了不起的盖茨比英文

TheGreatGatsbyReview

itzgerald'sgreatestnovel--abookthatoffers

damningandinsightfulviewsoftheAmericannouveauricheinthe1920s.

muchofFitzgerald'spro,raldemstohavehad

abrilliantunderstandingoflivesthatarecorruptedbygreedandincrediblysadand

elisaproductofitsgeneration--withoneofAmericanliterature's

mostpowerfulcharactersinthefigureofJayGatsby,whoisurbaneandworld-weary.

Gatsbyisreallynothingmorethanamandesperateforlove.

TheAuthor

itzgeraldwasbornonSeptember24,1896,,st

novel'ssuccessmadehimfamousandlethimmarrythewomanheloved,buthelater

ingthe

unsuccessfulTenderistheNight,FitzgeraldmovedtoHollywoodandbecamea

ofaheartattackin1940,atage44,hisfinalnovelonlyhalf

completed.

Overview

TheGreatGatsbyisastorytoldbyNickCarraway,whowasonceGatsby'sneighbor,

andhetellsthestorysometimeafter1922,whentheincidentsthatfillthebooktake

toryopens,NickhasjustmovedfromtheMidwesttoWestEgg,Long

Island,yafterhisarrival,Nicktravels

acrosstheSoundtothemorefashionableEastEggtovisithiscousinDaisyBuchanan

andherhusband,Tom,ahulking,imposingmanwhomNickhadknownincollege.

hanansandJordanBaker

liveprivilegedlives,contrastingsharplyinnsibilityandluxurywithNick'smore

ckreturnshomethatevening,henoticeshis

neighbor,Gatsby,mysteriouslystandinginthedarkandstretchinghisarmstoward

thewater,andasolitarygreenlightacrosstheSound.

Oneday,NickisinvitedtoaccompanyTom,ablatantadulterer,tomeethismistress,

MyrtleWilson,amiddle-classwomanwhohusbandrunsamodestgarageandgas

stationinthevalleyofashes,adesolateandrun-downctionoftownthatmarksthe

hegroupmeetsandjourneysintothe

city,Myrtlephonesfriendstocomeoverandtheyallspendtheafternoondrinkingat

MyrtleandTom'ernoonisfilledwithdrunkenbehaviorandends

ominouslywithMyrtleandTomfightingoverDaisy,nnessturnsto

rageandTom,inonedeftmovement,breaksMyrtle'sno.

Followingthedescriptionofthisincident,Nickturnshisattentiontohismysterious

neighbor,tsby's

invitation(whichisnoteworthybecaurarelyisanyoneeverinvitedtoGatsby's

parties—theyjustshowup,knowingtheywillnotbeturnedaway),Nickattendsone

,hebumpsintoJordanBaker,aswellasGatsby

,itturnsout,isagracioushost,butyetremainsapartfromhisguest

—anobrvermorethanaparticipant—arty

windsdown,ghthereaderisn't

specificallytoldwhattheydiscuss,Jordanisgreatlyamazedbywhatshe'slearned.

Asthesummerunfolds,GatsbyandNickbecomefriendsandJordanandNickbegin

toeeachotheronaregularbasis,despiteNick'sconvictionthatsheisnotoriously

dishonest(whichoffendshisnsibilitiesbecauheis"oneofthefewhonestpeople"

hehavermet).NickandGatsbyjourneyintothecityonedayandthereNickmeets

MeyerWolfshiem,oneofGatsby'sassociatesandGatsby'slinktoorganizedcrime.

Onthatsameday,whilehavingteawithJordanBaker,Nicklearnstheamazingstory

,itappears,isinlovewithDaisy

tyeararlierwhenhewasinthearmybutcouldnotbetogether

nterveningyears,Gatsby

madehisfortune,hthishousothat

hewouldbeacrosstheSoundfromherandhostedtheelaboratepartiesinthehopes

ometimeforGatsbytomeetDaisyagain,face-to-face,

andso,throughtheintermediaryofJordanBaker,GatsbyasksNicktoinviteDaisyto

hislittlehouwhereGatsbywillshowupunannounced.

