The Corruption of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby
American Dream (正式版)
Late Industrialization
Work values changed dramatically when the assembly line（流水线） production and machine driven atmosphere of industrial America swallowed up skilled workers .
他指出：美国梦是梦想的土地，每个人都 会有更好，更富有和更充实的生活，并且 那些有能力或成就的人总是充满机会。
• American Dream , is a belief that as long as the United States after a hard struggle will be able to achieve the ideal of a better life.
• “Early to Bed, and early to rise, makes a Man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
Benjamin Franklin
诚实和勤勉，应该成为你永久的伴侣
Golden Age
In 1848, James W. Marshall found gold in California and people began having golden dreams. That 19th century “American Dream”
the Colonial Period
• The immigrants arrived in the North America in order to pursuit religious liberty, hunt grounds and personal success.
The Failure of the American Dream
The Failure of the American Dream—Analysis of The Great GatsbyAbstractJay Gatsby is the victim of American dream and his life is fullof tragedy, ranging from his dream and his pursuit of the dream to the wreckage of his dream. His experience is just the reflection of American life in the first half of the twentieth century. The wrongideas and cruel reality destroy him, and make his dream shatter evenhis life.Key words: the American dream; Gatsby’s dream; failure of thedre摘要主人公杰伊·盖茨比是美国梦的牺牲品, 他的一生充满了悲剧性的色彩, 首先是他的梦想, 其次是梦想的追逐, 最终是梦想的破灭。
这种经历正是美国二十世纪前半期的写照, 他的这种梦想也是美国当时心态的反映。
错误的观念和残酷的现实使他一败涂地, 最后他失去了所有的梦想甚至自己的生命, 这不能不说是当时的社会观念美国梦造成的悲剧。
关键词：美国梦；盖茨比的梦；梦的破灭ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................. 错误！未定义书签。
ABSTRACT . (I)摘要 ....................................................................................................................... 错误！未定义书签。
《了不起的盖茨比》中的美国梦 the American dream in The Great Gatsby
《了不起的盖茨比》中所折射出的美国梦摘要《了不起的盖茨比》是菲茨杰拉德的一部名著。
作者通过描写盖茨比个人的困境与失败展现了那个时代的悲剧。
在小说中，盖茨比想要通过物质上的成功来赢得爱情,然而，他的梦想是建立于幻想，而不是现实，这是注定要失败的。
因为盖茨比是美国梦的代表，从某种意义上说,盖茨比的失败也预示了美国梦本身的破灭。
本论文首先介绍了作者与小说的主要情节，接着讲述了美国梦的根源与本质。
第三部分分析了盖茨比对财富梦及爱情梦的追求。
最后分析了盖茨比美国梦破碎的原因以及必然性。
关键词：美国梦；金钱；爱情；破灭AbstractThe Great Gatsby is on e of Fitzgerald’s masterpieces. The author presented the tragedy of that age by describing Gatsby’s personal dilemma and failure. In this novel, Gatsby wants to win love through material success. However, his dream is based on illusion rather than reality, which is doomed to fail. Gatsby is the representative of the American dream. In some senses, Gatsby’s failure also predicts the shattering of the American dream itself.This paper begins with an introduction about the author and the brief plot of the novel The Great Gatsby. Then it tells the origin and the essence of the American dream. After that, it gives an analysis of Gatsby’s pursuit of fortune and love dream. Finally, the paper points out the inevitable disillusion of Gatsby’s American dream and presents the factors of the tragedy.Keywords: the American dream; fortune; love; disillusionContents1. Introduction (1)2. The American Dream (2)2.1The Origin of the American Dream and its Development (3)2.2The essence of the American Dream and its Historical Background (4)3. The American Dream Reflected in Gatsby (5)3.1 Gatsby’s Pursuit of Fortune Dream (5)3.2 Gatsby’s Pursuit of Love Dream (6)4. D isillusion of Gatsby’s American Dream (7)4.1Gatsby’s American Dream and His Illegal Activities (8)4.2Gatsby’s American Dream and the Social Environment (9)4.3Gatsby’s American Dream and H is Innocence (10)5. Conclusion (11)References (13)1. IntroductionF. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) is one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers, whose works were the samples of the Jazz Age. He is widely regarded as the literary spokesman of the “Jazz Age”—an age between the end of the First World War and the outbreak of the Great Depression. In many ways, he expressed in his stories the disillusionment of the young generation with “the American dr eam”.Fitzgerald is also considered a member of the “Lost Generation” of the 1920s. He was born into a middle-class family in St. Paul, Minnesota in the American Midwest. In his short life, Fitzgerald experienced overnight fame and wealth in 1920s but suffered a lot in the 1930s. His first novel—This Side of Paradise was published in 1920 and became a best-seller, through which he got fame and commercial success. With a series of success of his writing, Fitzgerald had a high quality of life. In 1925, Fitzgerald managed to complete The Great Gatsby. This book brought him a critical comment and commercial failure. After that, with the pain of his personal life and the disappearance of the writing inspiration, he never wrote a well-known book any more. In 1940, he died of a heart attack when he was only forty-four.Different from other American writers who also had the American dream as the subject of their works, Fitzgerald impressed his readers from a new perspective.His works depicted the 1920s of America, the period of the high growth of America. With the richness of material, people’s spiritual life was corrupted, especially the life of the upper class. “Many critics have seen Fitzgerald’s artistic achievement in terms of his ability to depict the America n society, its history and its people.”(Tang Sooping, 1992:7)The Great Gatsby is a story told by Nick, a man from the Mid-West, going to New York to do business. He heard about his neighbor, a mysterious man called Jay Gatsby, who always held fabulous parties at his house. Gatsby was born in a poor family in the Middle West. During the time of serving in the army, Gatsby fell in love with Daisy, a wealthy girl. However, he was too poor to marryher. When the First World War broke out, Gatsby had to devote himself to the army. Daisy gave up waiting for him and got married with a rich young man Tom Buchanan. However, Daisy’s marriage was not that happy because Tom has betrayed their marriage. He had a mistress after their daughter was born. All these things inspired Gatsby’s desire to get married with Daisy. In order to win back his lost love, it took Gatsby just a few years to make a fortune through illegal business. He bought a mansion located on the opposite side of Daisy’s house with a river lying in between. Gatsby held parties every weekend, hoping that one day Daisy would come but she did not turn up even once. With the help of Nick, the cousin of Daisy, Gatsby met Daisy again five years after they broke away from each other. But now the lady in front of him was no longer the ideal lover in his dream. Instead, she became a selfish and vulgar woman. She refused to give up Tom but at the same time she did not refuse Gatsby.One day, Daisy drove Gatsby’s car after drinking and caused an accid ent in which T om’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson was killed. In order to protect Daisy, Gatsby decided to assume the responsibility. Finally Gatsby was shot by Myrtle’s husband. Only Gatsby’s poor father and Nick attended the funeral. Daisy did not feel any sadness and was on trip with Tom to Europe at that time.2. The American Dream and its Historical BackgroundThe American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, a set of ideals which includes freedom, the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work. The term American Dream was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America. He states, “The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature ofwhich they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.” (Adams,1931: 214)It means that everyone, no matter what class he is in, can be successful through his own efforts. This ideology is based on the principle that one should be responsible for himself and seize every opportunity to gain success with courage and through hard work.The American dream has its own particular history background. Since Columbus found “the new continent”, the Europeans went to America for exploitation and colonialism. People in Europe got many kinds of harsh sufferings. They moved to the North American continent because they wanted to get rid of the sufferings in Europe, to be rich, and put into practice their values and philosophies of life. They wanted to escape the religious persecution and rebuild the religious belief.Going to America gave them the aspiration of freedom, the opportunity to be rich. Besides, many unthinkable things in the Old World may turn into reality in this piece of land. From the view of Xing Yan(Xing Yan, 2004:49), “Opportunity follows one after another, and almost everyone will cause a national madness, the United States becomes a country of ‘milk and honey’. Therefore, a large number of people with an American dream swarmed here.”2.1 The Origin of the American Dream and its Development“The American Dream arose in the colonial period and developed in the nineteenth century, based on the assumption of each person, no matter what his origin was, could