英语本科毕业论文-象征主义在《了不起的盖茨比》中的运用.doc

河南科技学院新科学院河南科技学院新科学院20122012届本科毕业论文届本科毕业论文SymbolisminTheGreatGatsby象征主义在了不起的盖茨比中的运用学生姓名：学生姓名：所在系别：所在系别：_外国语言文学系外国语言文学系所学专业：所学专业：英英语语导师姓名：导师姓名：完成时间：完成时间：20122012年年55月月SymbolisminTheGreatGatsbyWangFangfangXinkeCollegeofHenanInstituteofScienceandTechnologyMay2012ContentsAcknowledgments.iAbstractinEnglish.iiAbstractinChinese.iiiI.Introduction.11.1FitzgeraldandTheGreatGatsby.11.2PreviousResearchonTheGreatGatsby.3II.Symbolism.52.1TheDefinitionofSymbolism.52.2SymbolisminLiteratureWorks.6III.SymbolisminTheGreatGatsby.83.1Symbolismincolors.83.1.1Green.83.1.2White.103.1Symbolisminsettings.113.1.1EastEggandWestEgg.113.1.2ThleyofAshes.133.1SymbolisminAnimals.153.1.1TheDog.153.1.1TheMoth.16IV.TheEffectsofSymbolisminTheGreatGatsby.174.1TheEffectofSymbolisminColors.174.2TheEffectofSymbolisminSettings.184.3TheEffectofSymbolisminObjects19V.Conclusion.19Bibliography.21iAcknowledgmentsThispapercouldnothavebeencompletedwithoutthehelpofanumberofpeople.HereIwouldliketoexpressmysincereheartfeltgratitudetothosewhohavefiguredmostprominentlyoverthelasttwoyearsofmygraduatestudy.ForencouragementsupportandfrankcriticismatvariousstagesofdevelopmentofthispaperIamdeeplyindebtedtomysupervisorZhangXuenawhohasaffordedmepithyscholarlyadviceandcorrectedmypaperpatiently.IamalsogratefultomyfamilyandfriendswithoutwhoseloveandsupportIcouldnothavecompletedthispaper.DuringtheprocessofwritingthepaperIhadbeenillforsomedaysandmyparentssupportmemateriallyandspiritually.Theyboughtmesomejournalsandbooksrelatedtomypaper.Iamreallygratefultomyfamily.iiAbstractFrancisScottKeyFitzgeraldiswidelyregardedasoneofthetwentiethcenturysgreatestwritersandconsideredasamemberofthe“LostGeneration”oftheTwenties.TheGreatGatsbyiswidelyacceptedasaclassicofAmericanliterature.Itisnotonlyagreatstorybutaninsightintotheflowsofreallifeduringthe“RoaringTwenties”.Thispaperanalyzesthenovelthroughtheperspectiveofsymbolism.Itconsistsoffiveparts.ThefirstpartintroducesFitzgeraldandTheGreatGatsby.Thesecondpartdescribesthesymbolismofthespecificmeaningandtheuseofitinliteraryworks.ThethirdpartmainlydiscussestheapplicationofsymbolisminTheGreatGatsby.ThefourthpartfocusesontheeffectsofsymbolisminTheGreatGatsby.ThefifthpartistheconclusionthispartgivestheprominencetothethemeagainandexplainsFitzgeraldsspecialwritingstyleofcriticizingAmericandream.TheauthorthinksthatbesidetheexcellenttechniqueandstyleinnarrativeandstructureitsoutstandingartisticmeritalsoliesinFitzgeraldsoriginalandsuccessfuluseofsymbolisminthenoveltodepicthisviewespeciallyofhisowntimes.ThereforethispaperwillemphasizeonelucidatingtheintangiblemeaningofthesesymbolstoreaderssothatreaderscangetthefurtherunderstandingofTheGreatGatsby.Keywords:FitzgeraldTheGreatGatsbysymbolism摘摘要要弗司格特菲茨杰拉德是20世纪20年代美国最杰出的作家之一，被誉为美国“爵士时代”的代言人和桂冠诗人。了不起的盖茨比是菲茨杰拉德的代iii表作之一，其叙述技巧和结构方面的成就早已被评论界一致公认，并受到人们的广泛好评。本文立意象征主义的角度来分析这部作品，主要包括五部分。第一部分介绍了菲茨杰拉德和了不起的盖茨比。第二部分阐述了象征主义的具体含义，以及它在文学作品的运用。第三部分主要讨论象征主义在了不起的盖茨比中的运用。第四部分重点分析颜色、背景和事物的象征意义和作用。第五部分为总结，这一部分再次突出主题思想，并阐释了菲茨杰拉德批判美国梦的作品风格的与众不同。笔者认为他在小说中成功而广泛的运用了象征主义手法，突出了其主题思想，也使菲茨杰拉德批判美国梦的作品风格极为与众不同、富有张力。因此本论文着重向读者阐述这些象征手法的浓厚含义，使读者能全面而深刻的了解作者笔下的了不起的盖茨比。