'shouisperfectlyprepared,duelargelytothe

generosityofthehopelessromanticGatsby,whowantverydetailtobeperfectfor

eformerloversmeet,theirreunionisslightly

nervous,butshortly,thetwoareonceagaincomfortablewitheachother,leavingNick

fternoonprogress,

thethreemovethepartyfromNick'shoutoGatsby's,wherehetakesspecialdelight

inshowingDaisyhismeticulouslydecoratedhouandhisimpressivearrayof

belongings,asifdemonstratinginaverytangiblewayjusthowfaroutofpovertyhe

hastraveled.

Atthispoint,Nickagainlapsintomemory,

JamesGatzto"shiftlessandunsuccessfulfarmpeople,"Gatsbychangedhisnameat

venteen,uldbecomeGatsby's

mentor,takinghimonin"avaguepersonalcapacity"forfiveyearsashewentthree

imeofCody'sdeath,Gatsbyhadgrowninto

gainwouldhe

acknowledgehismeagerpast;fromthatpointon,armedwithafabricatedfamily

history,hewasJayGatsby,entrepreneur.

Movingbacktotheprent,wediscoverthatDaisyandTomwillattendoneof

Gatsby',ofcour,spendshistimechasingwomen,whileDaisyand

GatsbysneakovertoNick'syardforamoment'sprivacywhileNick,accomplicein

theaffair,heBuchanansleave,GatsbytellsNickofhiscret

desire:,theidealisticdreamer,firmlybelievesthepast

thengoesontotellwhatitisabouthispast

withDaisythathasmadesuchanimpactonhim.

Asthesummerunfolds,GatsbyandDaisy'saffairbeginstogrowandtheyeeach

atefulday,thehottestandmostunbearableofthesummer,

GatsbyandNickjourneytoEastEggtohavelunchwiththeBuchanansandJordan

dbytheheat,

longerhidingherloveforGatsby,DaisypayshimspecialattentionandTomdeftly

picksuponwhat'artypreparestoleaveforthecity,Tomfetchesa

,Nick,andJordandriveinGatsby'scar,whileGatsbyand

DaisydriveTom'as,TomstopsGatsby'scaratWilson'sgasstation,

m,whohasjustlearnedofDaisy'saffair,

WilsonhasjustlearnedofMyrtle'scretlife—althoughhedoesnotknowwhothe

manis—announceshisplanstotake

MyrtleoutWest,muchtoTom'lostawifeandamistressallina

edinhisownfears,Tomhastilydrivesintothecity.

ThegroupendsupatthePlazahotel,wheretheycontinuedrinking,movingtheday

,alwaysahot-head,beginstobadgerGatsby,

dlytactlessandconfrontational,

TomkeepsharpingonGatsbyuntilthetruthcomesout:GatsbywantsDaisytoadmit

she'sneverlovedTombutthat,instead,isyis

unabletodothis,,though,

understandsDaisyfarbetterthanGatsbydoesandknowsshewon'tleavehim:His

wealthandpower,maturedthroughgenerationsofprivilege,willtriumphover

Gatsby'tureofauthority,TomordersDaisyandGatsby

toheadhomeinGatsby',Nick,andJordanfollow.

AsTom'scarnearsWilson'sgarage,theycanallethatsomesortofaccidenthas

govertoinvestigate,theylearnthatMyrtleWilson,Tom'smistress,

hasbeenhitandkilledbyapassingcarthatneverbotheredtostop,anditappearsto

havebeenGatsby',Jordan,,now

disgustedbythemoralityandbehaviorofthepeoplewithwhomhehasbeenon

friendlyterms,meetsGatsbyoutsideoftheBuchanans'houwhereheiskeeping

ewwell-chonquestions,NicklearnsthatDaisy,notGatsby,

wasdrivingthecar,,

greatlyagitatedbyallthathehaxperiencedduringtheday,continueshome,butan

overarchingfeelingofdreadhauntshim.