succeed in changing their social positions and making their dreams come true through their own efforts, and getting new, free and better life. It is what is often referred to as ‘Am erican dream’. ” (Zhao Hongwei, 2003: 2) The American dream is both a romantic expectation and a belief that with toil and devotion people will achieve what their desire. The American dream at its early stage was a Puritan desire for the freedom in religion and creation. However, it becomes broader in meaning along with the expansion to the American West. It includes the pursuit of happiness, the goal to be successful incareer, love and wealth. After the Civil War, the American dream has even more concrete meanings as people strongly believe that with hard work, they can create miracles such as from poor to rich.2.2 The essence of the American DreamAs for the American Dream, it is a belief that a better life could be achieved through hard work and strives. There are several notions behind the American Dream—equal opportunities provided for everyone; the success based on one’s own talents and efforts, and equal opportunity to achieve success.The dream has its constant element, but is ever-changing with the people and with the times. The American dream is seen as one for a better and richer life for everyone, a dream of having opportunities in terms of one’s ability. According to Li Hongwen (黎红雯, 2002:15), “For some, the American dream is a chance to build a successful business and become a millionaire. For others, the American dream is from the log cabin to the White House. For still other people, the American dream is the ladder from the rags to the riches. ”From Li’s view, people may have their own dreams, of which some are small ambitions and others could be great ones.For young students today, the dream might include getting higher education and devoting oneself to helping others. For the middle-aged people today, the dream may include a very high-paying job which one could retire at an early age and have a more satisfying lifestyle. “Everyone had a different idea for his or her American Dream; everyone’s American Dream may be t otally different from each other; that is what makes them all individuals. The dream may differ in that some people wanted to work hard and had financial success, or others might just want to have enough food and income to survive, and make their life simple, healthy and happy. ” (邓年刚，潭素钦, 1997:15)Almost every American has his own American Dream. Almost every American including immigrants and poor people has his desire for a better life. Such a life enables him to own a big house, have much money, delicious food and luxury cars, and enjoy freedom as well. Nomatter what his origin is, he could succeed in through his own efforts. With the success, he is able to get access to higher social position and better life.3. The American Dream Reflected in GatsbyIn the novel, Gatsby’s Amer ican dream was to win daisy’s love, and he spared no effort to do everything to regain the love of Daisy. In order to make his American Dream come true, Gatsby got money by doing illegal trade of alcohol. Also, in the pursuit of his love, he did whatever Daisy asked him to do even at the sacrifice of his precious life.3.1 Gatsby’s Pursuit of Fortune DreamOne part of Gatsby’s dream was to get rich. Gatsby was a man who lived in the lower class, he dreamed for getting recognition, he dreamed for social status, and the true love. But to improve his social status and gain recognition, he was in bad need of money. In his youth, he harbored the innocent wish to be successful by hard work. In order to succeed, he worked tirelessly to do many things and worked out a schedule, which bears the similarity of that of Benjamin Franklin. Gatsby’s schedule displayed his imagination or illusion of his own future, through which a link between his dream and the American dream can be perceived. Gatsby dreamed of becoming a great man. Even when he was a boy, he had his aspirations. He was not content with things as they are and he just wanted to work hard to change the situation.He forced him to get up early in the morning at 6:00 and began to study electricity at 7:15, worked from 8:30A.M. to 4:30 P.M.. “study needed inventions” (Fitzgerald,1993:176) in the evening. He also has a wonderful “general resolves”,(Fitzgerald ,1993:174) which set strict demands on himself, such as “no wasting time，no smoking, read one important book or magazine per week and save $500 per week” .(Fitzgerald, 1993: 174)In the novel, Gatsby was born in a poor family in the Midwest Court. On the contrary, Daisy, the girl that he loved always lived a luxuriant life since she wasborn, so it was her habit to live a life with high quality. To Daisy, it was hard to imagine how she could stand a difficult life without money. But Gatsby was just a poor soldier. If he had not pretended to be a man with great wealth to win Daisy’s love, Daisy would not have fallen in love with him at all five years ago. In Gatsby’s view, he believed money could buy him love and happiness. With such thought in mind, he did everything in order to make money. In just a few years, through illegal trade of alcohol and other dishonest businesses, he made a fortune.A poor young man turned into someone with wealth. Gatsby’s success in fortune was great.To show off his wealth, Gatsby built a house in the old aristocratic style. In the huge and brilliant house, Gatsby would hold fabulous parties at the weekend, which people of status would be happy to attend. They admired his property and wanted to be friends of him.It may seem as if Gatsby had made his fortune dream come true. However, he never succeeded in a real sense through his own hard work, courage, or his strong resolution. He just became rich by conducting illegal businesses, which defied the essence of the American dream.3.2 Gatsby’s Pursuit of Love DreamAnother part of Gatsby’s dream is his dream of love. When he was a soldier in the Army, he fell in love with a rich girl Daisy. But he understood that he was not able to marry such a girl from a wealthy family and of higher social status. Daisy married Tom who had money and status though she did not love the man at all. Gatsby never stopped his love for Daisy; instead, he could not help recalling her, his first love.The most significant to Gatsby was to repeat the past with Daisy day and night and to get the lost pure love. As soon as he had money, Gatsby started to be in chase of his love to repeat the past. To fulfill his love dream, the first thing he did was to buy a luxurious house in front of Daisy’s house across the bay. Then he held parties every weekend night to draw Daisy’s attention. He believed that Daisy may come over to his mansion one day. However, Daisy never turned up. So Gatsby asked Nick to invite Daisy to his house for a tea. At last he had achance to express his love to Daisy and got Daisy back from Tom.In the novel, his love to Daisy is true and pure. When he saw Daisy again, he was even speechless. After Gatsby reappeared with his wealth and his loyal love for her, she seemed to be touched and tried to resume her relationship with him, without any guilt to her husband. For Daisy, what she really wanted was not a romantic lover with no status, but a man who could give her a comfortable life and a respected social standing.Gatsby did not change his mind of marrying Daisy even when he became an adult. Daisy was the first and the only woman whom he loved in his life. His love for Daisy kept him away from other women and “he would never so much as look at a friend’s wife.”(Fitzgerald, 1993:47) That’s the reason why “no girls would swoon backward on Gatsby at his parties.” (Fitzgerald, 1993:33) Gatsby had been so devoted to her. He loved her so much that he was simply blind of her essential defect—Daisy gave more concern to status and luxury life..Gatsby’s dream of love was closely associated with his dream of money. He believed that the money could help him get everything, but he did not regard the pursuit of money as the ultimate goal. The reason that he was after money was just for his love dream. The dream of being rich and the dream of winning the love of Daisy are integrated. The former is a means and the latter is his ultimate goal, without which the former may never become true. Without money Gatsby and Daisy could never have the opportunity to rekindle old dreams. With a lot of money, Gatsby would be more confident in his pursuit of his love dream.4. Disillusion of Gatsby’s American DreamJay Gatsby, the embodiment of the American dream，was doomed to fail because the American political ideals contradicted the actual existing social system．