Abstract

The subject of time is the core subject of modern literature. As a typical modernist, Fitzgerald shows great interest in the subject of time in his representative work The Great Gatsby. 
In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s thinking on time is reflected in the experience of time by the major characters and the artistic forms of the novel. Gatsby’s experience of time, in essence, falls into Bergson’s category of “subjective time”. According to Bergson, subjective time refers to the continuous flow of subjective consciousness of human beings. Gatsby’s experience of time is the experience of subjective time which is reflected in his stream of consciousness. By drawing comparisons between the experiences of time by Gatsby and Baker, Fitzgerald highlights the significance of subjective time. Moreover, Gatsby is a person who lives in the past, which is also the reflection of his experience of subjective time. The emphasis put on the significance of the past in his life implies that we human beings are historical beings and the value of the past and tradition should not be ignored.
Thirdly, the novel also implies the destructive power of time and the limitation of the subjective time by demonstrating the futile efforts by the major characters. Lastly, through the voice of Nick, Fitzgerald expresses his pursuit and desire of creating order and sense in the modern wasteland. Fitzgerald’s ideas on time are also reflected in the symbolic meanings of Gatsby’s house, automobiles and accidents. The narrative structure of the novel also reflects Fitzgerald’s ideas on time. 

Key Words: The Great Gatsby  Fitzgerald  the time motif  inheriting tradition 

摘要

时间问题是现代主义文学的重要范畴。作为一部现代主义文学经典作品，菲茨杰拉德的代表作《了不起的盖茨比》就体现了对时间问题的极大关注。
在小说《了》中，菲茨杰拉德对时间的思考和感受体现在主要人物的时间体验和小说的艺术形式两方面。首先，主人公盖茨比的时间体验从本质上来说属于柏格森的“主观时间”的范畴。根据柏格森的观点，心理时间是指人内在绵延不绝的主观意识。小说通过展现盖茨比一系列心理意识的变化来说明他的时间经历是主观时间的经历。通过将盖茨比和贝克进行对比，菲茨杰拉德凸显了主观时间的意义所在，即对人的主观意识的肯定。同时，盖茨比是一个生活在过去的人。这也是他的主观时间的体验。通过强调过去对盖茨比以及其他人物的重要性，菲茨杰拉德暗示了人是一种历史性的存在，同时强调过去和历史对一个民族的意义。
其次，在肯定主观时间作用的同时，菲茨杰拉德还试图说明时间之流的毁灭性力量和心理时间的局限性。这一点可体现在主要人物与时间之流的无效对抗上。最后，通过尼克的声音，菲茨杰拉德表达了对主观时间的超越和更高的追求，即结束荒原的混乱状态和复归秩序的传统。从艺术形式来看，盖茨比的房子、汽车和车祸的象征意味体现了菲茨杰拉德的时间感受和思考。另外，小说的时间叙述结构也体现了菲茨杰拉德的时间观念。

关键词：《了不起的盖茨比》；菲茨杰拉德；时间主题；回归传统