| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立中山大學 === 外國語文學系研究所 === 92 === The purpose of this thesis is to explore the relations between F. Scott Fitzgerald and his novel The Great Gatsby, with emphasis on 1920s’ American society as portrayed in this novel. Since the novel is one of the greatest literary documents of this period, it is necessary to discuss the novel in relation to the historical background. Therefore, in this thesis, I focus on the main themes of the novel with a view to better understanding its contexts. This thesis falls into five parts. In the introduction, I points out why the novel seems to be an autobiographical one and give an outline of the whole thesis. In the first chapter, I explore the novel in association with the author’s real life. In the second chapter, I examine the author’s narrative strategies, including characterization, imagery, and symbolism. In the third chapter, I discuss the value systems with reference to the social and economic situation of the 1920s as presented in the novel. In the fourth chapter, I aim to delineate the development of the American Dream in the novel—the initial pursuit and the later corruption. Furthermore, taking Gatsby as an example, I conclude the chapter by arguing that it is the continuous progress that matters, instead of the success, whether it be material, or spiritual.
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