In the novel, Fitzgerald described and contrasted the difference between East and West Egg, showed the separation between the upper class and the lower class, Gatsby spent his whole life making money and winning status so that hecould win Daisy back. That’s what motivated him to move to West Egg, and made money by any means. After that, he held extravagant parties every weekend, did what Daisy asked him to. Gatsby’s success in fortune was great. So was his strong will for love and to achieve his life goal. He finally became the upper class’s deputy. No matter how wonderful his parties were, he could not change his poor family background.Gatsby did not know clearly what kind of girl Daisy was. What Daisy wanted was not love but a guarantee of comfort and wealth in life. Owing to his unrealistic dream, Gatsby ended up with tragedy. As for Gatsby’s death, it may seem that he deserved the punishment for what he did. Yet he sacrificed himself for Daisy who did not even turn up at his funeral. And the saddest thing was that Daisy, did not feel any regret o r sorrow for Gatsby’s death, she went traveling with his husband Tom. There was nothing left for Gatsby. All the things he got have gone with his death, including his wealth and love. “Daisy goes together with her husband to another city happily while Gatsby is murdered mistakenly, improves that all his great characterize means nothing. In other words, Gatsby’s final American Dream, which is to win Daisy, is totally a failure.” (杨慧群, 2002:3)The shattering of his dream of love is a reflection of the breaking of American dream. Owing to his unrealistic dream, Gatsby ended up with tragedy.Living in that age, Gatsby had in his mind the value orientation. He thought the American dream embodied the personal success or self-fulfillment for those hard-working people. His idea of success was measured by money, which was misleading. In his view, success was the glamour brought about by huge wealth. The American dream in his time was somewhat hollow for people were mainly after money. In this sense, Gatsby’s dream, just as the American dream, is just an illusion4.1 Gatsby’s American Dream and His Illegal ActivitiesAmerican dream is essentially a spirit to inspire people to make progress and it has a positive meaning. In 1920s, after the World War I, the American dream were decadent, corrupt, and the original hard work, frugality, temperance andother values were weak. America society came into the stage of monopoly capitalism. The American society developed rapidly with its economy booming. As Americans became money worshippers, they became greedy. Money was the only goal which they were striving for. So 1920s was a time without any belief, a time for lost generation, and a time of tragedies.“America was going on the greatest, gaudiest spree in history and there was going to be plenty to tell about it. The whole golden boom was in the air—its splendid generosities, its outrageous corruptions and the tortuous death struggle of the old America in prohibition. In such a debauched social context, what the traditional American dream advocated to strive for success through hard work turned out to be futile. Gatsby was greatly influenced by the instruction of the traditional dream.”(陈卓, 2009:143)Yet, no matter how hard he worked to gain material success, Gatsby gained wealth through dishonest conduct. He involved himself in the illegal trade of wine, through which he made his fortune. In this sense, he did not follow the doctrines of American dream. He made his way into a world where nothing is more important than money, where moral integrity is sacrificed.Fitzgerald presented before his readers the disillusion of American dream, which is seen as the synonym for money. With money as an important ingredient of the dream, it is quite natural that people may become greedy and crazy for money. The novel—The Great Gatsby may seem to be shallow with much description of parties and jazz in 1920s. However, by probing into the novel, it can be seen that the story is a social commentary on the corruption and the disillusive effect of materialism on various people. Gatsby is a typical example who turned from rug into riches with corrupted morality. But money was not his final goal. His final goal was to win the love of Daisy with his wealth.4. 2 Gatsby’s American Dream and the Social EnvironmentThe darkness and emptiness of the capitalist society account for the shattering of Gatsby’s American dream. When Gatsby was serving in the army,Daisy, the girl whom he loved, promised to wait for him till he made his fortune so that they could be married. But when Gatsby came back, Daisy had married Tom Buchanan, a millionaire, whom she did not have an affection. Gatsby was seriously hurt and decided to win back his love.Gatsby’s motive to make a fortune was driven by his attempt to get a step closer to Daisy again. Gatsby believed that if he wanted to win Daisy’s heart, he needed to be more affluent in wealth and more successful than Tom.Tom Buchanan, a representative of the solid wealthy class，was corrupt，but not weak. He would not allow his authority to be challenged．In the eyes of Tom and Daisy, no matter how much money or power Gatsby may possess, he was still “nobody from nowhere” because he has “no comfortable family standing behind him.” (Fitzgerald, 1993:95) The competition between Tom and Gatsby was not only a battle between rivals for love, but also a battle between representatives of the two different social classes.In the novel, the difference between East and West Egg can be perceived as a dividing line between the upper and the lower class, the four geographical locations in the novel ranging from East and West Egg to New York City fit a special theme or a typical character. West Egg lived people like Gatsby, who were indulged in extravagant life. They were representatives of the newly emerged rich alongside the established aristocracy of the 1920s. East Egg was the place for people such as the Buchanan, who were enjoying great wealth and high status as well. They were the symbol of the old establishment and aristocracy with ongoing dominance in American society. Gatsby’s romantic idealism does not fit in with those in East Egg. He tried hard to climb up the social ladder but he could not get himself fit in or really accepted due to his shabby background. In such a society, it was rather hard for Gatsby, a man from East Egg to melt himself with those symbolizing the old establishment and the old aristocracy. From this perspective, his American dream in the pursuit of love was hard to come true. 4.3 Gatsby’s American Dream and His InnocenceThe disillusion of Gatsby’s American dream may be related to his personalfactor. Gatsby’s love for Daisy was to the extent of obsession. It was really touching, but he chose the wrong person to love for. In his heart, Daisy was beautiful and innocent, and she represented all the merits in the upper class of America. Gatsby had in his mind the perfect image of Daisy, and treated her as the avatar of dream. However, Daisy was not the perfect girl he imagined. Born in a rich family, Daisy was used to the extravagant life. Even “her voice is full of money”.(Fitzgerald, 1993: 119) In the eyes of Daisy, love, when confronted with money, retreated to an inferior position. She believed in materialism and wanted to live in comfort. However, out of his innocence, Gatsby failed to see through her even upon his death. In addition, he did not see clearly the gap between Daisy and him—the status or the two different classes. He was naïve enough to believe that with his effort, he could be materially rich and hence he could gain status afterwards. He was naive enough to believe that with wealth and status, he was able to make his American dream of love come true.His life ended up in tragedy which had it root in his blind pursuit of love and fantasy. Besides, the lack of clear understanding of the upper middle class society was factor for the shattering of his dream. Though he became rich, it was unlikely that he would get access to the upper society.5. ConclusionFitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a significant novel in the history of the American literature．It is the mirror of an era, the Jazz Age. People of that time tend to believe in wealth, which corrupts the original belief of American Dream. They consider money as a simple method and a tool o n one’s way to success. Gatsby is just the miniature of the American society of that age reflecting the distortion of the American dream itself. Gatsby works hard for his dream and is ruined by his dream. It is his American Dream that makes him succeed, be destroyed and died pathetically in the end. Therefore, Gatsby’s tragedy is related to that age he was in, and Gatsby’s traged y also indicates the shattering of the American dream. American Dream affects generations of Americans. No matterhow it changes, its theme is the pursuit of freedom, equality, the realization of one’s own dream, and a high quality life.The Great Gatsby criticizes the society in which people are after money and low in morality. By taking a close look at the novel, Gatsby’s failure in the pursuit of his dream arises from mainly three factors. Firstly, Gatsby gained wealth from doing illegal businesses. Secondly, he naively thought he could enter the upper class in a society where equality between people was hard to realize. Finally, he was so innocent as to love a wrong person who was just selfish, and money-worshipping. In the corrupted American society at that time, Gatsby would not be able to make his dream come true since he would not be accepted by the upper society despite that he possessed great wealth. With no recognition by the upper society, he would not be able to win Daisy back. To a great extent, his failure in his pursuit of love dream is a sign of the shattering or the failure of the American dream.Reference[1] Adams, J.T. The Epic of America. New York: Greenwood Press, 1931.