The-Great-Gatsby解读

F.ScottFitzgerald&TheGreatGatsbyFrancisScottFitzgerald(1896–1940)•AnAmericanauthorofnovelsandshortstories.•OneofthegreatestAmericanwritersofthe20thcentury.•HisworksaretheparadigmwritingsoftheJazzAge(the1920s)inAmerica.•Awriterof“thelostgeneration”.•ThisSideofParadise《人间天堂》•TheBeautifulandDamned《美丽诅咒》•TenderistheNight《夜色温柔》•TheGreatGatsby《了不起的盖茨比》(Hismostfamousone)•Fitzgeraldalsowrotemanyshortstoriesthattreatthemesofyouthandpromisealongwithdespairandage.HisworksThisSideofParadise,1919•ItcapturedthehopesofsuccessofAmericansbutalsothefearsoffailureandpoverty.•AreoccurringthemethatrunsthroughoutFitzgerald’sbestworksisthathappinessandsuccessareunattainable.OvernightFame•March26,1920:ThisSideofParadiseispublished,makingthe24year-oldFitzgeraldfamousalmostovernight.•Oneweeklater,hemarriesZeldaSayreinNewYork.Background•ThenoveltakesplacefollowingtheFirstWorldWar.•AmericansocietyenjoyedprosperityduringtheRoaring1920sastheeconomysoared.•Atthesametime,prohibition,thebanonthesaleandmanufactureofalcoholmademillionairesoutofbootleggers(造私酒者).•ThemaincharacterGatsbyisoneofthebootleggers.JazzAge(1918~1929)•ThedecadeafterWorldWarIandbeforetheGreatDepressionin1929.•Everythingseemedtobefeasiblethroughmoderntechnology.•Thegaudiestspree(最华而不实的狂欢)inAmericanhistory.•Itisalsoknownas“theRoaring20s”.Jazzage•FitzgeraldhasbecomeidentifiedwiththeextravagantlivingoftheJazzAge:“Itwasanageofmiracles,itwasanageofart,itwasanageofexcess,anditwasanageofsatire.”--F.ScottFitzgeraldTheAmericandream•TheAmericanDreamistheideaheldbymanyintheUnitedStatesofAmericathatthroughhardwork,courage,anddeterminationonecanachievefinancialandpersonalsuccess.ThesewerevaluesheldbymanyearlyEuropeansettlers,andpasseddowntosubsequentgenerations.•WhattheAmericandreamhasbecomeisaquestionunderconstantdiscussion,andsomebelievethatithasledtoanemphasisonmaterialwealthasameasureofsuccessand/orhappiness.Maincharacters•Nick(narrator)---abondsalesman,andneighborofGatsby.•JayGatsby---ayoung,mysteriousmillionairelaterrevealedtobeabootlegger.•DaisyBuchanan---anattractiveyoungwoman,Nick’scousinandthewifeofTomBuchanan.•TomBuchanan---Daisy’shusband,anarrogant“oldmoney”millionaire.•MyrtleWilson—Tom’smistress(情妇).•GeorgeB.Wilson—Myrtle’shusband,amechanicandownerofagarage.GatsbyTomDaisyMrs.WilsonMr.WilsonNickFellinlovewitheachother5yearsago,buttheywereapartduetotheirsocialstatus.Plot•Setting:NewYorkCityandLongIslandduringthe1920s.•Narrator:Nick,Gatsby’sneighbor.5yearsago,GatsbyandDaisyfellinlovewitheachother,butGatsbylostDaisybecausehewasapoorsoldier,Then,DaisymarriedTom.5yearslater,Gatsbybecameamillionairethroughbeingabootlegger.HestilllovedDaisy,soheboughtabigmansionandheldlavishpartieseveryweekwiththeonlyhopethatDaisywouldattendsomeday.ThroughJack,GatsbymetDaisy.DaisywasattractedbyGatsby’sbigfortuneandfellinlovewithGatsbyagain.GatsbytriedtopersuadeDaisytoleaveTom.However,DaisyalsolovedTomandthingsgotworse.Whentheywentback,Daisy,drivingGatsby’scar,hitandkilledTom’smistress,Mrs.Wilson,unawareofheridentity.TomtoldMr.WilsonitwasGatsbywhokilledhiswife.Atlast,Mr.WilsonmurdersGatsbyandthencommitssuicide.NickstrugglestoarrangeGatsby'sfuneral,findingthatveryfewpeople,arewillingtoattend.Daisydidn’tattend,instead,shewentonvacationwithTom.TheTheme•TheGreatGatsbyreflectsthecollapseoftheAmericandream.•Inthe1920s,easymoneyandrelaxedsocialvalueshavecorruptedthisdream,especiallyontheEastCoast.•ToGatsby,Daisyisanidealimageofholyandpure.SheisthesimpleofallnicethingsinGatsby’sdream.Butactually,whatDaisycareisonlymoney.•Inessence,Gatsbywastheembodiment(化身)ofthisdream.•Hehasrisenfrombeingapoorfarmboywithnoprospects,tobeingrich,havingabighouse,servants,andalargesocialcircleattendinghisnumerousfunctions.What’smore,hehasachievedallthisinonlyafewshortyears.Famoussentences•Sowebeaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast.•我们继续奋力向前划，逆水行舟，不停地向后退退，直至回到往昔岁月。•“Wheneveryoufeellikecriticizinganyone,”hetoldme,“justrememberthatallthepeopleinthisworldhaven‘thadtheadvantagesthatyou’vehad.”•“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。”DiscussionQuestionDoyouthinkGatsbydeservestobecalled–thegreat?Why?