論文英語論了不起的蓋茨比中美國(guó)夢(mèng)的破滅

1、摘 要美國(guó)是一個(gè)以夢(mèng)想而自豪的國(guó)家，美國(guó)夢(mèng)算得上美國(guó)文明的一大特產(chǎn)。所謂美國(guó)夢(mèng)，廣義上是指美國(guó)的平等、自由和民主，狹義上是指一種相信只要在美國(guó)經(jīng)過不懈的奮斗便能獲得更好生活的理想，也就是人們必須通過自己的勤奮、勇氣、創(chuàng)意和決心邁向繁榮。長(zhǎng)期以來，美國(guó)夢(mèng)激勵(lì)著一代又一代的美國(guó)人。菲茨杰拉德的了不起的蓋茨比，一部?jī)H五萬余言，卻能列入二十世紀(jì)美國(guó)最佳的十二部小說之一，以一個(gè)青年人對(duì)財(cái)富地位與愛情追求的失敗來解構(gòu)美國(guó)夢(mèng)的由來、演變及破滅的原因，同時(shí)生動(dòng)地再現(xiàn)了美國(guó)二十世紀(jì)“爵士樂時(shí)代”的社會(huì)風(fēng)貌和時(shí)代精神。 關(guān)鍵詞: 美國(guó)夢(mèng), 破滅 ,爵士樂時(shí)代 Abstract American dream is

2、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. F

3、itzgeralds 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 mans 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 r

4、eflects 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 Gatsbys American dream indicating the disillusion of the whole American dream. KEY WORDS: Americ

5、an Dream, Jazz Age, disillusionContentsIntroduction4Chapter One The Meaning of American Dream61.1 The different embodiment of American dream in different times61.1.1 American dream in the 18th and 19th century61.1.2 American dream after industrialization61.1.3 American dream in the 21st century71.2

6、Jazz Age and American Dream8Chapter Two The Disillusion of Jay Gatsbys American Dream92.1 Elements of Gatsbys American Dream92.1.1 The dream of becoming a useful man in childhood92.1.2 The dream of becoming a rich and upper-class person102.1.3 The dream of loving a charming woman102.2Reasons for the

7、 disillusion of Gatsbys American Dream112.2.1 The objective factors112.2.2 The subjective factors13Chapter three The Disillusion of Nicks and Myrtles American Dream153.1 Contents of Nicks American dream153.1.1 The dream of the upper class153.1.2 The admiration of Gatsby153.2 Corruption of Nicks Amer

8、ican dream153.2.1 In terms of Tom and Daisy153.2.2 In terms of Gatsby163.3 Myrtles American Dream16Conclusion18Acknowledgements19Bibliography20IntroductionF. Scott Fitzgerald is the most representative novelist of the 1920s in the United States. His work, The Great Gatsby is the mirror of the time,

9、the Jazz Age. And it is considered as F. Scott Fitzgeralds most important book, which enjoyed worldwide prestige and compliment. The novel received favorable comments from all over the world. The famous writer and critic, T.S. Eliot, who is never a hasty or extravagant critic, praised the novel as “

10、the first step that American fiction has taken since Henry James.”(1984:52). The novel is the typical work that reflects American Dream, which is the often-told topic in America. As the typical work of 1920s, it reflects the disillusion of American Dream in Jazz Age. The novel ends in the tragedy of

11、 Gatsby and discloses the befuddled, luxurious, meaningless and hopeless life of Jazz Age. It crucifies the illusory and unreality of American Dream. Many writers and literature critics always refer to it when they talk about American Dream. William Faulkner, the great writer in America, once said t

12、hat The Great Gatsby was the most typical work that recurred the social reality in Jazz Age and disclosed the temptation and disillusion of American Dream. In 2013, The Great Gatsby was adapted into film again. The director of this film, Baz Luhrmann(2013) answered when he was interviewed, “F. Scott

13、 Fitzgerald described the sorrow of Lost Generation because of the disillusion of their American Dream in a plaintive tone and I hope this film could show the same effect.” Besides, Chinese actress, Zhang Ziyi(2013) said that she was very sad after watching the movie and she thought that Gatsbys lov

14、e dream was destroyed by fame and wealth. Many people have analyzed the disillusion of American Dream in the novel The Great Gatsby. Their analysis often put emphasis on the disillusion of Gatsbys American Dream. The dissertation will be different from others and it will focus on American Dream to i

15、llustrate it from its origin to its development and corruption of different characters besides Gatsby. It is divided into three chapters. The first chapter describes the meaning of American Dream, especially the different meanings and embodiments of American Dream in different times; what is the mos

16、t important is the embodiment of American Dream in Jazz Age. The second chapter mainly talks about the main character, Gatsbys American Dream, including the elements of his American Dream-his pursuit of wealth and love and the reasons for the collapse of his American Dream, which include objective f

17、actors and subjective factors. The last chapter analyzes the American Dream of Nick and Myrtle, including the content of their American Dream and disillusion of their American Dream. In a whole, from the three chapters, readers will have a better understanding of American Dream and get to know whats