关键词：关键词：弗司格特菲茨杰拉德，了不起的盖茨比，象征主义1I.Introduction1.1FitzgeraldandTheGreatGatsbyFrancisScottFitzgerald(September241896December211940)isanAmericanauthorofnovelsandshortstorieswhoseworksaretheparadigmwritingsoftheJazzAgeatermhecoinshimself.Heiswidelyregardedasoneofthetwentiethcenturysgreatestwritersandconsideredasamemberofthe“LostGeneration”ofthe1920s.TheGreatGatsbyiswidelyacceptedasaclassicofAmericanliteraturewhichispublishedin1925.The1920sprovesthemostinfluentialdecadeofFitzgeraldsdevelopment.Fitzgeraldsmarriageismixedbothdestructiveandconstructive.Fitzgeralddrawslargelyuponhiswifesintenseandflamboyantpersonalityinhiswritingsattimesquotingdirectpassagesfromherlettersandpersonaldiariesinhiswork.Zeldahiswifemakesmentionofthisina1922mockreviewintheNewYorkTribunesayingthat“itseemstomethatononepageIrecognizedaportionofanolddiaryofminewhichmysteriouslydisappearedshortlyaftermymarriageandalsoscrapsofletterswhichthoughconsiderablyeditedsoundtomevaguelyfamiliar.InfactMr.FitzgeraldIbelievethatishowhespellshisnameseemstobelievethatplagiarismbeginsathome”(Bruccoli2000:6).ButtheimpactofZeldaspersonalityonhisworkandlifeisoftenoverstatedasmuchofhisearliestwritingsreflectthepersonalityofafirstloveGinevraKing.InfactthecharacterofDaisyasmuchrepresentshisinabilitytocultivatehisrelationshipwithKingasitdoestheever-presentfactofZelda.TheGreatGatsbyisregardedasthemostmatureworkofFitzgerald.NickCarrawaythenarratorisayoungmanfromMinnesotagoestoNewYorkCityasabondbroker.HequicklymakesfriendswithhisneighborthemysteriousJayGatsby.2Gatsbythetitlecharacterandprotagonistofthenovelisentertaininghundredsofguestsatlavishparties.GatsbytellsNickthathefallsinlovewithNickscousinDaisy.HoweverDaisymarriedaffluentTomBuchanan.GatsbypersuadesNicktohelphimtowinDaisybackbuthasmadehismoneyfrombootlegging.DaisyhitsandkillsMyrtleWilsonbydrivingGatsbyscar.GatsbyintendstotaketheblameandprotectDaisy.TomtellsMyrtleshusbandthatGatsbywasthedriverofthecar.GeorgewhohasleapttotheconclusionthatthedriverofthecarwhichkilledMyrtlemusthavebeenherloverfindsGatsbyinthepoolathismansionandshootshimdead.Hethenfatallyshootshimself.NickarrangesasmallfuneralforGatsbybutherealizesonlyGatsbysfatherandoneerguestattendedDaisyandTommoveawayleavingnoforwardingaddress.FitzgeraldcananimatedlydescribethemysteriousanddesiredwealthofGatsbyashehadtheexperiencesfromanindistinctpoortoanewtalentintheliterarywordarduouscreativeworktoovermuchhedonism.Howeverwhatmakestheauthorgreatisscarcelythe“authorsvoice”inthenovelbutsymbolicallyweldtheouter-worldwiththeindividualandthesocialenvironmentwiththepersonalemotionsinconceivably.AfterdepictingthewholeageFitzgeraldrevealsavividpictureofthefallofAmericantousAmericanDream.LikeNickinthenoveltheauthorfoundthenewlifestylealluringandappealinglikeGatsbyhehaslongbeenyearningfortheveryrich.ThenFitzgeraldfoundhimselfinthiseralikeNickforonethingheiscaptivatedbythefast-tempoCarousinglifestyleofNewYork.Foranotherthinghefindsthatlifestyleabsurdanddestructive.InmanyrespectsthenovelindicatesFitzgeraldsefforttofacehisincompatiblefeelingsabouttheJazzAge.JustlikeGatsbyFitzgeraldcandoeverythingforhislovereventhewomanleadshimtowardeverythinghedisdained.TheGreatGatsbyisoneofthegreatestliteraryworksofthatperiodinwhichtheAmericaneconomyupswingsbringingextraordinarylevelsofprosperitytothestates.Prohibitionwasthepoliticalforbiddanceofproducingtransportingandsellingalcoholicbeverages.TheEighteenthAmendmentwasimposedin1917andwas3abolishedin1933.Itgivesbirthtomillionairesbybootlegging.Thehipflaskfilledwith“bootleg”whiskeyanddisplayedopenlysoonbecameafamiliarsymboloftheera.Everycommunityofanysizehadtheir“speakeasies”wherebothimportedandhomemadealcoholcoldbepurchased.TheWorldWarIleftAmericainastateofchaosandthepeoplewhofoughtthewarturnedtofuriousandexcessivelivingtocompensate.Thestaidconservatismandtimewornvaluesofthepreviousdecadewereturnedontheirearsasmoneyopulenceandexuberancebecametheorderoftheday.Itisnotonlyagreatstorybutaninsightintotheflawsofreallifeduringthe“RoaringTwenties”.(ByanBryan1991:80)1.2PreviousResearchonTheGreatGatsbyCriticshavegenerallyagreedthatTheGreatGatsbypublishedin1925isthecrowingachievementofFitzgeraldsliterarycareer.Itevokesnotonlytheambianceofthejazz-agesearchingfortheAmericandreamofwealthandhappinessbutalsothelargerquestionsoffadingtraditionalvaluesinthefaceofincreasingmaterialismandcynicism.EarlyreviewsofGatsbyweremixedandrelativelyfewcopiesactuallyhadsoldbeforeFitzgeraldsdeathin1940.ManycriticsmostnotablyErnestHemingwaywereputoffbythefactthatFitzgeraldhadbeenknownasawriterofstoriesforpopularmagazineslikeTheSaturdayEveningPost.ItwasnotuntilarevivalofFitzgeraldsworksinthe1950sthatthenovelbegantoattractseriouscriticism.ForthefiveensuingdecadesGatsbyhascontinuedtoattractcriticalattentionandreappraisal.CriticshavepraisedFitzgeraldstightlywovennarrativeandmanyhavefocusedonthepositionofthenarratorNickCarrawayandthesubjectivelimitationsofhisobservationsofGatsbyssaga.AlthoughGatsbywasanyyearscalled“anoveloftheJazzAge”criticshaveagreedthatithasamuchmoreuniversalmeaningnottheleastofwhichisatrenchantcritiqueofmaterialistAmericansocietymuchlikeT.S.EliotsTheWasteLand.Theappearancesofatleastfourbiographiesinthe1990sandearly2000sisanindicationthatinterestinFitzgeraldsnovelsremains4unabated.EarliercriticsofGatsbyemphasizedbiographicalandculturalinfluencesonthenovelandalistapproachesdealtwiththenovelsstructurepointofviewsymbolsuseoflanguageandsoon.Fromthe1980stothe200savarietyofapproachesbothheavilytheoreticalandnon-theoreticalhavebeenevidentincriticscommentaries.WhilemanyhavecontinuedtoexplorebiographicalinfluencesorcomparisonswithotherauthorsortouseNewCriticalanalysesothershaveincreasinglyemployedsuchtechniquesasdeconstructionfeministcriticismanddiscourseanalysistouncoverhiddenmeaningsinthetext.Nowpeoplestillkeepreadingthenovel.Manypeopleanalyzeitthoughdifferentperspectivessuchasthestylisticperspectiveorstructuralism“ByusingthesenarrativeskillsFitzgeraldmakesthereaderpossibletokeepsomeaestheticdistancefromtheeventsandthecharactersinthestory.”(LiuLi2008:45)AlotofthecriticalattentionhasbeenonthethemeAmericanDream.“TheAmericanDreamhasultimatelybecomescorruptwithgradualoveremphasislaidonitsmaterial.Fitzgeraldkeenlydetectsthetendencyofcorruptioninthe1920sandgivessomberreflectiononinhisnovelTheGreatGatsby”(HuaSuyang2002：12)“BinaryoppositionsunderliethecontentofTheGreatGatsbyandthepatternofactionsstructuresthenarrativeofeachcharacter.Asonepictureisseenandappreciateddifferentperspectivequitedifferentscenerieswouldbeenjoyed.Structuralismopensanotherwindowforus.”