Abstract
Francis Scott Fitzgerald is a great novelist in the American literature. Francis Scott Fitzgerald describes the 1920s as an era of decayed social and moral values, evidenced in its greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure. He is widely considered as the literary spokesman of the “American Dream” in the Jazz Age.
The Great Gatsby, written by Francis Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, tells a story about American’s pursuing money and enjoyment in Jazz Age. It is regarded as one of the best twentieth century American novels. The Great Gatsby is a love story mainly describes Jay Gatsby’s love for Daisy Buchanan--- the symbol of American Dream. Francis Scott Fitzgerald develops the tragedy of Jay Gatsby as the result of his quixotic quest for Daisy Buchanan. Though Gatsby dreams of achieving material wealth and love through his courage and hard work, all the factors from outside world and himself lead to the failure. The Great Gatsby is a highly symbolic meditation on America in the 1920s, which is about the Empty American Dream. The Great Gatsby is a realistic demonstration of the failure of American Dream.
Key words: Francis Scott Fitzgerald; The Great Gatsby ; American dream;
Contents
Abstract…………………………………………………….…… ……………...….I
Contents………………………………………………….………………..……..…I
1. Introduction of F. Scott .Fitzgerald…………………… …………..……..1
2. American Dream and its Disillusionment……………………...………. .1
2.1 The American Dream …………………………………………………..1
2.2 American Dream Reflected in The Great Gatsby…………………………2
2.2.1 Gatsby’s American Dream…………………….………………….. 2
2.2.2 Nick Carraway’s American Dream …………………………….…3.
2.2.3 Tom’s, Daisy’s and Jordan Baker’s American Dreams………….....3
3. The causes of the failure of American Dream……………….……….. 5
3.1 Social background ---The Jazz Age…………………………………….. 5
3.2 People factors in the novel………………………………………………5
Conclusion………………………………………………………………..……….6
Bibliography……………………………………………………………….……...7
