the-great-gatsby

TheGreatGatsbybyF.ScottFitzgeraldContent:•Positionandcomments•AmericanDream•Moviesofdifferentversions•Abriefsummaryofthestory•AnalysisofMaincharacters•Structureandartfigures•Themes•Symbols•ConclusionPositionandCommentsTheGreatGatsbyisa1925novelwrittenbyAmericanauthorF.ScottFitzgerald.ConsideredtobeFitzgerald‘smagnumopus(代表作),TheGreatGatsbyexploresthemesofdecadence,idealism,resistancetochange,socialupheaval,andexcess,creatingaportraitoftheJazzAgeortheRoaringTwentiesthathasbeendescribedasacautionarytale(警世故事)regardingtheAmericanDream.Today,TheGreatGatsbyiswidelyconsideredtobealiteraryclassicand“GreatAmericanNovel”.ThebookisconsistentlyrankedamongthegreatestworksofAmericanliterature.“TheGreatGatsbyisthefirststepthatAmericanfictionhastakensinceHenryJames.”—T.S.EliotMoviesofDifferentVersionsTheGreatGatsby,in1926,byHerbertBrenon–asilentmovieofastageadaptation,starringWarnerBaxter,LoisWilson,andWilliamPowell.Itisafamousexampleofalostfilm.•TheGreatGatsby,in1949,byElliottNugent–starringAlanLadd,BettyField,andShelleyWinters;forcopyrightreasonsthisfilmisnotreadilyavailable.TheGreatGatsby,in1974,byJackClayton–starringSamWaterston,MiaFarrow,andRobertRedford,withascriptbyFrancisFordCoppola.•TheGreatGatsby,in2000,byRobertMarkowitz–amade-for-TVmoviestarringTobyStephens,PaulRudd,andMiraSorvino.TheGreatGatsby,in2013,byBazLuhrmann–starringLeonardoDiCaprio,TobeyMaguire,CareyMulligan,andJoelEdgerton.AmericanDreamTheideaoftheAmericanDreamisrootedintheUnitedStatesDeclarationofIndependencewhichproclaimsthat“allmenarecreatedequal”andthattheyare“endowedbytheirCreatorwithcertaininalienableRights”including“Life,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness”.TheAmericanDreamisanationalethosoftheUnitedStates,asetofidealsinwhichfreedomincludestheopportunityforprosperityandsuccess,andanupwardsocialmobility(社会迁移)achievedthroughhardwork.OfcoursethemeaningofAmericanDreamhaschangesoverhistory.TheethostodayimpliesanopportunityforAmericanstoachieveprosperitythroughhardwork.ABriefSummaryoftheStoryAnalysisofMainCharactersJayGatsby:handsome,impressive,good-mannered,innocent,hopeful,passionate,hard-working,active,loyal,sober,blindNickCarraway:quiet,reflective,tolerant,open-minded,moral,kind-heartedDaisyBuchanan:beautiful,charming,fickle,bored,selfishandsardonic,indifferent,disloyal,shallowTomBuchanan:arrogant,hypocritical,immoral,greednarrow-minded,cool,disloyal,rude,bad-tempered,shallowJordanBaker:beautiful,cynical,boyish,self-centered,dishonestStructureandArtFiguresThefirst-personnarrativemodalmakesthissimple-plotstoryvividandmeaningful.NickCarrawayisnotonlythenarratorofthestorybutalsoanimportantcharacterinthestorywhichshortensthedistancebetweennarratorandstory,andmoreover,ithasdistinctiveadvantagesofinformationcontrolandfeelingadjusting.Thisisanautobiographicnovel,inwhichthewritercommentsandcriticizesintheidentityofNick.Nickisthebridgebetweenthewriterandthenovel,alsothewriterandreaders.Flashbackisadoptedatthebeginning.ByminglingthememoryandrealityofNick,itisnotdifficulttofindoutthatNickishalfinthestoryandhalfoutofthestory,whichreflectsthesamesituationofFitzgeraldwhowasappealedbythelifeofupperclass,anddrunkintherottensocietybutsoberinhisspirit.StructureandArtFiguresThesentencesinthenovelareplainandconciseincontentbutprofoundinmeaning.TheapplicationofsymbolisminTheGreatGatsbyconnectstheobjectiveandthesubjectiveinwritingtechniqueandinthoughtsurpassingthenarrowindividualworld.FitzgeralddepictsthedeteriorationofAmericanDreamthroughhispersonalexperience.StructureandArtFiguresSowebeaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast.于是我们奋力向前划，逆流向上的小舟，不停地倒退，进入过去Thereareonlythepursued,thepursuing,thebusyandthetired.世界上只有被追求者和追求者，忙碌者和疲惫者。Shevanishedintoherrichhouse,intoherrich,fulllife,leavingGatsby—nothing.她消逝在了她那奢华的房子里，消逝在了她那富裕充实的生活之中，留给盖茨比的——只是无有。Themes1.TheDeclineoftheAmericanDreaminthe1920sTheDeformedSpiritualDependenceTheLossoftheMoralValues2.TheHollownessoftheUpperClassThemesThespiritualdependenceofAmericanwasdeformedbymaterialismatthattime,orwecanevensaythattheirspiritualworldwasempty.Ontheonehand,whenWWⅠendedin1918,thegenerationofyoungAmericanswhohadfoughtthewarbecameintenselydisillusioned(幻想破灭).1.1TheDeformedSpiritualDependenceOntheotherhand,theriseofthestockmarketintheaftermathofthewarledtoasudden,sustainedincreaseinthenationalwealthandanewfoundmaterialism.Peopleindulgedintherichmaterialworld,spentandconsumedatunprecedentedlevelstomakeuptheemptyofthespirit.Eventuallymoneyandpleasureblindedpeople’smindandwasmistakenastherealAmericanDream.AmericandreamwasdecayedinthesocalledJazzAge,whichwasevidencedbytheultraluxuriouspartiesheldbyGatsbyandtherottenlifetheupperclasslivedasFitzgeralddepictedinthenovel.1.1TheDeformedSpiritualDependenceThemesTheprohibitioncausedamassivedemandforbootlegliquor(走私酒)amongrichandpooralike,whichcausedalargeamountofovernightmillionaires,thenewrichincludingGatsby.Gatsby’sfortunesymbolizetheriseoforganizedcrimeandbootlegging.Peopletriedtheirbesttoearnmoney,butignorethemorality.Thedisloyalty,snobbishattitude,andindifferencedecaye