[2] Fitzgerald, F. S. The Great Gatsby. Ware: Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1993.[3]Tang soo ping. York Notes on the Great Gatsby. York: Longman York Press, 1992.[4]Xing Yan. An Outline of American Literature. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2004.[5]Zhao Hongwei. Disillusionment of Gatsby’s“American Dream” From the Perspective of Society--Analysis of “The Great Gatsby”. Harbin :Journal of Harbin University, 2003( 6).[6]陈卓.《了不起的盖茨比中的美国梦》.魅力中国，2009(3).[7]黎红雯.《了不起的盖茨比,一部阐解美国梦的述作》.华南师范大学学报,2002(15).[8]邓年刚,谭素钦.《再论美国梦》.湖北民族学院学报,1997(1).[9]杨慧群.《菲兹杰拉德的小说<了不起的盖茨比>浅析》.江苏广播电视大学学报, 2002(2).。
(完整版)论《了不起的盖茨比》中美国梦的破灭 英文
The Disillusion of American Dream in The Great Gatsby The American Dream is the dream of a land in which life should be richer and better for everyone, providing them with opportunities according to their abilities or achievements。
It encourages people to work through efforts， courage， creativity and determination to move towards prosperity, rather than rely on any other forces. In one time， it did help some people to fight for success. But as time flew， the American dream went to the other side。
So in this case， the essay aims to discuss the disillusion of the so—called American Dream—- also the theme of The Great Gatsby， with the analysis of the tragedy of its main character-- Gatsby。
In the novel, Gatsby’s American Dream is not material possession. He only comes into riches so that he can fulfill his true dream———— to reunite with Daisy。
2017 年 12 月英语四级阅读真题(第二套) 美国梦
2017 年 12 ⽉真题（第⼆套）美国梦 The American DreamFor the past several decades, it seems there's been a general consensus on how to get ahead in America:Get a , find a reliable job, and buy your own home.But do Americans still believe in that path, and if they do, is it attainable?The most recent National Journal poll asked respondents about , what it takes to achieve their goals, and whether or not they felt a significant amount of control over their ability to be successful.Overwhelmingly, the results show that today, the idea of the American dream — and what it takes to achieve it — looks quite different than it did in the late 20th century.By and large, people felt that their actions and hard work — not outside forces — were the deciding factor in how their lives turned out.But respondents had decidedly mixed feelings about what actions make for a better life in the current economy.In the last seven years, Americans have grown more pessimistic about the power of education to lead to success.Even though they see going to college as a fairly achievable goal, a majority — 52 percent — think that young people do not need a four-year college education in order 在过去的⼏⼗年⾥，对于如何在美国取得成功，⼈们似乎达成了⼀个普遍的共识：college education 接受⼤学教育，找⼀份可靠的⼯作，买⾃⼰的房⼦。
英语学习资料：美国梦（Americandream）的起源
英语学习资料：美国梦（Americandream）的起源美国梦（American dream）这一词源于亚当斯(James Truslow Adams)1931年的著作《美国史诗》（The Epic of America）。
书中他提到美国梦就是大家梦想在同一片土地上，每个人的生活都更好、更丰裕、更完满。
The term was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America which was written in 1931. He states: "The American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." (p.214-215)In the United States’ Declara tion of Independence, our founding fathers: "…held certain truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." Might this sentiment be considered the foundation of the American Dream?Were homesteaders who left the big cities of the east to find happiness and their piece of land in the unknown wilderness pursuing these inalienable Rights? Were the immigrants whocame to the United States looking for their bit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, their Dream? And what did the desire of the veteran of World War II - to settle down, to have a home, a car and a family - tell us about this evolving Dream? Is the American Dream attainable by all Americans? Would Martin Luther King feel his Dream was attained? Did Malcolm X realize his Dream?Some say, that the American Dream has bee the pursuit of material prosperity - that people work more hours to get bigger cars, fancier homes, the fruits of prosperity for their families - but have less time to enjoy their prosperity. Others say that the American Dream is beyond the grasp of the working poor who must work two jobs to insure their family’s survival. Yet other s look toward a new American Dream with less focus on financial gain and more emphasis on living a simple, fulfilling life.Thomas Wolfe said, "…to every man, regardless of his birth, his shining, golden opportunity ….the right to live, to work, to be himself, and to bee whatever thing his manhood and his vision can bine to make him."。
An Analysis of the Disillusion of American Dream in The Great Gatsby
An Analysis of the Disillusion of American Dream inThe Great Gatsby论《了不起的盖茨比》中美国梦的幻灭摘要弗朗西斯•司各特•菲茨杰拉尔德是美国“爵士时代”的代言人, 他在其代表作《了不起的盖茨比》中以细腻的笔触表现了二十世纪二十年代美国的风貌, 用主人公盖茨比的悲剧人生隐喻了“美国梦”的虚幻及其不可企及性，揭示了“美国梦”破灭的必然规律。
文中主人公盖茨比是为追求美国梦而最终牺牲自己的典例，他渴望以自己的信念和勇气来获取物质以及爱情上的收获。
然而他的梦想只是一种虚幻的渴望，而不是建立在现实基础之上的追求，结果导致了他梦想的破灭。
论文从作者和小说人物分析着手，通过对《了不起的盖茨比》的写作背景、作者自身的经历、故事的主要内容、小说主人公盖茨比之梦的破灭等多方面的分析和解剖, 深刻地揭示了“美国梦”的发展与破灭。
关键词:《了不起的盖茨比》；美国梦；破灭；爵士时代AbstractFrancis • Scott Fitzgerald is the spokesman of “the Jazz Age” in the United States. In his masterwork, The Great Gatsby, he uses delicate brushwork to show the style of American society in the 1920s. Hero Gatsby’s tragic life, as a metaphor for the illusion and entertainment of the “American Dream”, reveals the inexorable law of the disillusion of “American dream”.The hero in The Great Gatsby reveals a typical example of those who is eager to pursue the American Dream but finally ended by sacrificing themselves. Though he dreams of achieving material wealth and love through his courage and hard working, all the factors from outside world and his character led to the disillusion of his dream. This profoundly reveals the development and di sillusion of “The American Dream” by dissecting writing background of The Great Gatsby, the author’s own experiences, the main content of the story, novel leading character Gatsby’s shattered dream and other side.Key Words：The Great Gatsby; the American dream; disillusion; Jazz AgeIIContents摘要 (I)Abstract........................................................................................................................错误！未定义书签。
美国梦(american dream)外文翻译学位论文
美国梦美国梦（American Dream）源于英国对美国的殖民时期，发展于19世纪，是一种相信只要在美国经过努力不懈的奋斗便能获得更好生活的理想，亦即人们必须透过自己的工作勤奋、勇气、创意、和决心迈向繁荣，而非依赖于特定的社会阶级和他人的援助。
通常这代表了人们在经济上的成功或是企业家的精神。
1931年James Truslow Adams 在其作品《“美国梦”的定义》中这样写到：“不论社会阶层还是出身背景，每个人都应该有机会凭借其能力和取得的成就获得更好、更富裕、更充实的生活。
”“美国梦”这一信念根植于《独立宣言》。
该宣言称，“人人生来平等”, “造物主赋予他们某些不可剥夺的权利,包括“生命安全、自由和追求幸福的权利。
”1.我们继续奋力向前划，逆水行舟，不停地倒退，回到往昔。
2.“每逢你想要对别人品头论足的时候，”他对我说，“要记住，世上并非所有的人，都有你那样的优越条件。
”3.个人决心：不要浪费时间去Shafter家或者（名字，字迹不清）不再吸烟或嚼烟每隔一天洗澡每周读一本有益的书或杂志每周存5块3块钱对父母好.小说人物尼克（旁白）：来自中西部，耶鲁大学毕业，保险销售员，一战退伍老兵，住在西卵，是盖茨比的隔壁邻居。
杰伊盖茨比(原名詹姆士盖兹)——一个年轻的、神秘的百万富翁后来被揭穿是个私酒走私者,原来住在北达科塔州,有着不为人知的从商经历。
当他还是一战中一名年轻小军官的时候就已经认识了黛西，并且深深地爱上了她。
Daisy-年轻而充满女性魅力和吸引力，但是十分肤浅。
尼克的第二个表妹,曾经搬走了,与盖茨比分手后成为富家子弟汤姆布坎农的妻子。
通常人们认为黛西这一角色的灵感来自菲茨杰拉德年轻时与芝加哥Ginevra王的女继承人的浪漫情史。
汤姆布坎农-生活在东卵的百万富翁, 黛西的丈夫。
布坎南和威廉·米切尔有着相似处,Chicagoan Ginevra嫁给了国王。
布坎南和米切尔对马球有兴趣”。
The Disillusionment of the American Dream in Martin Eden
