Abstract:

Period from 1920 to 1930 in America was considered as the Jazz Age. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an famous “Chronicler” and “ Poet Laureate” in this period. After published his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby was highly appreciated. The use of symbols in The Great Gatsby was very broad and skilled, almost everything that exists in this novel has its symbolic meaning, which penetrated in the plot, characterization and the moral meaning, etc. It also makes this topic full of research significance. This paper mainly starts from symbolic angle, analyzing this novel in three major areas: The function of symbol in literature, the symbolic meaning of color words, the symbolic meaning of settings and the symbolic meaning of the American dream. This paper initially introduces Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald , The Great Gatsby and the application of symbols in this work. Then, the paper author introduces the definition of symbol and its function in literature. Afterwards, it explains the different meaning of four color words appeared in the novel and analyzes the combination of characters and color descriptions, making the symbolic meaning of this novel relates to the character itself. It points out that the author uses different colors to symbolize through character, destiny and other factors. Fitzgerald’s skillful use of color, strengthens the character of artistic quality and deepens the theme. This thesis also introduces the use of settings such as animals briefly. Then, explain the symbolic meaning of the American dream and analyze the meaning of the banquet and valley ashes. Finally, analyze the theme of the novel, money and material wealth is the premise and guarantee to maintain social relationship. This novel splendidly described lost generation’s sorrow feelings about the American dream’s disillusion.

Key words: The Great Gatsby; symbol; color; setting; American Dream

摘要：

美国二十世纪20年代至30年代被推崇为“爵士时代”，出现了弗•斯格特• 菲茨杰拉德这样著名的爵士时代“编年史家”和“桂冠诗人”，其代表作《了不起的盖茨比》发表后大获赞赏，文中象征手法运用的非常地广泛和娴熟，几乎每一件事物都具有象征的意义，渗透在故事情节、人物描写和道德意义等之中，这也使得本课题充满了研究意义。本文主要从象征的角度出发，从三个方面分析这部作品：文学中象征的作用，颜色词语的象征意义，背景的象征意义和“美国梦”的象征意义。论文最初介绍了菲茨杰拉德和《了不起的盖茨比》，以及该作品中象征手法中的运用。接着，介绍了什么是象征和其在文学中的作用。然后研究小说中出现的四种颜色词语所代表的不同意义，把小说中的人物和色彩描写相结合进行了分析，使这部小说的象征意义联系到了人物角色本身，指出作者对人物性格和命运等因素使用不同的色彩来象征，也正是作者巧妙的色彩运用，加强了人物个性的艺术性，深化了主题。接下来简要介绍小说中出现的有关动物的背景象征的运用。紧接着阐述美国梦的象征意义，笔者通过宴会和灰烬山谷所代表的不同含义进行分析。最后分析小说主题，金钱和物质财富是维持社会关系的前提和保证，作品很好描写了战后“迷惘的一代”对“美国梦”幻灭的悲哀。

关键词：《了不起的盖茨比》; 象征; 颜色; 背景; 美国梦