(ZhangJunling2002：38)BesidestheexcellenttechniqueandstyleinnarrativeandstructureitsoutstandingartisticmeritalsoliesinFitzgeraldsoriginalandsuccessfuluseofsymbolisminthenoveltodepicthisviewespeciallyofhisowntimes.AndthisthesisstudiesthesymbolisminTheGreatGatsby.SymbolismasauniqueartistictechniquehastwoimportantmeaningsaccordingtoWebster:oneistoexplaininvisiblethingsbyusingvisiblesymbolstheotheristheconnectionandrelationbetweensymbolsandmeaning.Hencesymbolisminfictionaimstopresentthehiddenthingsandthoughtsunderphenomena.Theemploymentofsymbolismplaysakeyroleinthenovel.Theapplicationofsymbolismmadethisworksurpassthenarrowindividual5worldconnectingthesubjectivewiththeobjective.Symbolismtranscendstheplotthecharacterizationandmoralmessageofthestory.Theemploymentofsymbolismbringsthethemesofthenovelstoanewheightandcontributestoitspopularity.Itwaspossibletoseetherelationshipbetweenthesymbolsandthemeswhatthehiddenmeaningofthestoryis.II.Symbolism2.1TheDefinitionofSymbolismThedictionarydefinesthewordsymbolismas“theuseofsymbolstorepresentideasespeciallyinartandliterature”.(ASHornby2011:1792)ReferringtosymbolismsaystheEncyclopediaBritannicaoriginatedintherebellionofsomeFrenchpoetsofthelate19thcenturyagainsttherigidconventionsgoverningbothtechniqueandthemeintraditionalFrenchpoetry.TheylaunchedaliterarymovementthatislatecalledtheSymbolistMovement.Thesymbolistartistssoughttoexpresstheiremotionthroughthesubtleandsuggestiveuseofhighlysymbolizedlanguage.Theirgoalwastocreateanartthatwouldconveythepoetsown“innerdream”.Theevocativepoweroflanguagewasstressedandtheimagesandcharacterswerepresentedinstarlingways.ThismovementintheliteraryfieldandsymbolistworkshadastrongandlastinginfluenceontheEuropeanandAmericanliteratureofthe20thcentury.Justasdialogueandplotworkonthesurfacetomovethestoryalongsymbolismworksunderthesurfacetotiethestorysexternalactiontothetheme.Inthedevelopmentofthefictionalnarrativetheallegoryisoftenproducedthroughsymbolismgivingtheeventthepersonanewmeaninganditsallegoricalcounterpartaone-to-onecorrespondenceornotsoone-to-one.Inthiswaysymbolismservesasabridgeconnectingthevisiblewithinvisibleandthusrevealsthemeaningtheauthoristendingtoconvey.6Symbolismoffersthereaderaconcreteobjectthatactuallyhasabroaderabstractmeaningtothestory.Thisobjectcanbeapersonananimalorsomethingelse.Allthese“objects”carrywiththemawiderangeofassociationthatstandforsomethingthatisbeyondanyaccurateexplanation.Symbolismthereforeisanintegralcomponentoffictionbecauseitenrichesthenarrativesubtly.Inadditionsymbolismisasatisfactorywaytopresentthethemeofastorymeanwhileitisemotionallysatisfyingbecauseitmakesthingseasieronthereaderspartgivingthemaroletoplayininterpretingthestoryandanopportunitytosharetheauthorsownemotionalexperience.2.2SymbolisminLiteratureWorksJustascharacterizationanddialogueandplotworkonthesurfacetomovethestoryalongsymbolismworksunderthesurfacetotiethestorysexternalactiontothetheme.Earlyinthedevelopmentofthefictionalnarrativesymbolismwasoftenproducedthroughallegorygivingtheliteraleventanditsallegoricalcounterpartaone-to-onecorrespondence.InJohnBunyansPilgrimsProgressforexampleeverythingandeveryonestandsforsomethingelse.TheprotagonistChristiantonoonessurprisestandsforeveryChristianreaderhisgoaltheCelestialCitystandsforHeaventheplacesthroughwhichhepassesonhiswayLucreHillVanityFairandthelike-standforthetemptationsBunyanfeltthatChristianreaderswerelikelytoencounterontheirjourneytosalvation.EventhenamesofChristiansfellowtravelersMr.Feeble-mindGreat-heartandthelikerepresentnotindividualcharactersbutstatesofbeing.