The Disillusionment of the American Dream in"Martin Eden"Martin Eden is one of the world's most famous autobiographical novels and also an outstanding work in critical realism literary. Jack London, who compiled this great work, tendedto describe life of the lower class people in the United States and revealed the evils of capitalist society. He was born in a poor family and suffered a lot during his lifetime, which also was the spring of his inspiration for writing this book. He is also known as the pioneer of commercial writers.Having finished reading this book, I get the task to figure out how the American dream disillusioned according to its content. First of all, we have to work out what the phrase "American Dream" means. I searched a lot of information about it and divided it into three regards below. Also, it has wide influence not only in USA, but also around the whole world. More and more Americans choose to follow the American Dream's leading since it was launched in every American's mind. Even many foreigners come to America, a holy land of the world in their mind, to work hard to live better and make their dreams come true. Then why so ideal American Dream disillusioned gradually? I will explain it from these three regards.The first is about equality. As the statement in < United States Declaration of Independence >, which was announced in 1776, "All men are born equal" , while there was no reflection inMartin's life. He had no prominent family background and worked as a sailor for a living, which was thought as obscurity by the upper class. Because of his humble origin, Martin's hard work in writing career didn't get recognized all the time. Most of Martin's work was about poor people's life, which experienced by himself. However, that was impossible for him to get popularity in that society controlled by the capitalist class's nature of greed and hypocrisy. It was not only a special example for Martin, but also the common phenomenon in that society.The second is about pursuit. At that time, people tended to pursue substance more thanspirit's. Ruth expected Martin to have an admirable life like hers so that she forced Martin into her life pattern. Martin worked a lot and became successful eventually. But after his success, he wasin a loss and found no interests in life because his disappointment for that complex society boomed day by day. Not until the day Martin killed himself did he liberated from disappointment. There were still other people like Martin at their peak of life, possessing enviable wealth but poor mental situation. They could not figure out who they are on earth and didn't know what they should do then in the rest of their life. That was just the disadvantage of the lopsided pursuit between substance and spirit.The third is about the way to attain value of life. People who come from the upper class had no worry about their future because they can get so called success easily. While the lower class had to work for a lifetime to pursue life of the upper class, which usually ended in failure. Martin was ashamed of his poor origin to be a sailor when come across Ruth, the noble girl of an upper class family. He remarked himself that he possessed the ability to write. Then he tried a lot, studying hard, doing research on various dictionaries and literary works.He kept five hours' sleep time per day, even no eating within forty hours. However, his works were refused again and again by presses. The whole society ignored people's hard work like Martin. They took it for granted that the lower class had no right to enjoy comfort and honor. Whichever the way people like Martin chose to be better, they could not realize their dream for the whole society's prevention.Above all, I draw some conclusions of American Dream's disillusionment. In that society controlled by monopoly capitalism, there was no equality, no balanced pursuit and no correct way to attain value of life. All these were not obedient to American dream's promise once a time. Allof these disappointed the Americans a lot. They destroyed people's belief for working hard for better tomorrow. The book Martin Eden vividly showed the process of American Dream's disillusionment. Everyone argued for better life in substance and the whole society sank into chaos. People got more and more crazy about material enjoyment, ignoring spiritual enjoyment. People turned from poor situation to the wealthy in substance, also from energetic to boring in spirit. Since we witnessed the disillusionment of American Dream, we can take the lesson of it. We should keep in mind that the monopoly capitalism is evil and there is no tolerance for it. It also gives us a reference to build a better society.。
马丁·路德·金《我有一个梦想》演讲稿中英文对照
马丁·路德·金《我有一个梦想》演讲稿中英文对照《我有一个梦想》（I have a dream）是马丁·路德·金于1963年8月28日在华盛顿林肯纪念堂发表的著名演讲，内容主要关于黑人民族平等。
对美国甚至世界影响很大，被我国编入中学教程。
下面跟着店铺小编一起来重温一下这篇精彩的演讲稿！马丁·路德·金《我有一个梦想》演讲稿中英文对照I have a dream我有一个梦想一百年前，一位伟大的美国人签署了解放黑奴宣言，今天我们就是在他的雕像前集会。
这一庄严宣言犹如灯塔的光芒，给千百万在那摧残生命的不义之火中受煎熬的黑奴带来了希望。
它的到来犹如欢乐的黎明，结束了束缚黑人的漫漫长夜。
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of bad captivity.然而一百年后的今天，黑人还没有得到自由，一百年后的今天，在种族隔离的镣铐和种族歧视的枷锁下，黑人的生活备受压榨。
一百年后的今天，黑人仍生活在物质充裕的海洋中一个贫困的孤岛上。
一百年后的今天，黑人仍然萎缩在美国社会的角落里，并且意识到自己是故土家园中的流亡者。
今天我们在这里集会，就是要把这种骇人听闻的情况公诸于众。
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. Onehundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.我并非没有注意到，参加今天集会的人中，有些受尽苦难和折磨，有些刚刚走出窄小的牢房，有些由于寻求自由，曾早居住地惨遭疯狂迫害的打击，并在警察暴行的旋风中摇摇欲坠。
英语毕业论文 了不起的盖茨比美国梦的破灭,the American Dream in The Great Gatsby
On the Ruin of the American Dream in The Great GatsbyStudent Name:Tutor Name:Submitted as a partial fulfillment of the requirementsfor the degree ofBachelor of ArtsCollege of Foreign Languages(April, 2010)AcknowledgementsI would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the teachers who have taught me and offered me invaluable advice during my four-year study at University.In particular I would like to thank my supervisors, Ms.Yang. She has been available at all times with a helpful advice and a helping hand throughout my whole writing process of the thesis. She has provide me with instructive guidance in modifying the topic, in preparing the material pertinent to the topic and in writing the thesis, and has paid great patience in reading and revising the entire manuscript. Without her generous help, I could not even complete the thesis, let alone present it with the present form.Finally I would also like to thank my parents and all my friends, who have given me innumerous encouragement and critical support in my study these years.AbstractF. Scott. Fitzgerald (1896-1940), as the most famous chronicler and laureate of the Jazz Age, is one of the most representative American novelist of the 1920s. He was not only a leading participant in the typically frivolous, carefree, moneymaking life of the decade but also a detached observer of it.Owing to its extraordinary literary merits, Fitzgerald‟s Great Gatsby is listed among the most notable twentieth-century American novels.This thesis analyzes the roots of the disillusionment of Gatsby‟s dream from the social, historical and authorial perspectives. By exploring the origins and essential nature of Gatsby‟s dream, the naivety and innocence in his personali ty and the cruelty of the Jazz Age society epitomized by the ruthless and immoral Buchanans, the paper draws the conclusion that a combination of these elements defines Gatsby‟s failure and destruction in the end. Theme discussion in this paper is basically done through history and character analysis, which aims for better understanding of the connotation of the novel.Key words: Scott. Fitzgerald; The Great Gatsby; American dream; disillusionment内容摘要弗朗西斯·司科特•菲兹杰拉德往往被推崇为“爵士时代”的编年史家和桂冠诗人，是二十世纪美国最重要的作家之一。
论文 英语论了不起的盖茨比中美国梦的破灭
摘要美国是一个以梦想而自豪的国家，美国梦算得上美国文明的一大特产。
所谓美国梦，广义上是指美国的平等、自由和民主，狭义上是指一种相信只要在美国经过不懈的奋斗便能获得更好生活的理想，也就是人们必须通过自己的勤奋、勇气、创意和决心迈向繁荣。
长期以来，美国梦激励着一代又一代的美国人。
菲茨杰拉德的《了不起的盖茨比》，一部仅五万余言，却能列入二十世纪美国最佳的十二部小说之一，以一个青年人对财富地位与爱情追求的失败来解构美国梦的由来、演变及破灭的原因，同时生动地再现了美国二十世纪“爵士乐时代”的社会风貌和时代精神。
关键词: 美国梦, 破灭 ,爵士乐时代AbstractAmerican dream is a cultural essence of the United States and it stimulates Americans one generation after another. It refers to the equality, freedom and democracy of America in a broad sense. It is the ideal that as long as someone work hard and pay more efforts in America, he will succeed and have a better life. Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, as the most important work of him, is the mirror of the Jazz Age. On the surface, it is the corruption of a young man’s dream of chasing wealth and love. Beyond the surface concerns, the novel deals symbolically with the failure of American dream at that time. The novel reflects the social reality and reveals the disillusion of American dream. In Jazz Age, people regard the pursuit of dream equaling to the pursuit of materialism, which is bound to fail. The corruption of Gatsby’s American dream indicating the disillusion of the whole American dream.KEY WORDS:American Dream, Jazz Age, disillusionContentsIntroduction (4)Chapter One The Meaning of American Dream (6)1.1 The different embodiment of American dream in different times (6)1.1.1 American dream in the 18th and 19th century (6)1.1.2 American dream after industrialization (6)1.1.3 American dream in the 21st century (7)1.2 Jazz Age and American Dream (8)Chapter Two The Disillusion of Jay Gatsby’s American Dream (10)2.1 Elements of Gatsby’s American Dream (10)2.1.1 The dream of becoming a useful man in childhood (10)2.1.2 The dream of becoming a rich and upper-class person (11)2.1.3 The dream of loving a charming woman (11)2.2Reasons for the disillusion of Gatsby’s American Dream (12)2.2.1 The objective factors (13)2.2.2 The subjective factors (14)Chapter three The Disillusion of Nick’s and Myrtle’s American Dream (17)3.1 Contents of Nick’s American dream (17)3.1.1 The dream of the upper class (17)3.1.2 The admiration of Gatsby ..................................... 错误！未定义书签。
