Abstract

F. Scott. Fitzgerald was one of the most representative American novelists of the 1920s. He was not only a leading participant in the typically frivolous, carefree money-making life of the decade but also a detached observer of it. The Great Gatsby (1925) is regarded by many critics as one of the finest twentieth-century American novels.
The American dream plays an important role in American literature, during different period, it has different meanings. In The Great Gatsby, the hero revealed a typical example of those who were eager to pursue the American Dream but finally ended by sacrificing themselves. Though he dreamed of achieving material wealth and love through his courage and hard working, all the factors from outside world and the indelibility of his dream led to the disillusionment of it. This thesis analyzes the disillusionment of the dream of Gatsby and then through many symbols in The Great Gatsby analyzes the new hope of American dream.
The thesis is divided into four parts. The first part introduces the life of author, the American Dream and The Great Gatsby; the second part is literature review; the third part analyses the disillusion of the Gatsby’s dream and the American Dream and new hope of the America society; the last part draws a conclusion that the disillusionment of the American Dream and the death of Gatsby is inevitable. But the actual life will continue going on and the light of American Dream will still sparkle.

Key words: F. Scott. Fitzgerald, American Dream, new hope, symbol

摘要

    弗朗西斯·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德是二十世纪美国最重要的作家之一，被推崇为“爵士时代”的编年史家和桂冠诗人。他不仅亲身经历了美国历史上“最会纵乐、最讲究绚丽”的时代的生活，而且以敏锐的目光，审视着那个时代所发生的一切。《了不起的盖茨比》于1925年发表，是二十世纪最优秀的小说之一。
    美国梦在美国的文学史上扮演着十分重要的角色，同时，它在不同的时期也蕴含着不同的内涵。在《了不起的盖茨比》中，主人公盖茨比是为追求美国梦而最终牺牲自己的典例，他渴望以自己的信念和勇气以获取爱情以及物质上的收获，然而，由于他的梦想是一种对虚幻的渴望而不是建立在现实基础上的追求，最终导致了他美国梦的破灭。
    本文从盖茨比的梦想的破灭着手，再通过文中许多的象征事物来解析美国梦破灭背后所燃起的新的希望。从新希望这一角度重新解析盖茨比的梦想的深刻内涵。
本篇论文一共可以划分为四个部分，第一部分介绍了菲茨杰拉德的生平、美国梦的概括发展和小说《了不起的盖茨比》；第二部分是文献综述；第三部分分析了盖茨比的梦想的破灭以及美国梦的破灭以及其中隐含的美国社会的新希望；最后一部分则是对全文的总结，揭示了美国梦的新内涵，当时情况下美国梦的破灭和盖茨比的死是不可避免的，但是历史的年轮依旧向前，希望之光依旧闪耀。

关键词：菲茨杰拉德，美国梦，新希望，象征