(JohnBunyan2005:124)Allegoryisundoubtedlythesimplestwayoffleshingoutathemebutitisalsotheleastemotionallysatisfyingbecauseitmakesthingsalittletooeasyonthereader.Wefeelthatwearebeinglecturedtoitsalmostasiftheauthorisstoppingevery7sentenceortwotosay“Nowpayspecialattentiontothisbecauseifyoudontrememberityouwontgetthepoint.”Essentiallyallegoryinsultsourintelligence.Allegoryalsohoweverlimitsourperceptions.Thebestworksofliteraturearethoseinwhichanelementofmysteryremainsthosewhichlendthemselvestoavarietyofinterpretations.Strictallegoryseldomdoesthiswhichiswhyreligiousallegoryisgenerallylesssatisfyingthanthescripturalstoryonwhichitwasbased.Totakeallegorytothenexthigherlevelwearriveatsomethingthatforwantofabettertermcanbecalledsymbolism.Atthislevelthereisstillaofcorrespondenceandyetitisnotsoone-to-oneandcertainlynotsoblatant.Whereasallegoryoperatesveryconsciouslysymbolismoperatesontheleveloftheunconscious.Thisdoesnotmeanthattheauthorhimselfisunconsciousoftheprocessofcreatingsymbolismmerelythatweasreadersacceptitswithoutreallyunderstandinghowitworks.InShakespearesHamletforexamplewediscoverthatHamletisfascinatedwithactorsandacting.UponreflectionanastutereaderrealizesthatthisisbecauseHamletswholelifehasbecomeunrealheisbeinghauntedbytheghostofhisfatherhisfatherturnsouttohavebeenmurderedbyhisunclehismotherhasmarriedhisfathersmurderer.ThemotifoftheactorsisasymbolfortheunrealityofHamletslife.SimilarlynearthebeginningofF.ScottFitzgeraldsnovelTheGreatGatsbythereisthefamoussceneofthleyofAsheswhereTomBuchanansmistressMyrtlelives.AlthoughFitzgeraldneversayssoitisclearthatthleyofAshesrepresentstherealstateofTomssoulalthoughtotheoutsideworldhisresidenceisinamansiononthebeautifulbayatEastEggwhereeverythingisopulentandexpensiveandtastefultheinwardlyrottenspirituallydesiccatedTomreallyliveswherehis“heart”doesinagrimashenvalleypresidedoverbyabillboarddecoratedwithahugepairofbespectacledeyes.TheeyesrepresentGodwhoseesTomsactionsandknowstheinteriorofhisheartbutominouslyseemspowerlesstointervene.OtherfamoussymbolsareMelvillesgreatwhitewhaleinMobyDickDantesjourneyintotheunderworldinTheInfernoandColeridgesalbatrossin“TheRimeof8theAncientMariner.”Alltheseconcreteobjectsorplacescarrywithinthemawiderangeofassociationsthatstandforsomethingsoineffableitwouldspoilthemagictoexplainit.Symbolismthereforeisanintegralcomponentoffictionbecauseitenrichesthenarrativebypullingitsmessagedowntothelevelofourunconsciousandanchoringitthere.SymbolisminTheGreatGatsby3.1Symbolismincolors3.1.1GreenGreenistraditionallyrepresentsspringorhopeandgreenreappearsseveraltimesduringthebookitsymbolizeshopeoranewbeginning.IdidntcalltohimforhegaveasuddenintimationthathewascontenttobealonehestretchedouthisarmstowardsthedarkwaterinacuriouswayandfarasIwasfromhimIcouldhaveswornhewastrembling.InvoluntarilyIglancedseawardanddistinguishednothingexceptasinglegreenlightminuteandfarawaythatmighthavebeentheendofadock.WhenIlookedoncemoreforGatsbyhehadvanishedandIwasaloneagainintheunquietdarkness.（Fitzgerald，2003:16）InTheGreatGatsbythemostnoticeableimageisthegreenlightweseeoverandover.SoendsthefirstchapterofTheGreatGatsbyandbringstoourattentionthefirstsymbolinthisbookthatmysteriousgreenlight.Inourfi