Abstract

 F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of America’s most distinguished writers in the 20th century, wrote the masterpiece The Great Gatsby, which is a real portrait of his life. It tells a story about a young man’s American Dream from formation to disillusion. Gatsby devotes his whole life to pursue the dreams of wealth, status and love. All his dreams are shattered except the dream of wealth. But till the day of his death, he does not understand that these dreams will never be realized. 

This thesis focuses on studying the theme of “American Dream” in The Great Gatsby. Beginning with an introduction to the writer and the characters, through in-depth analysis of the writer’s own experience, the main plot and the historical background of the novel and the hero’s character flaws, the thesis finally reveals the causes of the formation and disillusion of Gatsby’s American Dream.

Key words : Gatsby; American Dream; formation; disillusion; analysis of causes

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction.1

1.1 Introduction of Scott Fitzgerald.1

1.2 Introduction of the novel The Great Gatsby .1

2. The Formation and Disillusion of Gatsby’s American Dream3

2.1 The formation of Gatsby’s American Dream3

2.1.1 Gatsby’s dream of wealth.3

2.1.2 Gatsby’s dream of social position.5

2.1.3 Gatsby’s dream of love.6

2.2 The disillusion of Gatsby’s American Dream7

3. Causes of the Disillusion of Gatsby’s American Dream.8

3.1 Background of the 1920s.8

3.2 Deficiency of the hero’s character.9

3.2.1 Naivety and innocence in Gatsby’s character.9

3.2.2 Naive belief in the power of money10

3.2.3 Wrong understanding of love11

4. Conclusion11

References.13