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《了不起的盖茨比》中所折射出的美国梦摘要《了不起的盖茨比》是菲茨杰拉德的一部名著。作者通过描写盖茨比个人的困境与失败展现了那个时代的悲剧。在小说中，盖茨比想要通过物质上的成功来赢得爱情,然而，他的梦想是建立于幻想，而不是现实，这是注定要失败的。因为盖茨比是美国梦的代表，从某种意义上说,盖茨比的失败也预示了美国梦本身的破灭。本论文首先介绍了作者与小说的主要情节，接着讲述了美国梦的根源与本质。第三部分分析了盖茨比对财富梦及爱情梦的追求。最后分析了盖茨比美国梦破碎的原因以及必然性。关键词：美国梦；金钱；爱情；破灭AbstractTheGreatGatsbyisoneofFitzgerald’smasterpieces.TheauthorpresentedthetragedyofthatagebydescribingGatsby’spersonaldilemmaandfailure.Inthisnovel,Gatsbywantstowinlovethroughmaterialsuccess.However,hisdreamisbasedonillusionratherthanreality,whichisdoomedtofail.GatsbyistherepresentativeoftheAmericandream.Insomesenses,Gatsby’sfailurealsopredictstheshatteringoftheAmericandreamitself.ThispaperbeginswithanintroductionabouttheauthorandthebriefplotofthenovelTheGreatGatsby.ThenittellstheoriginandtheessenceoftheAmericandream.Afterthat,itgivesananalysisofGatsby’spursuitoffortuneandlovedream.Finally,thepaperpointsouttheinevitabledisillusionofGatsby’sAmericandreamandpresentsthefactorsofthetragedy.Keywords:theAmericandream;fortune;love;disillusionContents1.Introduction………………………………………………………………12.TheAmericanDream……………………………………………………22.1TheOriginoftheAmericanDreamanditsDevelopment…………………32.2TheessenceoftheAmericanDreamanditsHistoricalBackground………43.TheAmericanDreamReflectedinGatsby………………………………53.1Gatsby’sPursuitofFortuneDream………………………………………53.2Gatsby’sPursuitofLoveDream…………………………………………64.DisillusionofGatsby’sAmericanDream………………………………74.1Gatsby’sAmericanDreamandHisIllegalActivities……………………84.2Gatsby’sAmericanDreamandtheSocialEnvironment………………94.3Gatsby’sAmericanDreamandHisInnocence……………………105.Conclusion…………………………………………………………………11References……………………………………………………………………1311.IntroductionF.ScottFitzgerald(1896-1940)isoneofthetwentiethcentury’sgreatestwriters,whoseworkswerethesamplesoftheJazzAge.Heiswidelyregardedastheliteraryspokesmanofthe“JazzAge”—anagebetweentheendoftheFirstWorldWarandtheoutbreakoftheGreatDepression.Inmanyways,heexpressedinhisstoriesthedisillusionmentoftheyounggenerationwith“theAmericandream”.Fitzgeraldisalsoconsideredamemberofthe“LostGeneration”ofthe1920s.Hewasbornintoamiddle-classfamilyinSt.Paul,MinnesotaintheAmericanMidwest.Inhisshortlife,Fitzgeraldexperiencedovernightfameandwealthin1920sbutsufferedalotinthe1930s.Hisfirstnovel—ThisSideofParadisewaspublishedin1920andbecameabest-seller,throughwhichhegotfameandcommercialsuccess.Withaseriesofsuccessofhiswriting,Fitzgeraldhadahighqualityoflife.In1925,FitzgeraldmanagedtocompleteTheGreatGatsby.Thisbookbroughthimacriticalcommentandcommercialfailure.Afterthat,withthepainofhispersonallifeandthedisappearanceofthewritinginspiration,heneverwroteawell-knownbookanymore.In1940,hediedofaheartattackwhenhewasonlyforty-four.DifferentfromotherAmericanwriterswhoalsohadtheAmericandreamasthesubjectoftheirworks,Fitzgeraldimpressedhisreadersfromanewperspective.Hisworksdepictedthe1920sofAmerica,theperiodofthehighgrowthofAmerica.Withtherichnessofmaterial,people’sspirituallifewascorrupted,especiallythelifeoftheupperclass.“ManycriticshaveseenFitzgerald’sartisticachievementintermsofhisabilitytodepicttheAmericansociety,itshistoryanditspeople.”(TangSooping,1992:7)TheGreatGatsbyisastorytoldbyNick,amanfromtheMid-West,goingtoNewYorktodobusiness.Heheardabouthisneighbor,amysteriousmancalledJayGatsby,whoalwaysheldfabulouspartiesathishouse.GatsbywasborninapoorfamilyintheMiddleWest.Duringthetimeofservinginthearmy,GatsbyfellinlovewithDaisy,awealthygirl.However,hewastoopoortomarry2her.WhentheFirstWorldWarbrokeout,Gatsbyhadtodevotehimselftothearmy.DaisygaveupwaitingforhimandgotmarriedwitharichyoungmanTomBuchanan.However,Daisy’smarriagewasnotthathappybecauseTomhasbetrayedtheirmarriage.Hehadamistressaftertheirdaughterwasborn.AllthesethingsinspiredGatsby’sdesiretogetmarriedwithDaisy.Inordertowinbackhislostlove,ittookGatsbyjustafewyearstomakeafortunethroughillegalbusiness.HeboughtamansionlocatedontheoppositesideofDaisy’shousewithariverlyinginbetween.Gatsbyheldpartieseveryweekend,hopingthatonedayDaisywouldcomebutshedidnotturnupevenonce.WiththehelpofNick,thecousinofDaisy,GatsbymetDaisyagainfiveyearsaftertheybrokeawayfromeachother.Butnowtheladyinfrontofhimwasnolongertheidealloverinhisdream.Instead,shebecameaselfishandvulgarwoman.SherefusedtogiveupTombutatthesametimeshedidnotrefuseGatsby.Oneday,DaisydroveGatsby’scarafterdrinkingandcausedanaccidentinwhichTom’smistress,MyrtleWilsonwaskilled.InordertoprotectDaisy,Gatsbydecidedtoassumetheresponsibility.FinallyGatsbywasshotbyMyrtle’shusband.OnlyGatsby’spoorfatherandNickattendedthefuneral.DaisydidnotfeelanysadnessandwasontripwithTomtoEuropeatthattime.2.TheAmericanDreamanditsHistoricalBackgroundTheAmericanDreamisanationalethosoftheUnitedStates,asetofidealswhichincludesfreedom,theopportunityforprosperityandsuccess,andanupwardsocialmobilityachievedthroughhardwork.ThetermAmericanDreamwasfirstusedbyJamesTruslowAdamsinhisbookTheEpicofAmerica.Hestates,“TheAmericanDreamisthatdreamofalandinwhichlifeshouldbebetterandricherandfullerforeveryone,withopportunityforeachaccordingtoabilityorachievement.ItisadifficultdreamfortheE