithsuchpeople,butalwayswithindiscerniblebarbedwirebetween.”

Afterthewar,Gatsbygotrich,enlight

rknewwhathisdreamandhishopereallywere.

3.2Socialconflictsduetodifferenteconomicstatus

GatsbylivesintheWestEgg,whereisinhabitedbythenewrich,tEggisgathered

bythe“oldrich”,richarecompodofbusinessmen,speculators,and

’

desires

rtoaccumulateenoughmoney,Gatsbydoesnotcaretodoillegal

thecouroftheconfrontationbetweenGatsbyandTom,TomdisgraceGatsbyandtakestheadvantages

ofGatsby’sillegalactivities.

Onthecontrary,vethecharacteristicsofthearistocratictaste,grace,

elegance,ecarelessandinconsideratebullieswhoareudtomoney’sabilitytorelievetheirminds.

WhenGatsbydoesnotcomeback,emakes

’smore,TomgivesDaisyastringof

oesn’tknowwhattodowiththetime.

lifeisdullandmeaningless.

TheUnitedStateshaslongbeenknownasa“meltingpot”.TheLongIslandcanbecalledasmall“meltingpot”.TheEast

EgtheEastEggandtheWestEgg

botharerichpeople,gthearistocracy,

ckgoestovisitBuchanans,heportrays

Tom:“asasturdystraw-hairedmanofthirtywitharatherhardmouth

ningarroganteyeshadestablisheddominanceoverhisfaceandgavehimthe

appearanceofalwayslearningaggressivelyforward.”(Fitzgerald,1925:7)Tom’svoice,“agruffhuskytenor,addedtothe

ascontemptinit,eventowardpeopleheliked.”(Bryfonski,1978:237)His

actionsareaggressiveanddominant.

TheWestEggwantsalifeofgarishness,ostentation,andtheflashmannerswhileEastEggembracesbreeding,aristocracy,

taste,rmousmansion,thethrongsofpeople,thepilesoffoodandacorpsofcaterersandthelights,

heEast,“itwassharplydifferentfromphatophatowarditsclo,inacontinually

disappointedanticipationorelinsheernervousdreadofthemomentitlf.”(Bryfonski,1978:235)

InChapter8,TomandGatsbyquarrelforwiningDaisyatthePlazaHotel,it’scanbeconsideredasthefightbetween“the

establishedrich”and“thenewlyrich”.AndGatsby’sfailureisdoomedfromtheverybeginning,forheisallalieninsuch

eginningofthenovel,thereisaninterestingdescriptionoftheplaceswherethemaincharacterslive,

theEastEggandtheWestEgg．(Fitzgerald,1992:5)Obviously,thehomeofGatsbyinWestEggandtheBuchanans，in

theEastarenotonlyindicativeofthedistinctionoftheirwealthbutalsoimplytothedifferencesoftheirmoralethics,simple

virtueoftheWestandcorruptionandsophisticationoftheEast．

sion

TodaythegeneralconnsusofFitzgeraldist

ks,TheGreatGatsbyinparticular,areallepitomeof“TheJazzAge”.TheGreat

Gatsby,ly,inGatsby’sGatsbyisundoubtedlyagreatnovelthatcanaroua

hugefeelingofthesoastoryofwonder,

poweranddevotion,anddreamsandhistory,whichappealsnotonlytoAmericansbuttoallhuman,anovelwithsomany

issuesworthapproaching.

InthisthesisthefocusisondevelopmentofAmericandreamandGatsby’haninterpretiveanalysisofthe

maincharactersandthesocialcontextoftheAmericantwenties,wehavethreediscoveriesoftherootsofGatsby’s

,Gatsby’sdreamscontainthesamelimitationsandcontradictoryaspectsastheAmericandreamidealism

weehislf-destructivepotentials:henaivelybelievesthatmaterialacquisitioncanhelphimachieveeverythingandthat

ally,incontrastwithGatsby,therearethelfishand

immoralBuchanans,reprentativesofthecorruptedAmericansociety,andGatsby’sinnocenceandnaivetyisnomatchto

theirmalice.

Gatsby’sdreamfailed,htheunfoldingofadoomedromanceofa

ferventdreamerinthedreamlesswastelandofAmericantwenties,Fitzgeraldsimultaneouslyunfoldstheinevitablefateofthe

r,inabasicn,TheGreatGatsbyisasmuchaeulogyofwhatGatsby’spowerofdreamstands

forasanattackonthebankruptoftheAmericantwenties.

References

[1]Anderson,’sLongShadow:InfluenceandEndurance[M].

Cambridge:CambridgeUP,1985.

[2]Fitzgerald,atGatsby[M].PenguinBooksLtd(UK)，2007.

[3]Storm,atGatsby:FromNovelIntoOpera[M].NewYork:

CharlesScribner’sSon,2004.

[4]Unger,anWriterII:ACollectionofLiteraryBiographies[J].

NewYork:Scribner,1972(3):3-5.

[5]王先霈,胡亚敏主编.⽂学批评导引[M].⾼等教育出版社,2005.

[6]吴建国著.菲茨杰拉德研究[M].上海外语教育出版社,2002.

[7]王卫平,王萍.《了不起的盖茨⽐》—“美国梦”幻灭的写照(英⽂)[J].⼴西⼤

学梧州分校学报.2004(04):25-28.

Acknowledgements

Mydeepestgratitudegoesfirstandforemosttomysupervisor,forherconstantencouragementandguidance.

Asanior,becauoflackingofexperiences,mypaperwritingprocess,I

beenavailableatalltimeswithahelpfuladviceanda

providemewithinstructiveguidanceinmodifying

thetopic,inpreparingthematerialpertinenttothetopicandinwritingthethesis,andhaspaidgreatpatienceinreadingand

thergeneroushelp,Icouldnotevencompletethethesis,letaloneprentitwiththe

prentform.

Lastmythankswouldgotomybelovedfamilyfortheirlovingconsiderationsandgreatconfidenceinmeallthroughthe

wemysinceregratitudetomyfriendsandmyfellowclassmateswhogavemetheirhelpandtimeinlisteningto

meandhelpingmeworkoutmyproblemsduringthedifficultcourofthethesis.