TheDisillusionme...
The Disillusionment of “the AmericanDream”——On The Great GatsbyThe D D isillusionm e e nt of “the A A merican Dre a a m”——On The G G reat GatsbyAbstract弗·司司各特·菲茨杰拉德是二十世世纪二十年代美国文坛上杰出出的作家，素有“爵士时代””的代言人和桂冠诗人的称号号。
他那充满名利及浪漫，忧忧郁而又短暂的一生不仅为其其作品提供了最生动的创作素素材，而且也成为美国战后整整个“迷惘的一代”悲惨命运运的缩影。
菲茨杰拉德的作品品为人们生动的再现了爵士时时代的生活气息和社会风貌。
小说《了不起的盖茨比》被被公认为是他最优秀的作品。
评论界普遍将它看作是一部部关于二十世纪二十年代年代代美国社会现实的小说。
小说说展示了菲茨杰拉德对爵士时时代生活中的失意感和矛盾的的情绪。
在《了不起的盖茨比比》中展示的金色世界里，流流淌的主题是爵士时代道德废废墟和颓废以及个人责任感的的缺乏。
生活在这种氛围里的的盖茨比，他的命运不可避免免地打上了社会意识的烙印。
本论文从人物分析着手，，从社会、历史、以及作者自自身的经历和世界观等多方面面探讨导致主人公盖茨比梦毁毁人亡的根源所在。
本文分分成四个部分，引论部分主要要介绍了菲茨杰拉德的个人生生平背景以及小说创作时所处处的社会历史背景。
第二二部分探讨了美国梦对菲茨杰杰拉德的影响。
这部小说一自自被认为是一部半自转型的小小说，因此，从社会的角度来来探讨作者的个人经历和强调调其与小说之间的联系是很重重要的。
第三部分分析析了盖茨比美国梦破灭的原因因，主要包括两方面:自身原原因和社会原因。
盖茨比在实实现了金钱的梦想之后，希-望能够和黛西重温过去，而而他的以黛西为实体的梦想实实际上是不存在的。
天真和盲盲口的性格也决定了盖茨比的的失败。
他认为只要有足够的的钱就能赢回黛西，但是他缺缺乏批判的眼光，没有认识到到黛西和汤姆所属的社会根本本就是不接受他的。
英语硕士学位论文从《了不起的盖茨比》中看美国梦的破灭.doc
浙江大学硕士学位论文从ltlt了不起的盖茨比gtgt中看美国梦的破灭The Collapse of The American Dream Represented in The GreatGatsby姓名：赵婉清申请学位级别：硕士专业：英语语言文学指导教师：殷企平谭惠娟20041201 TheCollapseoftheAmericanDreamRepresented intheGreatGatsby Abstract AmericanDreamex istedineveryAmerican’sheartbutitwasintangible.American people were proud of their American dreams and Americanmysteries fromone generation to another generationtherefore therewere alarge number of works in American literature’s history describing AmericanDream. F. Scott. Fitzgerald is famous American writer of The Lost Generationwho is also the spokesman of “Jazz Age’’. His masterpiece The Great Gatsbyfully revealed the realization and the collapse of American Dream in1920s.ThereareseveralreasonstoexplainthecollapseofAmericanDream:withtheunprecedent ed economical prosperity after WWI influencedby the AmericanDreamnumerouspeopleswarmedintotheurbanarea.Thevariousstagesofsocietyare runningformoneyandachievingtheirpurposesbydifferentwaysmany American people stuck into confused helpless idle confused mentalstate. The over fanatics of materialism was vibrating the root of traditionalconceptofAmericanDreamThereforethepursuitofultra‐highenjoymentofthe material corruption of individual moral and social reasons such as WorldWarIthrowingtheyoungmenintoanageofalienationdissentienteconomicbloomaffecti ngthepromisingmenandcorruptionofsocialmoraleventuallyled to Gatsby’s dreams and the sacred American Dream in every Americanheartshattered. This paper would briefly analyze the development American dream onthis basis people would perceive the theme of the American dream in themajor works of Fitzgerald moreover it also would analyze the rootwhichcausestheAmericandreamshattered.Keywords:AmericanDreamGayGatsbycollapser oot AcknowledgementsThecompletionofthisthesisisduetothecontributionandeffortsofseveralp eopletowhomIoweagreatdealofgratitudeandappreciation．Firstofall，1wouldliketoexpressmyheartfeltthankstoProfessorYinQipingandProfessorTanHuijuan，whohavebeengivingmeinvaluableinstructionandencouragementthroughoutthewholeproces s．Theysqueezedtimeoutofpressingschedulestoprovidemewithenlighteningsuggestionsan dtimelyhelpwithgreatpatience．Withouttheirguidanceandsupport，itscompletionwouldbeimpossible．IshouldalsoexpressmysinceregratitudetoProfessorZhu Jiongqiang，ProfessorGaoFen，ProfessorWangLiyun，ProfessorChenGang，forthevariousinsightfullecturesandconstructiveinstructionstheyhavegivenme．IRITIespec iallygratefultomycolleaguesatZhejiangNormalUniversityWangWeixin，LiHuihuaandZhengLianzhong，fortheirvaluablesuggestionsandpainstakingcorrectionsonmyoutlineanddraft．Ialsowishtot hankXuQiuhongandHuangWeizhengwhohavesearchedand copiedimportantreferencematerialsfromBeijingand Shanghairespectively．4 TheCollapseoftheAmericanDreamRepresented inTheGreatGatsby OutlineThesisStatement:JayGatsbywasahighlysymbolismofthemostAmericanson1920swhonotonlywastryinghisbesttorealizetheir American Dreams but also experienced the collapse of the Dream in an era of unprecedented economic prosperityandmaterialexcess.I. IntroductionII. DefinitionofAmericanDreamsIII. RealizationandCollapseofGatsby’sAmericanDreamsinhisWhole Life A.TheDreamofBecomingaUsefulManinChildhood B. TheDreamofBecomingarichandUpper ‐classPersoninYouth C. TheDreamofLovingaCharmingGirlIV. OriginsofCollapseofAmericanDream A. IndividualReasons‐CorruptionofIndividualMoral B. SocialReasons 1. World War I Throwing the Young Men into an Age of AlienationandDissentient 2. EconomicBloomAffectingthePromisingMen 3. CorruptionofSocialMoral V. Conclusion 5 TheCollapseoftheAmericanDreamRepresented inTheGreatGatsbyI.Introduction F. Scott. Fitzgerald is famous American writer of The Lost Generationwhoisalsothespokesmanof“JazzAge’’.HismasterpieceTheGreatGatsbyfully revealed the realization and the collapse of American Dreamin1920s.thehistoryofAmericandreamcouldbedatedbackto17thcentury.Atthattimeeveryone believedthatifheworkedbyhisowncouragevigorandefforthewouldsucceednomatterwhohew as.TheherointhenovelofTheGreat Gatsby whose name was Gatsby experienced the realization andcollapse of his three dreams‐the dream of becoming a useful man inchildhood the dream of becoming a rich and upper class person and thedreamoflovingacharminggirl.ThefailureofGatsby’sdreamwasnotcausedbysinglefactor. OnGatsby’ssidehispursuitofultra‐highenjoymentofthematerial led to the collapse of his dreams however some factors in thesociety such as degrading morality excessive material and overemphasizedopportunist influenced him and eventually caused the collapse of hisAmericandreams.II.DefinitionofAmericanDreams Generally speaking American dream was in the bud when Columbusdiscovered the new continent of America. When Nick the narrator in thenovelreferredhistwolivingplaces‐WestEggvillageandEastEggvillagehemade a metaphor: “they are not perfect ovals‐like an egg in the Colu mbusstory they are both crushed flat at the contact end”1 In this sentence thewriterreferredColumbuswhowasasymbolismasthegreatestandthelastdream of human being was beginning to develop when he first stepped onthispromisingland. In17th century Western Europe was undergoing great changes. Thepuritan migrants passed across the Atlantic Ocean and finally reachedMaryland by May Flower. At that time American dream began to sprout.What impressed the world is the freedom that America could grantforeveryone.Thenewcontinentwasapromisinglandandifsomeoneworkedbyhisownbeliefco uragedeterminationandmoralrighteousnesshecouldachievegreatsuccess.Nomatterwhomyo uareandwhereveryouwerebornyou only need to devote yourself to hard working you will find the life’sbounty. The Ameri can dream promised the deepest and richest selffulfillment for those who would make the nature abilities. American dreamalso tellspeoplethat they shouldn’t give up easily and do your best. IntheAmerican history Benjamin Franklin was the fist one to embody theAmerican Dream in his work his works as the autobiography and PoorRichardsAlmanacadvocatedtheindividualdiligentandgavesomeadvicetoAmerican people to realize their American Dream. Another example wasAbraham Lincoln who was regarded as the greatest president inAmericanhistory.AbrahamLincolnwasborninKentuckyinahousewithonlyoneroom.Hisfami lywasoneofthepoorestfamiliesinthearea.Hehadworkedallhislife.WhenhewasayoungmanLi ncolnmadeextraordinaryeffortstoattainknowledge while working on a farm splitting rails for fences and keepingstoreatNewSalemIllinois.HewasacaptainintheBlackHawkWar spenteightyearsintheIllinoislegislatureandrodethecircuitofcourtsformanyyears. After somany years’ hard work he became the president of US andmade his American dream come true. This is the original meaning ofAmericanDream. HoweverasifAmericanDreambetweengoldenpastandgoldenfuturealways suffered from the realistic betrayal and crush—the realistic worldappearing in front of people was bleakness and dejection. With the 2development of the society and blooming economy American Dreamgradually faded its own color and excessive material and overemphasizedopportunist occupied the heart of the American people and thesedegeneratedthoughtsbegantoerodetheAmericanDream.