18、 the similarities and difference of the contents American Dream collapse of their American Dream among the three characters. In Jazz Age, people regard the pursuit of dreams as equal as the pursuit of possession and position, which is doomed to fail. Chapter One The Meaning of American Dream1.1 The

19、different embodiment of American Dream in different times It is universally acknowledged that Americans are proud of dreams. American Dream is a very important cultural essence for America. And American Dream has different meanings and embodiments in different times.1.1.1 American Dream in the 18th

20、and 19th centuryIn the early years, the American Dream was the Puritans desire for the freedom in religion and creation. Many European people came to America at that time and most of them were British Puritans and farmers who were likely to go to bankrupt. At the end of 18th century and the beginnin

21、g of 19th century, people found rich deposits of gold. There was a “Gold Rush” in America. They considered America as the country that was filled with milk and honey. Besides, Thomas Jeffersons Declaration of Independence stated that all men were born to be equal and they were endowed by their creat

22、or with certain unalienable rights, that among these were life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Whats more, there were many people who had nothing at first but made a great fortune through their own efforts, which encouraged people to hold their American Dream. Thus, people believe that as lon

23、g as they worked hard, they would realize their dreams. Therefore, the unique natural resources and political equality attracted more and more people to come to America. The new settlers hoped that they could made great fortune in the new land. They wanted to be lucky enough to be rich overnight in

24、the “Gold Rush”. The early American Dream had the color of “gold”.1.1.2 American Dream after industrializationAfter the civil war, America began the process of industrialization. The European settlers moved to the west gradually, such as New York and Chicago. Along with the expansion to the west, th

25、e American Dream developed into the pursuit of happiness, especially the pursuit of success, including career, love and wealth. The American Dream became more and more popular and concrete. It made people believe that everyone was equal, and as long as he worked hard, a poor boy could become a milli

26、onaire on this wonderful land which was full of opportunities. At this time, there were many successful examples: Edison, the world-famous inventor who invented thousands of new things ; Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and so on. They had the similar experience that they made great succ

27、ess by their own diligence and wisdom although they didnt have a very rich family background. With the development of industrialization and under the influence of these successful people, the economy of America was blooming. More and more people were eager to seek their American Dream with determina

28、tions. However, gradually, peoples American Dream changed the positive meaning. They turned to pursue wealth at any cost and then indulged themselves in enjoying pleasures of life. They became money-worshiped and made money by all means. However, they considered the pursuit of dream equaling to the

29、pursuit of wealth, which was bound to be corrupted.1.1.3 American Dream in the 21st centuryWith the development of science and technology, the 21st century witnesses a great change of peoples life. At this time, American Dream also has different meanings, both positive and negative. On the one hand,

30、 the former CEO of the Microsoft Company, made billions of dollars by his wisdom when he was at a very young age. It makes people believe that as long as he is a genius, he can succeed in America. On the other hand, in the early years, Americans advocated making fortune through honesty and diligence

31、, while today Americans are enthusiastic about making money quickly. Thus, many people go to gamble in Las Vegas or play the lottery in hope that they can become a millionaire in a short time. The early European settlers came to America because of the equal right of politics, however, in the 21st ce

32、ntury, the politics of America, especially the election of the president, is the game of money. These are the negative aspects of American Dream in the 21st century. Whats more, nowadays, American Dream is also the dream of the whole world. The United States is the most developed country in the worl

33、d. America takes the leading position over most countries in many aspects, such as economy, science and technology. Thus, many people from all over the world prefer to immigrate into America. They think they can have a better life in this advanced country. Besides, there are many world-class univers

34、ities in America, such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton and so on . Many parents in different countries try their best to send their children to study in America no matter how much money it will cost. They believe that the students who graduate from American universities must have a better futu

35、re. This is a special aspect of American dream in the 21st century.1.2 Jazz Age and American DreamIn American history, Jazz Age ranged from the ending of World War I (1918) to the Great Depression (1929). Fitzgerald was the first person to coin the term, which he used in such books as Tales of the J

36、azz Age. In his essay, Fitzgerald described Jazz Age like this, “It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age access, and it was an age of satire”(1931). After the World War, America entered a temporary and unprecedented prosperous age. The economy developed very quickly, while the

37、 traditional values of this age declined greatly in the new social background. The traditional ethics, ideal, and religion collapsed under the influence the new age. Enjoying pleasures of life became a new fashionable lifestyle. At that time, it seemed that the boldest dream could be realized and th

38、e most luxurious life could be sustained. The prosperous economy made wealth become the “God” of peoples mind. The extreme individualism prevailed, which led to the showy, selfish, hypocritical and irresponsible behaviour of people. It was an age that Americans felt perplexed and lost. At that time,

39、 people lived a very hopeless and meaningless life. They pursued wealth, enjoyed pleasures of life and put their ideal of life on materialism. The society was a money-worshiped society. Many people, especially the upper class people, indulged themselves in a very luxurious life. They held lots of da

40、zzling parties, drinking, dancing, enjoying the pleasures of bodies, but their spirit was empty. They didnt know the aim of their lives. There was a great distinction of class at that time. The low class people admired the luxurious life of the upper class. They dreamed of becoming a member of them.

