了不起地盖茨比英文论文设计

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

F. Scott. Fitzgerald was one of the most representative American novelists 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. The Great Gatsby (1925) is regarded by many critics as one of the finest twentieth- century American novels. T. S. Eliot called it “the first step the American novel has taken since Henry James.”The Great Gatsby is a general critique of the American dream. American culture is characterized by a strong emphasis on the goal of monetary success and a weak emphasis on the importance of the legitimate means for the pursuit of success.

This thesis analyzes the roots of the disillusionment of Gatsby’s dream from the historical and authorial perspectives, By exploring the origins and essential nature of Gatsby’s dream, the naivety and innocence in the personality and the cruelty of Jazz Age society epitomized by the ruthless and immoral Buchanan, 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 those connotations of the novel.

Key words: The Great Gatsby, F. Scott. Fitzgerald, success

Contents

Abstract in Chinese ............................................... I Abstract ......................................................... II 1. Introduction (1)

1.1 The Synopsis of F. Scott. Fitzgerald (1)

1.2 Social and Historical Background of The Great Gatsby (1)

2. Formation of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby (2)

2.1 The American Dream (2)

2.2The American Dream of Gatsby (4)

3. Reasons for Gatsby’s Shattered American Dream (7)

3.1 Gatsby’s Pursuit of Pure Love (7)

3.2 Social Conflicts Due to Different Economic Status (7)

4. Conclusion (9)

References (11)

Acknowledgements (12)

1. Introduction

1.1 The synopsis of F. Scott. Fitzgerald

F. Scott. Fitzgerald was one of the novelists of the 1920s. He was not only an active, leading participant in the typically frivolous, moneymaking life of the decade, but also a detached, profound observer of it at the same time. His own life was a mirror of the times. He led a priceless life and achieved much during the “Roaring Twenties”, drinking hard whisky, driving fast cars, and taking much delight in it.

F. Scott. Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, and named after his ancestor Francis Scott Key, the author of The Star-Spangled Banner. Fitzgerald was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Though an intelligent child, he did poorly in school and was sent to a New Jersey boarding school in 1911. Despite being a mediocre student there, he managed to enroll at Princeton in 1913. Academic troubles and apathy plagued him throughout his time at college, and he never graduated, instead enlisting in the army in 1917, as World War I neared its end.

Fitzgerald became a second lieutenant, and was stationed at Camp Sheridan, in Montgomery, Alabama. There he met and fell in love with a wild seventeen-year-old beauty named Zelda Sayre. Zelda finally agreed to marry him, but her overpowering desire for wealth, fun, and leisure led her to delay their wedding until he could prove a success. With the publication of This Side of Paradise in 1920, Fitzgerald became a literary sensation, earning enough money and fame to convince Zelda to marry him.

1.2 Social and historical background of The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby (1925) is regarded by many critics as one of the finest twentieth- century American novels. T. S. Eliot called it “the first step the American novel has taken since Henry James.” However, the immediate response to the novel was overwhelmingly negative. It was not