Abstract

This paper is based on the studies of the subtle relationship between F. Scott Fitzgerald’s best writing The Great Gatsby and the American dream. Firstly, from the analysis of the writer’s life experience and in combination with his feeling presented in the novel, it examines the path of changing about American dream that belongs to individual under that circumstance. Afterwards, from the perspective of American history and social background, the development of the American dream as well as the factor of its disillusionment is introduced. Meanwhile, it discusses the story in detail to analyze how the American dream functions as the key factor in the whole story, which is also of the vital importance of this paper. It comes to an end by making conclusions about the causes of the disillusionment of the American dream in combination with the gist of the novel.

Keywords: American Dream; disillusionment; Gatsby

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1.Introduction1

1.1 Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby.1

2．Social and Historical Context of The Great Gatsby.2

3. A Retrospect of the American Dream3

3.1 Origin of the American Dream3

3.2 Development of the American Dream.4

3.3 Corruption of the American Dream.5

4. The Disillusion of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby6

4.1 Fitzgerald’s American Dream6

4.2 Gatsby’s American Dream.7

4.2.1 The Formation of Gatsby’s Dream.7

4.2.2 The disillusion of Gatsby’s Dream.8

5. Conclusion10

References.11