经典解读The Great Gatsby.docx
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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
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