经典解读The Great Gatsby.docx

经典解读The Great Gatsby.docx

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经典解读TheGreatGatsby

THEGREATGATSBYF.ScottFitzgerald

KeyFacts

FULLTITLE  ·  TheGreatGatsby

AUTHOR  · F.ScottFitzgerald

TYPEOFWORK · Novel

GENRE  · Modernistnovel,JazzAgenovel,novelofmanners

TIMEANDPLACEWRITTEN  · 1923–1924,AmericaandFrance

DATEOFFIRSTPUBLICATION  · 1925

NARRATOR  · NickCarraway;Carrawaynotonlynarratesthestorybutimpliesthatheisthebook’sauthor

POINTOFVIEW  · NickCarrawaynarratesinbothfirstandthirdperson,presentingonlywhathehimselfobserves.Nickalternatessectionswherehepresentseventsobjectively,astheyappearedtohimatthetime,withsectionswherehegiveshisowninterpretationsofthestory’smeaningandofthemotivationsoftheothercharacters.

TONE  · Nick’sattitudestowardGatsbyandGatsby’sstoryareambivalentandcontradictory.AttimesheseemstodisapproveofGatsby’sexcessesandbreachesofmannersandethics,buthealsoromanticizesandadmiresGatsby,describingtheeventsofthenovelinanostalgicandelegiactone.

TENSE  · Past

SETTING（TIME）  · Summer1922

SETTINGS（PLACE）  · LongIslandandNewYorkCity

PROTAGONIST  · Gatsbyand/orNick

MAJORCONFLICT  · Gatsbyhasamassedavastfortuneinordertowintheaffectionsoftheupper-classDaisyBuchanan,buthismysteriouspaststandsinthewayofhisbeingacceptedbyher.

RISINGACTION  · Gatsby’slavishparties,Gatsby’sarrangementofameetingwithDaisyatNick’s

CLIMAX  · Therearetwopossibleclimaxes:

Gatsby’sreunionwithDaisyinChapters5–6;theconfrontationbetweenGatsbyandTominthePlazaHotelinChapter7.

FALLINGACTION  · Daisy’srejectionofGatsby,Myrtle’sdeath,Gatsby’smurder

THEMES  · ThedeclineoftheAmericandream,thespiritofthe1920s,thedifferencebetweensocialclasses,theroleofsymbolsinthehumanconceptionofmeaning,theroleofthepastindreamsofthefuture

MOTIFS  · Theconnectionbetweeneventsandweather,theconnectionbetweengeographicallocationandsocialvalues,imagesoftime,extravagantparties,thequestforwealth

SYMBOLS  · ThegreenlightonDaisy’sdock,theeyesofDoctorT.J.Eckleburg,thevalleyofashes,Gatsby’sparties,EastEgg,WestEgg

FORESHADOWING  · ThecarwreckafterGatsby’spartyinChapter3,OwlEyes’scommentsaboutthetheatricalityofGatsby’slife,themysterioustelephonecallsGatsbyreceivesfromChicagoandPhiladelphia

1.AnalysisofMajorCharacters

JayGatsby

ThetitlecharacterofTheGreatGatsbyisayoungman,aroundthirtyyearsold,whorosefromanimpoverishedchildhoodinruralNorthDakotatobecomefabulouslywealthy.However,heachievedthisloftygoalbyparticipatinginorganizedcrime,includingdistributingillegalalcoholandtradinginstolensecurities.Fromhisearlyyouth,Gatsbydespisedpovertyandlongedforwealthandsophistication—hedroppedoutofSt.Olaf’sCollegeafteronlytwoweeksbecausehecouldnotbearthejanitorialjobwithwhichhewaspayinghistuition.ThoughGatsbyhasalwayswantedtoberich,hismainmotivationinacquiringhisfortunewashisloveforDaisyBuchanan,whomhemetasayoungmilitaryofficerinLouisvillebeforeleavingtofightinWorldWarIin1917.GatsbyimmediatelyfellinlovewithDaisy’sauraofluxury,grace,andcharm,andliedtoherabouthisownbackgroundinordertoconvinceherthathewasgoodenoughforher.Daisypromisedtowaitforhimwhenheleftforthewar,butmarriedTomBuchananin1919,whileGatsbywasstudyingatOxfordafterthewarinanattempttogainaneducation.Fromthatmomenton,GatsbydedicatedhimselftowinningDaisyback,andhisacquisitionofmillionsofdollars,hispurchaseofagaudymansiononWestEgg,andhislavishweeklypartiesareallmerelymeanstothatend.

Fitzgeralddelaystheintroductionofmostofthisinformationuntilfairlylateinthenovel.Gatsby’sreputationprecedeshim—GatsbyhimselfdoesnotappearinaspeakingroleuntilChapter3.FitzgeraldinitiallypresentsGatsbyasthealoof,enigmatichostoftheunbelievablyopulentpartiesthrowneveryweekathismansion.Heappearssurroundedbyspectacularluxury,courtedbypowerfulmenandbeautifulwomen.HeisthesubjectofawhirlwindofgossipthroughoutNewYorkandisalreadyakindoflegendarycelebritybeforeheiseverintroducedtothereader.FitzgeraldpropelsthenovelforwardthroughtheearlychaptersbyshroudingGatsby’sbackgroundandthesourceofhiswealthinmystery（thereaderlearnsaboutGatsby’schildhoodinChapter6andreceivesdefinitiveproofofhiscriminaldealingsinChapter7）.Asaresult,thereader’sfirst,distantimpressionsofGatsbystrikequiteadifferentnotefromthatofthelovesick,naiveyoungmanwhoemergesduringthelaterpartofthenovel.