Ⅲ.RealizationandCollapseofGatsbysAmericanDreamsinHisWholeLife GayGatsbywhowasaveryrichmanlivedinalavishmansion.EverySaturdaynighthewouldhold greatpartyinhishouse.AyoungmannamedNickCarawayrentingahouseintheWestEgginvolve dhimselfinthelifeofGatsbywhotoldNickthathefellinlovewithNickscousinDaisybeforetheW WI. Because he was very poor atthattime Daisy married Tom Buchananwho is a rich and arrogant man. However he was still in love with her. HepersuadedNicktobringhimandDaisytogetheragain.WiththehelpofNickhewasrekindlingt herelationshipwithDaisyandhetriedtoconvinceDaisytoleaveher husband Tom who in turnrevealedthat Gatsby has madehismoneybybootlegging.WhenDaisyhesitatedtochoosebetweenGatsbyandTom she was driving Gatsbys car unintentionally hitting and killing Tomsmistress Myrtle Wilson. Gatsby kept this secret to protect Daisy. Tom toldMyrtles husband Wilson that it was Gatsby who killed his wife. WilsonmurderedGatsbyandthencommittedsuicide.AtlastNickwastheonlyonewholefttoarra ngeGatsbysfuneral. Nick considered Gatsby as a great and magic person as he had everrealizedhisdreamsinhislife.Gatsbydiedintheageof32butinhisshortlifejourneyhehadexp eriencedtherealizationandcollapseofhisthreedreams.A.TheDreamofBecomingaUsefulMan inChildhood Gatsby was born in a poor family of centre‐western region. In thefuneralN ickencounteredGatsby’sfatherHenryC.Gatzwhowasproudof 3his son and saved a picture of his house. He also told Nick aboutGatsby’searlylifeshowinghimabookinwhichyoungGatsbyhadwrittenaschedulefor self‐improvement: “Rise from be 6.00 A.M Dumbbell exercise anda ll‐scaling 6.15‐6.30A.M Study electricity…..7.15‐8.15A .MWork8.30‐4.30P.MBaseballandsports4.30‐5.00P.M.Practiceelocutionpoiseandhow to attain it 5.00‐6.00P.M Study needed inventions7.00‐9.00P.M.” 2 Above‐mentioned show that on the last fly‐leaf of Hopolong CassidyGatsbywasrecordedhisdecisionandapieceofstricttimetableforworking.As everyone knows many famous people depended on the struggle bythemselvesandgotasuccessatlastandtheirstorieswhichmadeeveryonebelieve that each youth could become a useful and wealthy person in thefuture. If one person was loyal to their family and friends patient andindependent he would have the same opportunity as other persons to doanythingthatistosayitispossibleforhimcomingfromthepoorfamilytobecomearichandnobl epersonsoGatsbywasoneofthebelieversofit.Thedream was so magic with endless infinite power that encouragedGatsbystruggleforitbyhisalleffort.ItmadeanimplicationthatGatsbywouldmakea fortune rely on personal virtues diligence and frugality. In hischildhoodGatsbyusedtoabidebyFran klin’steachingandfollowhisowndreamatthebackgroun dof20‐centurysocietyinU.S.OversomanyyearsGatsbyalwayspersisted in it and observed it. In brief in Gatsby early age he presentedapositiveattitudetowardhislife.Ifhewasnotinfluencedbythesocietywhichwas immoral in 20th century he would realize his American dream andbecomeapromisingperson.B.TheDreamofBecomingaRichandUpper‐classPersoninYouth Even if his dream originated from American dream the essence ofGatsby’sdreamistheessenceofAmericandream.WithhisgrowingGatsby’sAmericanDrea m wentby an evolution whenhewas young. Hedreamed ofmaking a good fortune transcending common people and getting rid ofpoornessasmuchastheheroesdescribedbyBenFranklin. Hewasbornona4NorthDakotafarmwhowasnamedJamesGatsbyandheenteredcollegeatSt. Olaf in Minnesota. He dropped out after two weeks for he loathed thehard and laborious work In the age of seventeen he met Dan Cody whowas a pirate in the Superior Lake. And then he changed his name as GayGatsby and became an assistant of Dan Cody. Traveling with Cody to theBarbaryCoastandWestIndiesGatsbyfellinlovewithmoneyandluxury. Hishumiliationathavingtoworkasajanitoratthecollegecontrastedwiththepromisehemetwith DanCodywhorepresentedtheachievementsof everything that Gatsby wants. As Gatsby was aware of his poverty theyoung Gatsby developed a powerful obsession with amazing wealth andstatus. He changed his name which symbolized his desire to jettison hislower ‐class identity and recast himself as the wealthy man he imaged. Hebelieved that he could discard his past and his background completely；howeveritwasimpossible.Hislargefortunehadnotbeenobtainedhonestly.Gatsbydidbusiness withWolfsheim—agambler.Gatsbymadelotsofmoneyalso from distributing illegal alcohol and trading in stolen securities. Aftergetting money Gatsby got luxurious possessions. “He saw me looking withadmirationathiscarRollsRoyce…itwasrichcreamcolorbrightwithnickelswollenhereand thereinitsmonstrouslength…”3Fromthattimehebegantogetridofthehisearlyagedreamwhilet heAmericandreamhadbecomecollapsed. On his way to obtain wealthy he gradually lost his innocent anddiligent characters and sake everything onhisdreams notrealizingthathisdreams are unworthy of him. However he became fabulously wealthy andrealizedhismoneydream.C.TheDreamofLovingaCharmingGirl Though Gatsby always wanted to be rich his main motivation inacquiringhisfortunewashisloveforDaisyBuchananwhomhemetwhenhewas a young military officer in Louisville before leaving to fight inWWII.GatsbyimmediatelyfellinlovewithDaisyforherluxuryelegancyandcharm.HeliedtoDa isyabouthisbackgroundinordertoconvinceherthatafterwar5shewouldmarrywithhim.BecauseofhisliesDaisypromisedtowaitforhimwhen he was left for the war. But she married Tom Buchanan in 1919.However Gatsby still loved with her in Gatsby’s mind the only way shouldGatsbywinbackdaisyistogetalotofmoneybutitwasverydifficultforanormal soldier to earn. In order to win Daisy Gatsby dared to have illegaltrade of alcohol to make a fortune because he clearly knew that he mustofferDaisyabetterlifewhichwasluxuriantifhewantedtowinDaisy. InsomedegreeGatsby’slovetoDaisyreflectedhismemoryofthepast.Four years before he met her and then loved her. During the long timeGatsby remembered that Daisy wasfantastically like a miracle story in hismind an unforgettable event with wonderful experiences and afairymeadowinamysteriousVail.TogetbacktheloveofDaisyheneededmakealargeamountof moneyandraisehisownstatueandhealsomadehimselfnoble and elegant‐‐‐he studied in Oxford University. After doing whatmentioned before he made him become a famous people He had heldparties every weekend at his mansion. The party is almost unbelievablyluxurious he made friends who are famous. When Daisy went to his partyandexclaimedshenevermetsomanycelebrities Situated at the end of Daisy’s east egg dock an d barely visible fromGatsby’s west egg lawn the green light symbolized Gatsby’s hopesanddreamsforthefuture.ThegreenlightmeantthatGatsbyhadassociatedhisAmericandreamwi thhisformalloverDaisy. Nevertheless after five years when Gatsby met Daisy again themiracleDaisyhadlostheroriginalglory.ShelivedintheeasteggdistrictofLong Land. She had become superficial and cynical with unbelievablebehaviorinordertomaskherpainathishusband’sunmorally.Daisywasnotasperfe ctasGatsbyalwaysimaginingandinhismindDaisywasagoddess.HoweverinrealityDaisywasj ustGatsby’sidealpersonificationthatwasonlyabadlyworldlybeautywithagoodappearancean demptysoul.Shewastherepresentativeofmoneyworshipers.MaybeshelovedGatsbyoncebuth er6lovewasnotrealnotpersistentshewantedherlifeshapedimmediatelyandthedecisionmustbem adenotbythepoweroflovebutthepowerofmoneythat was the most real in her world. So naturally after he met Gatsby shewouldliketoloveGatsbyagainbecauseatthistimeGatsbywaswealthyandfamous. In such a situation she w.。
《美国之梦》英语读后感 (2)
《美国之梦》英语读后感As a reader, I recently had the pleasure of reading "The American Dream" by James Truslow Adams, a renowned historian and writer. This book was first published in 1931, during the height of the Great Depression, and has since become a classic American literature.Adams coined the term "The American Dream" in this book, which refers to the belief that anyone, regardless of their social status or background, can achieve success and prosperity in America through hard work and determination. He uses historical examples and anecdotes to illustrate how this idea has shaped American culture and identity.As I read the book, I was struck by how relevant it still is today, nearly a century later. The American Dream is still a powerful force in American society, and many people continue to believe in and strive for it.However, as I continued reading, I realized that the American Dream is not equally achievable for everyone. Systemic inequality and discrimination has prevented many marginalized groups, such as women and people of color, from fully realizing their potential and achieving the same level of success as their white, male counterparts.This realization made me reflect on my own privilege and the ways in which I have benefited from systems that disadvantage others. It also made me appreciate the importance of addressing and dismantling these systems of oppression, in order to make the American Dream a reality for everyone.Overall, I believe that "The American Dream" is an important book for anyone interested in understanding American history and culture, as well as the impact of systemic inequality. It provides valuable insights into the origins and evolution of this iconic idea, while also challenging readers to think critically about its limitations and consequences.In conclusion, reading "The American Dream" was a thought-provoking experience that left me with a deeper understanding of American society and my own role within it. It is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in exploring the complexities of the American Dream, and the challenges of achieving true equality and justice in our society.。
美国作文之美国梦英文作文