Nearingdawnthenextmorning,NickgoestoGatsby'hetwomenturn

thehouupsidedownlookingforcigarettes,GatsbytellsNickmoreabouthowhe

hatmorning,whileat

work,ivesaphonecallfromJordanBaker,but

isquicktoendthediscussion—stotakeanearly

trainhomeandcheckonGatsby.

TheactionthenswitchesbacktoWilsonwho,distraughtoverhiswife'sdeath,sneaks

tracesWilson'sjourney,

whichplacedhim,byearlyafternoon,atGatsby'murdersGatsbyand

thenturnsthegunonhimlf.

AfterGatsby'sdeath,

mostperplexing,though,isthatnooneemsoverlyconcernedwithGatsby'sdeath.

DaisyandTommysteriouslyleaveonatripandallthepeoplewhosoeagerly

attendedhisparties,drinkinghisliquorandeatinghisfood,refutobecome

yerWolfshiem,Gatsby'sbusinesspartner,refustopublicly

mournhisfriend',Gatsby'sfather,indicateshe

'sfuneralboastsonlyNick,

HenryGatz,afewrvants,thepostman,eall

hispopularityduringhislifetime,inhisdeath,Gatsbyiscompletelyforgotten.

Nick,completelydisillusionedwithwhathehaxperiencedintheEast,preparesto

leaving,

Tomnoticeshimandquestionshimastowhyhedidn'twanttoshakehands,Nick

curtlyoffers"YouknowwhatIthinkofyou."TheirdiscussionrevealsthatTomwas

theimpetusbehindGatsby'lsoncametohishou,hetoldWilson

'smind,hehadhelpedjustice

,disgustedbythecarelessnessandcruelnatureofTom,Daisy,andtho

likethem,leavesTom,proudofhisownintegrity.

Onthelastnightbeforeleaving,NickgoestoGatsby'smansion,thentotheshore

whereGatsbyoncestood,elends

prophetically,withNicknotinghowweareallalittlelikeGatsby,boatsmovingupa

river,goingforwardbutcontinuallyfeelingthepullofthepast.

TheGreatGatsbyisatoncearomanticandcynicalnovelaboutthewealthandhabits

rald'swritingisunassailably

magnificent,ashepaintsagrimportraitofshallowcharacterswhomaneuver

assicAmericannovelisrequiredreading

foralotofhighschoolstudents,anditcandefinitelybeappreciatedandunderstood

r,Fitzgerald'suoflanguageandsymbolismis

bestappr

characterxpressracialandreligiousprejudice.

SomeThoughts

1.“Theywerecarelesspeople,TomandDaisy—theysmashedupthingsandcreatures

andthenretreatedbackintotheirmoneyandvastcarelessness,orwhateveritwasthat

keptthemtogether,andletotherpeoplecleanupthemesstheyhadmade…”

That’itzgerald’sTheGreatGatsby,the

kisfulloffantasticlines,

from“hervoiceisfullofmoney”to“That’sallagirlcanhopetobeinthisworld,a

beautifullittlefool”.Withsuchgreatlines,itemslikeagreatcandidatefor

adaptationintofilm.

survivingmovieversionsofTheGreat

Gatsbyarehorrible,andmanyhavedeemedFitzgerald’smasterpiece“unfilmable”.

Tomyownsurpri,however,BazLurhman(Romeo+Julietislaughablybad),has

managedtoachievetheimpossible,andmakeagoodfilmoutofanamazingbut

peculiarnovel.

Ofcour,manycriticshavedenouncedLurhman’

canbrowtheRottenTomatoespageforyourlf,butIhavequiteadifferentopinion.

Thissurprisme,asmyimpressionsfromthetrailersweren’tgood;Leonardo

Dicapriois,inmyopinion,onlyadecentactor,andIwasn’tfeelingtheartistic

directionLurhmantook.