41、 Therefore, they spared no efforts to pursue possession and position by all means, including unhonest and illegal way. But usually their practice would end in a failure and their beautiful dream would fade away. There were many literary works that reflected the social reality and American Dream in J

42、azz Age, including Sister Carrie written by Theodore Dreiser, Martin Eden written by Jack London, and the most important work: The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. All these works reflected that American Dream was doomed to fail. Chapter Two The Disillusion of Jay Gatsbys American Dream

43、The protagonist of The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, is a romantic dreamer of the past. He devoted his life to the realization of his dream but met with complete failure in the end. 2.1 Elements of Gatsbys American Dream2.1.1 The dream of becoming a useful man in childhoodJay Gatsby was born in a povert

44、y-stricken family. His father was a farmer. They belonged to the low upper class in the society. But Gatsby was a very ambitious boy and he was determined to be a useful man in his childhood. He set strict demands on himself. It is only in the last chapter that readers get to know more about Gatsby

45、through his father who came east to his sons funeral. When he was still a mid-western boy, Gatsbys dream began to take shape. His father showed a ragged copy of a book called Hopalong Cassidy to Nick. On the last flyleaf were the resolutions that the boy made for his self-improvement and “getting ah

46、ead”. Rise from bed 6:00 A .M .Dumb bell exercise and wall-scaling 6:15 - 6:30 A .M .Study electricity, etc 7:15 - 8:15 A .M .Work 8:30 - 4:30 P. M .Baseball and sports 4:30 - 5:00 P. M .Practice elocution, poise and how to attain it 5 :00 - 6:00 P. M .Study needed inventions 7:00 - 9:00P . M . ( Fi

47、tzgerald 2007: 261) All these reminded readers of Benjamin Franklin who was the first self-made man in American history. Like Gatsby, Franklin was born in a poor family. But he became the world-famous scientist, statesman and writer through his own efforts. In his famous Autobiography of Benjamin Fr

48、anklin, Franklin had written a similar schedule for self-discipline. It was Franklins success story that initiated the “American Dream”, which encouraged one generation after another to strive hard for Gatsby dreamed to be as successful as Franklin.2.1.2 The dream of becoming a rich and upper-class

49、personJay Gatsby was a very ambitious and determined boy in his childhood. He was eager to make a great success through his own hard work and efforts like Benjamin Franklin. However, it the bright future. In fact, Gatsby was a veritable image of a latter-year Franklin. was rather difficult for him w

50、ho came from the low class to realize his dream only through his own hard work in the society he lived at that time. When he was 17 years old, he met a man named Dan Cody, an embodiment of success, who spent his money at his will. But his money was illegally earned. Gatsby admired him very much. He

51、wanted to be a rich man like Cody and a member of upper class. At that time, Gatsby changed his name from James Gats to Jay Gatsby, which meant Son of God. He refused to admit that he was the son of a poor farmer. He regarded himself as Son of God, who would shoulder great responsibilities and make

52、great achievements in the future. He wanted to get rid of his poor family background and stood out among rich people. He thought the only way was to get rich. Money was the most important thing. So he gave up the original dream and determination in his childhood gradually. Under the influence of Dan

53、 Cody, he became a money-worshiped man. He tried to pursue wealth by all means. To make a great amount of money, he took on illegal commercial activities. Gatsbys original pure and positive American Dream had changed.2.1.3 The dream of loving a charming womanWhen Gatsby met Daisy Fay in Louisville a

54、s a young officer, Gatsbys dream took in a new meaning. She was the first “nice” girl he had ever known .Of course “nice” meant beautiful, but it meant more than that. This kind of beauty made Gatsbys dream more attractive. He created a place for Daisy in his dream for the future and committed himse

55、lf to following a grail.He fell in love with this extraordinary girl. Gatsbys vague and long wondering dream alights on Daisy and romantically transfigures her into a creature of his imagination: “He knew that when he kissed this girl and forever web his unutterable visions to her perishable breath,

56、 his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. At his lips touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete(2007:112). Daisys person, her culture and particularly her voice were appealing to Gatsby. Daisy represented a way of life, which was characterized by wealth

57、and high social position. Gatsby loved not only Daisy herself, but also the symbolic meaning represented by her beautiful house, expensive motorcar. He loved Daisy, so he longed for being rich. Daisy was his power to move forward. In return, he pursued money to get together with Daisy. Gatsbys dream

58、 of becoming a wealthy man and loving a charming woman was closely connected with each other.2.2 Reasons for the disillusion of Gatsbys American DreamGatsby was not only a dreamer, but also a follower of dream. He tried his best to make his dream come true. However, his beautiful American Dream ended in a failure. He even lost his life. The disillusion of Gatsbys American Dream indicates the disillusion of the whole American Dream at that time. There was a description at the end of this novel about it. “And as the moon