美国作文之美国梦英文作文The American Dream in English WritingThe American Dream has long been a topic of fascination and inspiration in English literature. From the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald to the poetry of Langston Hughes, writers have sought to capture the essence of this elusive concept. In this essay, we will explore the various interpretations of the American Dream in English writing, examining its evolution over time and its impact on individuals and society.One of the earliest depictions of the American Dream can be found in the writings of the Puritans who settled in the New World. For them, the American Dream was rooted in religious freedom and the opportunity to build a utopian society. John Winthrop's famous sermon, "A Model of Christian Charity," emphasized the importance of community and cooperation in achieving this dream. This idea of a collective pursuit of happiness would later be echoed in the writings of the Founding Fathers and become a cornerstone of American identity.As America grew and industrialized, the American Dream took on a new meaning. Horatio Alger's rags-to-riches stories became popular in the late 19th century, depicting characters who achieved success through hard work and determination. These tales reflected the belief that anyone, regardless of their social background, could rise above their circumstances and achieve prosperity. The American Dream became synonymous with upward mobility and the pursuit of material wealth.However, the 20th century brought new challenges and a reevaluation of the American Dream. The Great Depression and the disillusionment of World War I led to a shift in attitudes. The writings of authors such as John Steinbeck and Arthur Miller highlighted the dark side of the American Dream, exposing the inequality and social injustices that existed beneath the surface. In "The Grapes of Wrath," Steinbeck portrays the struggles of the Joad family as they are driven from their land during the Dust Bowl, challenging the notion that hard work alone guarantees success.In the mid-20th century, the Civil Rights Movement further reshaped the American Dream. African-American writers like Langston Hughes and James Baldwin explored the gap between the promise of equality and the reality of racial discrimination. Their works exposed the limitations of the American Dream for marginalized communities, calling for a more inclusive and equitable society.Today, the American Dream continues to evolve in response to changing social and economic conditions. In a globalized world, the dream of achieving success and happiness is no longer limited to the shores of America. Immigrants from all over the world come to the United States, seeking opportunities and a better life. This diversity has enriched the American Dream, challenging traditional notions and expanding its definition.In conclusion, the American Dream has been a recurring theme in English writing, reflecting the aspirations and struggles of individuals and society. From the Puritans to the present day, writers have grappled with the complexities of this concept, offering diverse perspectives and critiques. The American Dream is not a fixed idea but a living, breathing entity that continues to inspire and challenge us. It is a testament to the power of literature to capture the essence of a nation and its dreams.。
研究生英语高级教程课文参考译文
Unit 1Waking Up from the American Dream Background Information1. The American dream: The American Dream is the concept widely held in the United States of America, that through hard work, courage and determination, one can achieve prosperity (often associated with the Protestant work ethic). These were the values of the original pioneers who crossed the American plains when Northern Europeans first came to America. What the American dream has become is a question under constant discussion.History of the American dream: The origin of the American dream stems from the departure in government and economics from the models of the Old World. This allowed unprecedented freedom, especially the possibility of dramatic upward social mobility. Additionally, from the Revolutionary War well into the later half of the nineteenth century, many of America's physical resources were unclaimed and often undiscovered, allowing the possibility of coming across a fortune through relatively little, but lucky investment in land or industry. The development of the Industrial Revolution defined the mineral and land wealth which was there in abundance, contrary to the environmental riches such as huge herds of bison and diversity of forests, for the original Native Americans.Many early Americans prospectors headed west of the Rocky Mountains to buy acres of cheap land in hopes of finding deposits of gold. The American dream was a driving factor not only in the Gold Rush of the mid to late 1800s, but also in the waves of immigration throughout that century and the following.Impoverished western Europeans escaping the Irish potato famines in Ireland, the Highland clearances in Scotland and the aftermath of Napoleon in the rest of Europe came to America to escape a poor quality of life at home. They wanted to embrace the promise of financial security and constitutional freedom they had heard existed so widely in the United States.The American dream today: In the 20th century, the American dream had its challenges. The Depression caused widespread hardship during the Twenties and Thirties, and was almost a reverse of the dream for those directly affected. Racial instability did not disappear, and in some parts of the country racial violence was almost commonplace. There was concern about the undemocratic campaign known as McCarthyism carried on against suspected Communists. Since the end of World War II, young American families have sought to live in relative bourgeois comfort in the suburbs that they built up. This was aided as a vision by the apparent winning of the Cold War.2. Wal-Mart:Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was founded by Sam Walton, a legend of American retail industry, in Arkansas in 1962. After 44 years of growth, it has become the world‘s largest private employer and retailer. The company employs over 1.8 million associates worldwide and operates more than 6,600 units in 15 countries. Wal-Mart serves more than 176 million customers worldwide per week.Language Points1.run out of steam: become exhausted2.Upward mobility diminished even more in the 1980s as globalization and technologyslammed blue-collar wages: ―Slammed‖ here means ―make…slip rapidly‖. 3.…minting dot-com millionaires by the thousands, …: A lot of people became millionairesby running websites in 1990s when the economy was booming.4.It’s hard to find a job with a career ladder these days, and a B.A. would be an edge: It‘shard to find a job that can provide opportunity to move up these days and those with a B.A.would have advantage over others.5.Restoring American mobility is less a question of knowing what to do than of making ithappen: Restoring American mobility is a question of making it happen rather than a question of knowing what to do.Answer keysI. Reading ComprehensionA. 1. A 2. D 3. D 4. C 5. A 6. D 7. C 8. D 9. A10. BB.Open.II. VocabularyA. 1. C 2. D 3. A 4. B 5. D 6. C 7. C 8. C 9. D 10. AB. 1. A 2. B 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. D 7. A8. D 9. B 10. C III. Cloze1. A2. B3. D4. A5. C6. A7. B8. C9. B 10. DIV. TranslationA. 壳牌公司努力构建的管理风格是让雇员直接参与影响其工作的决策。
和廉洁有关的书籍
和廉洁有关的书籍以下是一些与廉洁有关的书籍：1.《廉洁的力量》（The Power of Integrity）作者：John MacArthur这本书强调了个人在廉洁方面的责任和能力，以及在生活和职业中如何保持诚实和正直。
2.《高尚的人格》（Character）作者：David J. Vaughan本书探讨了善行和高尚品质的重要性，以及如何通过困难和试炼保持廉洁的人格。
3.《正直：一个人的故事》（Strapped: One Family's Addiction to Money and the Unraveling of an American Dream）作者：Tammy L. Gray这本书根据真实故事，讲述了一个家庭如何被金钱的诱惑所腐蚀，并最终面临灾难的故事。
它提供了对于廉洁和财务聪明的探讨。
4.《正直的领导力》（The Leadership Integrity Challenge）作者：Edward E. Morler作者通过讲述自己的亲身经历，以及其他领导者的案例，强调了诚实和道德在领导力发展中的重要性。
5.《公正与公民社会》（Justice as Fairness：A Restatement）作者：John Rawls这是一本经典的政治哲学著作，讨论了公正和公平的原则，从而提供了关于廉洁的思考和理解。
6.《贪官的逻辑》（The Logic of Corruption）作者：Joseph Heath这本书提供了关于腐败行为的思考与分析，帮助读者了解并防范腐败和廉洁方面的问题。
7.《腐败的深层根源》（The Deepening Corruption: From Brown to Blair）作者：Roger White本书探讨了腐败现象的来源和演变，并提出了廉洁和反腐败的途径和措施。
以上是一些与廉洁有关的书籍，涵盖了道德、领导力和政治方面的内容，希望能对您有所帮助。
“美国梦”的腐化作用——菲茨杰拉德代表作《了不起的盖茨比》主题探析
山东师范大学硕士学位论文“美国梦”的腐化作用——菲茨杰拉德代表作《了不起的盖茨比》主题探析姓名：刘君华申请学位级别：硕士专业：英语语言文学指导教师：肖龙福;李自修20040427摘要菲茨杰拉德（１８９６·１９４０）往往被冠以“爵士时代”的“史记家”和“桂冠诗人”的雅号，是美国二十世纪最重要的小说家之一。
ｆ他在短暂、悲剧性而富有传奇色彩的一生中。
共创作了４部长篇小说和１６０多部短篇小说。
户’代表作《了不起的盖茨比》一问世便以其蕴涵的重大社会意义和表现的精湛艺术成就引起巨大轰动，被认为是二十世纪美国文学中最优秀的作品之一。
¨、说描述了出身贫寒、聪明能干的穷小予盖茨比百折不挠、不择手段地追求美国梦和上流社会大家闺秀黛西，虽一度接近成功，但最终梦想破灭、爱情失败的悲剧故事。
另外，小说还反映了二十世纪二十年代美国经济高速发展而人的精神却高度匮乏的现实。
小说中主要人物浮躁不安地寻找物质成功，忽视精神追求，最终走向腐败、毁灭的故事具有极大的现实意义和警世意义。
这也正是本文的写作用意、一所在。
≯。
，、本文通过回顾“美国梦”的历史演变过程以及分析四个社会阶层（即世袭的有钱阶层、新兴的有钱阶层、中产阶级和下层社会）代表人物的命运，论证现代物质主义“美国梦”的腐化作用以及盲目追求这一梦想的危害。
全文共分五部分：前言、第一、二、三章和结论。
，一、焉／第一章回顾“美国梦”的历史。
《首瑚通过分析“美国梦”的清教文化渊源，概括“美国梦”的基本特点；义，肯定“美国梦”在美国历“美国梦”的初始含“一战”后美国社会意识形态和道德观念的巨变，分析“美国梦”的腐败原因及现代物质主义的“美国梦”的腐化作用。
第二、三章是文章的主体。
ｆ通过分析来自四个不同社会阶层的四组人物，论述现代物质主义“美国缎声如何摧毁道德理念、腐蚀人性，使人们丧失理智，走向极端，铤而走险的ｊ侮一章对人物的分析均从其社会出身环境入手，评析人物的理想追求，结合他们在实现理想过程中的经历，揭示“美国梦”对各阶层人们的腐化作用。