了不起的盖茨比悲剧必然性

On Inevitability of Gatsby's Tragedy

Abstract

The Great Gatsby is a novel written by the famous writer F. Scott. Fitzgerald in the1920's，which is about disillusionment of American Dream, and it is still a piece of language endowed with deep connotations and full of metaphors and mottoes. This paper analyzes Gatsby's tragedy by examining the essence of Gatsby's dream, the potential destructiveness in Gatsby's characters and the social-historical backgrounds leading to Gatsby's destruction. Fitzgerald once summarized people's characters at that time as "all Gods have died, all the wars have been over, and all the faiths have faded away." American people living in Jazz Age looked down on the traditional faiths and betrayed moralities and customs that their ancestors used to abide by. Atthe end of the novel, Gatsby's lonely funeral ceremony and people's indifference completely reflected humanities coolness and ugliness in the society of U.S.A in 1920's.At the very beginning, Gatsby was destined to be isolated helpless and to fail in the end in this society.

Key Words

Gatsby; the American dream; tragedy; personification

Introduction

Scott. Fitzgerald is a prominent novelist in the American literature, owned the title of the spokesman of the Jazz Age and the laurel of poet. From the contents and thoughts, the creative traits, his book the Great Gatsby is a real masterpiece of Fitzgerald, which made him get success in writing. As soon as it was published publicly in 1925, the Great Gatsby gained many critics' affirmation and praise, becoming as one of the most excellent works in the 20th century. In this novel, with a brief andserious style, the author vividly described a tragedy caused by American Dream, and successfully molded a suffered figure Gatsby. He was the author's favorite character, in that they had many things in common such as many experiences and spiritual virtues that are different from the comprehension and chase to American life o common people. Gatsby owned marvelous genius, incomparable resolute romantic volition to his dream as well as his loyalty to his ideal, which won high praise of the author. The essay, on one hand, gives deep sympathy to Gatsby about his tragedy, on the other hand, it indicates that it is vain and dangerous to seek American Dream at that time.

The paper is analyzing the inevitability of the hero Gatsby's tragedy by examining the essence of Gatsby's dream, the potential destructiveness in Gatsby's characters and social-backgrounds that lead to Gatsby's destruction.

I. Description of Gatsby's Dream

A. Origin of Gatsby's Dream

Gatsby's dream originated from the American dream, and the so-called "American Dream", in American society, especially in the period of exploiting the New Continent, formed and developed a rather commonly attracting ideal. It has long history dating from the period of European emigrants exploiting the New Continent, and this dream owns tremendous enough connotations of American desire and hope to spirits and materials. Consequently, many people defined it as the synthesis of Wealthy Dream, Transcendent Dream and Love Dream.

The traditional model of American Dream, as many critics and writers pointed out, were full of falsity, especially under the condition of capitalism developed rapidly, and polarization intensified increasingly. It made a point of evidence that Gatsby made fortune, relying on personal virtues,