Englishatcollege,andmy

raldisafine

,tosayIholdTheGreatGatsbynearanddear

tomyheartwouldbeanunderstatement.

ryisgood,butit’shonestlynotastoryyouhaven’,the

beautyofTheGreatGatsbyisfoundin1)Fitzgerald’sproand2)thelayersand

layersandlayersofcomplexityofthenovel.

Intherealmofsimplestorieswithallkindsofunderlyingcomplexity,TheGreat

haracterisrich,andIdon’tmeanmonetarily

rich.

Evenminorcharactersthatcomeandgo,liketheowl-eyedmaninGatsby’slibrary,

ca,theowl-eyedman—the“wi”one,ifyouwill—isthe

onlypersonwho’sreallyontoGatsby’sdoublelife.

Thelistofsymbolsgoesonandon:urg’enlighton

Daisy’stantreferencestocolorinthebook.

kissoshortand

readablethatit’t’sokay,ifyou

atGatsbycanbeeasilyreadasjustagreatstory,butFitzgeralddidso

muchmorewithit.

okshows

youthatyoucan’youaretherichestpersoninthe

world,dupwithagoodlesson,

“TheGreatGatsby”alwaysbetherelikethegreen

lightontheBuchanan’sdock,flashing;says,“So

webeaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackcealesslyintothepast.”

TheAmericandreamisanidealthathasbeenprentsinceAmericanliterature’s

lly,thedreameraspirestorifromragstoriches,whileaccumulating

suchthingsaslove,highstatus,wealth,am

hashadvariationsthroughoutdifferenttimeperiods,althoughitisgenerallybadon

ideasoffreedom,lf-reliance,lyttlers’

dreamoftravelingoutWesttofindlandandstartafamilyhasgraduallytransformed

intoamaterialisticvisionofhavingabighou,anicecar,

pastcentury,theAmericandreamhasincreasinglyfocudonmaterialitemsasan

reatGatsby,JayGatsbyisalf-mademan

whostartedoutwithnomoney—blinded

byhisluxuriousposssionsthathedoesnotethatmoneycannotbuyloveor

ralddemonstrateshowadreamcanbecomecorruptedbyone’sfocus

onacquiringwealth,power,andexpensivethings.

Gatsby’sdream“isanaïvedreambadonthefallaciousassumptionthatmaterial

posssionsaresynonymouswithhappiness,harmony,andbeauty”.HisAmerican

dreamhasbecomecorruptedbythecultureofwealthandopulencethatsurrounds

him.

DaisyisthesymbolofallthatGatsbystrivesfor;hervoiceisfullofmoney,asGatsby

cewas“fullofmoney—thatwastheinexhaustiblecharmthat

roandfellinit,thejingleofit,thecymbals’songinit”.Shecanbeinterpretedasa

twentieth-centurysirenbecausheensnaresmenwithherhusky,mysteriousvoice.

Gatsbybecamesoenamoredbyhervoicethathebadallofhisactionsonwinning

r,Gatsbyistoolate

snocompassionin

Daisy,justasthereisnoneincold,’sidealismissogreatthateven

thoughDaisyismarriedandtheyarehavinganaffair,heassumesthathisvisionwill

berealizedaslongasshewillsaythatshehasneverlovedherhusband,Tom.“Not

contentmerelytorepeatthepast,Gatsbymustalsoeradicatetheyearsinwhichhis

dreamlostitsreality”.DaisyhasbeentheobjectofGatsby’sobssionforthepast

fiveyears,andhisromanticismwillnotallowhimtoparatethepastfromthe

lesDaisyasthegoldengirlheknewfiveyearsago,andheisstillt

ontheirgoldenfuturetogether.

Thedrifting,careless,shallowpeoplewhocomprithesocialgroupofEastEggand

is

surroundedbythismaterialismanddiscontent,whichrvestotarnishhisdreamof

s-to-richesdreamturnsintoadarknightmarethatleadstohis

anticidealismhasnotpreparedhimforthecorruptworld

raldeffectivelyoffersapowerfulcritiqueofmaterialistic

societyandtheeffectsitcanhaveonone’shopesanddreams.