The Complexity of the Character of Gatsby

The Complexity of the Character Gatsby

By ZuoYi

In partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the B. A. degree

Department of English

School of Languages and Cultures

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

May, 2017

Acknowledgement

It is a significant and unforgettable experience for me to spend such a long time on writing, modifying and polishing this thesis. Many kind-hearted people give me a great amount of help, professional advice and encouragement. Thus, here I would like to express my sincere gratitude to them.

First of all, I will show my sincere thanks to my supervisor Ms. Xia Yuling who has given me invaluable guidance and constant support throughout the whole processes. During my writing of this thesis, she has always been generous to offer me useful suggestions. Her detail guidance and helpful comments on my thesis encourage me to overcome difficulties and think more critically during the processes of writing.

Secondly, I will also express my sincere gratitude to other professors and teachers who had give me constructive suggestion to my thesis and thanks to them for instructing me to construct my knowledge in English learning.

Thirdly, I want to thank all my affectionate classmates and friends. During the period of study and the writing of this thesis, they have given me a lot of support and encouragement in their own ways.

At last, I will give the deepest gratitude to my family for their support and love to me.

Contents

1. Introduction..............................................................................................................2

1.1 Book Summary.................................................................................................2

1.2 The Social Background of the Novel...............................................................4

2. The Analysis of Gatsby’s Complexity.....................................................................5

2.1 Gatsby in Daisy’s View.....................................................................................5

2.1.1 The Perspective of Daisy.......................................................................5

2.1.2 Gatsby as a Lover..................................................................................7

2.2 Gatsby in Nick’s View......................................................................................9

2.2.1 The Perspective of Nick........................................................................9

2.2.2 Gatsby as a Noble Man.......................................................................11

2.3 The Public’s View on Gatsby.........................................................................13

2.3.1 General View on Gatsby.....................................................................13

2.3.2 Gatsby as a Mysterious Millionaire..................................................13

3. Fitzgerald and the Character Gatsby...................................................................16

3.1 Fitzgerald’s Purpose of Creating Gatsby.....................................................17

3.2 Similarities between Fitzgerald and Gatsby................................................18

4. Conclusion...............................................................................................................20

References...................................................................................................................22

The Complexity of the Character Gatsby

Zuo Yi

Department of English

School of Language and Culture

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

Abstract: The Great Gatsby is one of the most significant works of Francis Scott Fitzgerald. Gatsby, the protagonist, always has a sense of mystique, so there are different kinds of rumors about his young life, which highlights the complexity of the character of Gatsby. This article analyzes the complexity of Gatsby from different roles he plays respectively in front of Daisy, Nick, the public and the author, and makes a brief analysis on the reasons why Gatsby is a complex character.

Key words: Gatsby; character; complexity

摘 要：《了不起的盖茨比》是美国作家弗朗西斯·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德最杰出的代表作品之一，小说主人翁盖茨比始终保持一丝神秘感，使得众人对他的身份有着各种各样的说辞。从而更加凸显了小说主人翁盖茨比的人物形象复杂性。本文分别从黛西，尼克，众人以及作者眼中的盖茨比不同的人物形象分析盖茨比人物形象的复杂性，并浅析了造成盖茨比人物形象复杂性的原因。

关键词：盖茨比；人物形象；复杂性

1. Introduction

The Great Gatsby, one of the most famous novels of Fitzgerald, was a story about a poor boy named Jay Gatsby became a millionaire through his own effort in order to be accepted by his dreamed girl, Daisy, who was a wife of a wealthy man named Tom Buchanan and finally Gatsby died for his nymph. The tragedy was told by a third man, Nick Carraway, who was Gatsby’s neighbor, also was Daisy’s cousin and Tom’s college classmate. The author warned the public about the disillusioned American Dream they pursued would never come true in the Jazz Age and criticized the diseased social morality the public adored at that time through the tragedy of Gatsby.

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