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OntheRuinoftheAmericanDreaminTheGreatGatsbyStudentName:TutorName:SubmittedasapartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthedegreeofBachelorofArtsCollegeofForeignLanguages(April,2010)iAcknowledgementsIwouldliketotakethisopportunitytoexpressmygratitudetoalltheteacherswhohavetaughtmeandofferedmeinvaluableadviceduringmyfour-yearstudyatUniversity.InparticularIwouldliketothankmysupervisors,Ms.Yang.Shehasbeenavailableatalltimeswithahelpfuladviceandahelpinghandthroughoutmywholewritingprocessofthethesis.Shehasprovidemewithinstructiveguidanceinmodifyingthetopic,inpreparingthematerialpertinenttothetopicandinwritingthethesis,andhaspaidgreatpatienceinreadingandrevisingtheentiremanuscript.Withouthergeneroushelp,Icouldnotevencompletethethesis,letalonepresentitwiththepresentform.FinallyIwouldalsoliketothankmyparentsandallmyfriends,whohavegivenmeinnumerousencouragementandcriticalsupportinmystudytheseyears.iiAbstractF.Scott.Fitzgerald(1896-1940),asthemostfamouschroniclerandlaureateoftheJazzAge,isoneofthemostrepresentativeAmericannovelistofthe1920s.Hewasnotonlyaleadingparticipantinthetypicallyfrivolous,carefree,moneymakinglifeofthedecadebutalsoadetachedobserverofit.Owingtoitsextraordinaryliterarymerits,Fitzgerald’sGreatGatsbyislistedamongthemostnotabletwentieth-centuryAmericannovels.ThisthesisanalyzestherootsofthedisillusionmentofGatsby’sdreamfromthesocial,historicalandauthorialperspectives.ByexploringtheoriginsandessentialnatureofGatsby’sdream,thenaivetyandinnocenceinhispersonalityandthecrueltyoftheJazzAgesocietyepitomizedbytheruthlessandimmoralBuchanans,thepaperdrawstheconclusionthatacombinationoftheseelementsdefinesGatsby’sfailureanddestructionintheend.Themediscussioninthispaperisbasicallydonethroughhistoryandcharacteranalysis,whichaimsforbetterunderstandingoftheconnotationofthenovel.Keywords:Scott.Fitzgerald;TheGreatGatsby;Americandream;disillusionmentiii内容摘要弗朗西斯·司科特•菲兹杰拉德往往被推崇为“爵士时代”的编年史家和桂冠诗人，是二十世纪美国最重要的作家之一。他不仅亲身经历了美国历史上“最会纵乐、最讲究炫丽”的时代的生活，而且以敏锐的目光，审视着那个时代所发生的一切。代表作《了不起的盖茨比》一问世便以其蕴涵的重大社会意义和表现的精湛艺术成就引起巨大轰动，被认为是二十世纪美国文学中最优秀的作品之一。本论文从人物分析着手,从社会、历史、以及作者自身的经历和世界观等多方面探讨导致主人公盖茨比梦毁人亡的根源所在。美国梦幻灭不仅有其深刻的社会历史原因，且与盖茨比性格中的自我毁灭因素息息相关。通过分析我们可以看出盖茨比之梦的历史渊源和实质，盖茨比性格中的天直单纯和不谙世故以及以汤姆、黛西为代表的美国社会的冷酷无情和道德沦丧。这些从根本上决定了美国梦的幻灭。本文主要通过人物分析来分析作品的主题，并将二者有机地统一起来，意在较全面深刻地解读作品的内涵。关键词：司科特·菲茨杰拉德；了不起的盖茨比；美国梦；幻灭ivContentsIntroduction……………………….............................................................................1I.FitzgeraldandTheGreatGatsby……………….....................................................11.1Fitzgerald'sLifeandHisWorks……………………………………….……..........11.2SocialandHistoricalContextofTheGreatGatsby……………….............…..…..2II.TheDisillusionoftheAmericanDream…………………………….…...............32.1TheSo-calledAmericanDream：AHistoricalRetrospect………….………........32.1.1OriginoftheAmericanDream…………………………………….…........…….32.1.2DevelopmentoftheAmericanDream………………………………..……....….42.1.3CorruptionoftheAmericanDream…………………………………....…......….42.2TheDisillusionmentofGatsby'sDream………......................................................62.2.1OriginsofGatsby’sDream…………………………………………...........…....62.2.2EssenceofGatsby’sDream……………………………………….…...…..........72.2.2.1ElementsofGatsby’sDream…………………………………….….....…......72.2.2.2ADreamwithItsElementsinConflict……………………………........….....8III.CrueltyoftheSociety……………………….......................................................93.1TheConflictsbetweentheNewRichandtheEstablishedRich……..….…......….93.1.1TheEconomicDifference…………………………………………….....….......93.1.2TheSocialConflict………………………………………………….......…......103.2CrueltyoftheSocietyEpitomizedbytheImmoralBuchanans………….....…....11Conclusion………………………………………………………..............................13References……………………………………………………………..……......…..151IntroductionI.FitzgeraldandTheGreatGatsby1.1Fitzgerald’sLifeandHisWorksF.Scott.Fitzgeraldwasthemostrepresentativenovelistofthe1920's.Hewasnotonlyanactive,leadingparticipantinthetypicallyfrivolous,moneymakinglifeofthedecade,butalsoadetached,profoundobserverofitatthesametime.Hisownlifewasamirrorofthetimes.Heledapricelesslifeandachievedmuchduringthe“RoaringTwenties”,drinkinghardwhisky,drivingfastcars,andtakingmuchdelightinit.F.Scott.FitzgeraldwasbornonSeptember24,1896,inSt.Paul---intheMiddleWestofAmerica.Hisfatherwasapoorbutwell-breddescendentofthefamily.DuringaChristmasvacationspentinSt.Paul,FitzgeraldfallinlovewithGinevrakingwhoisawealthyChicagodebutante.ButlaterGinevrakingrejectedhimbecauseherfatherthoughtthathewasnotrich.In1917,FitzgeraldmetZeldaSayreandfellinlovewithhersoon.However,althoughZeldawillingtobecomeengagedtoFitzgerald,didnotfinallyagreetomarryhimuntilhecouldshowhisabilitytosupporther.Sothemomentthearmyreleasedhimin1919,HebecameanovelistforthesolepurposeofearningenoughmoneytomarryZelda!(Elizabeth1982:62)In1919,hepublishedhisfirstnovelThisSideofParadise,whichwasanimmediatesuccess.Suddenly,Fitzgeraldgotrichandfamousattheageoftwenty-three,andthenhereturnedtoZeldaandmarriedher.ZeldacausedFitzgerald'sgreatesthappinessanddeepestsorrowthroughouthislife.Forf