FitzgeraldusesthistechniqueofdelayedcharacterrevelationtoemphasizethetheatricalqualityofGatsby’sapproachtolife,whichisanimportantpartofhispersonality.Gatsbyhasliterallycreatedhisowncharacter,evenchanginghisnamefromJamesGatztoJayGatsbytorepresenthisreinventionofhimself.AshisrelentlessquestforDaisydemonstrates,Gatsbyhasanextraordinaryabilitytotransformhishopesanddreamsintoreality;atthebeginningofthenovel,heappearstothereaderjustashedesirestoappeartotheworld.Thistalentforself-inventioniswhatgivesGatsbyhisqualityof“greatness”:

indeed,thetitle“TheGreatGatsby”isreminiscentofbillingsforsuchvaudevillemagiciansas“TheGreatHoudini”and“TheGreatBlackstone,”suggestingthatthepersonaofJayGatsbyisamasterfulillusion.

Gatsbybelievedinthegreenlight,theorgasticfuturethatyearbyyearrecedesbeforeus.

（SeeImportantQuotationsExplained）

AsthenovelprogressesandFitzgeralddeconstructsGatsby’sself-presentation,Gatsbyrevealshimselftobeaninnocent,hopefulyoungmanwhostakeseverythingonhisdreams,notrealizingthathisdreamsareunworthyofhim.GatsbyinvestsDaisywithanidealisticperfectionthatshecannotpossiblyattaininrealityandpursuesherwithapassionatezealthatblindshimtoherlimitations.Hisdreamofherdisintegrates,revealingthecorruptionthatwealthcausesandtheunworthinessofthegoal,muchinthewayFitzgeraldseestheAmericandreamcrumblinginthe1920s,asAmerica’spowerfuloptimism,vitality,andindividualismbecomesubordinatedtotheamoralpursuitofwealth.

GatsbyiscontrastedmostconsistentlywithNick.Criticspointoutthattheformer,passionateandactive,andthelatter,soberandreflective,seemtorepresenttwosidesofFitzgerald’spersonality.Additionally,whereasTomisacold-hearted,aristocraticbully,Gatsbyisaloyalandgood-heartedman.ThoughhislifestyleandattitudediffergreatlyfromthoseofGeorgeWilson,GatsbyandWilsonsharethefactthattheybothlosetheirloveinteresttoTom.

NickCarraway

IfGatsbyrepresentsonepartofFitzgerald’spersonality,theflashycelebritywhopursuedandglorifiedwealthinordertoimpressthewomanheloved,thenNickrepresentsanotherpart:

thequiet,reflectiveMidwesterneradriftintheluridEast.Ayoungman（heturnsthirtyduringthecourseofthenovel）fromMinnesota,NicktravelstoNewYorkin1922tolearnthebondbusiness.HelivesintheWestEggdistrictofLongIsland,nextdoortoGatsby.NickisalsoDaisy’scousin,whichenableshimtoobserveandassisttheresurgentloveaffairbetweenDaisyandGatsby.Asaresultofhisrelationshiptothesetwocharacters,Nickistheperfectchoicetonarratethenovel,whichfunctionsasapersonalmemoirofhisexperienceswithGatsbyinthesummerof1922.

NickisalsowellsuitedtonarratingTheGreatGatsbybecauseofhistemperament.AshetellsthereaderinChapter1,heistolerant,open-minded,quiet,andagoodlistener,and,asaresult,otherstendtotalktohimandtellhimtheirsecrets.Gatsby,inparticular,comestotrusthimandtreathimasaconfidant.Nickgenerallyassumesasecondaryrolethroughoutthenovel,preferringtodescribeandcommentoneventsratherthandominatetheaction.Often,however,hefunctionsasFitzgerald’svoice,asinhisextendedmeditationontimeandtheAmericandreamattheendofChapter9.

InsofarasNickplaysaroleinsidethenarrative,heevidencesastronglymixedreactiontolifeontheEastCoast,onethatcreatesapowerfulinternalconflictthathedoesnotresolveuntiltheendofthebook.Ontheonehand,Nickisattractedtothefast-paced,fun-drivenlifestyleofNewYork.Ontheotherhand,hefindsthatlifestylegrotesqueanddamaging.ThisinnerconflictissymbolizedthroughoutthebookbyNick’sromanticaffairwithJordanBaker.Heisattractedtohervivacityandhersophisticationjustasheisrepelledbyherdishonestyandherlackofconsiderationforotherpeople.

Nickstatesthatthereisa“qualityofdistortion”tolifeinNewYork,andthislifestylemakeshimlosehisequilibrium,especiallyearlyinthenovel,aswhenhegetsdrunkatGatsby’spartyinChapter2.AfterwitnessingtheunravelingofGatsby’sdreamandpresidingovertheappallingspectacleofGatsby’sfuneral,NickrealizesthatthefastlifeofrevelryontheEastCoastisacoverfortheterrifyingmoralemptinessthatthevalleyofashessymbolizes.Havinggainedthematuritythatthisinsightdemonstrates,hereturnstoMinnesotainsearchofaquieterlifestructuredbymoretraditionalmoralvalues.

DaisyBuchanan

PartiallybasedonFitzgerald’swife,Zelda,DaisyisabeautifulyoungwomanfromLouisville,Kentucky.SheisNick’scousinandtheobjectofGatsby’slove.AsayoungdebutanteinLouisville,Daisywasextremelypopularamongthemilitaryofficersstationednearherhome,includingJayGatsby.GatsbyliedabouthisbackgroundtoDaisy,claimingto