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1、Francis Scott Key FitzgeraldFrancis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 December 21, 1940) was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigm writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the twentieth centurys greatest writers
2、. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the Lost Generation of the 1920s. Fitzgerald was both a leading participant in the typically frivolous, carefree, money-making life of the decade and, at the same time, a detached observer of it. He was the most representative novelist of the 1920s.F. Scott Fit
3、zgerald Life and CareerLiterary CharacteristicsThe Great Gatsby Life and Literary CareerBirth: born into a St. Paul middle-class family in 1896 Father: gentlemanly but unsuccessful in businessMother: descendant of an Irish immigrant Entering Princeton at 17Joining the army in 1917; writing The Roman
4、tic Egoist ; falling in love with Zelda SayreDischarged from the army in 1919; going to New York Returning to St. Paul; publishing This Side of Paradise in 1920Getting married; going to New York; Flappers and Philosophers and Tales of the Jazz Age published in 1920 and 1922 respectively Life and Lit
5、erary CareerBecoming “the angel of twenties” ; The Beautiful and the Damned published in 1922 Going to France in 1924; spokesman of “The Lost Generation”; producing The Great Gatsby in 1925; Tender Is the Night and storiesMarriage problem; Loneliness, alcohol, and the awareness that he was dissipati
6、ng his talent: breakdown On the brink of despair and disintegration between 1934 and 1937; ill with TB, drinking more heavily, and making two unsuccessful attempts at suicide Accepting a writing contract for Hollywood, but dismissed from his work late in 1938 Starting the writing of The Last Tycoon
7、which remained unfinished with his death in 1940. Literary CharacteristicsFitzgerald: excellent chronicler of the Jazz AgeGreatness: finding intuitively in his personal experience the embodiment of that of the nation and creating a myth out of American lifePursuing his ideals; objective enough to an
8、alyze, satirize and criticize them Simplicity and gracefulnessMetaphors and symbols Manipulating relation between the general and the specificBold impressionistic and colorful qualityThemes: money and loveAttitude towards money: contradictory and complexDouble vision: knowing it well inside; seeing
9、it ironically outsideSpecial experience: familiar with life style, mental state and moral standards of the richCritical of the rich and showing the disintegrating effects of wealth on the emotional make-up Novels of F. Scott FitzgeraldThis Side of Paradise The Beautiful and Damned The Great GatsbyTe
10、nder Is the Night The Last Tycoon二十多年创作生涯，发表多部长篇小说和160多篇短篇小说。 剧本剧本：美女和被诅咒的人、伟大的盖茨比、生死同心、女人、乱世佳人、居里夫人、 夜色温柔 我最后一次看到巴黎、绮梦初艳等长篇小说长篇小说：最后一个大亨、明智的事、了不起的盖茨比、夜色温柔、人间天堂等短篇小说短篇小说：姑娘们与哲学家们、爵土时代的故事、富家公子、本杰明巴顿奇特的一生、伯妮斯剪发、遗失的十年等 人间天堂(This Side of Paradise,1920) 第一部长篇（划时代作品）。主人公阿莫瑞布莱恩外表俊美、家境富裕、娇生惯养。曾考入普林斯顿大学成为大学生
11、，后参加第一次世界大战，战争让他看清了这个时代和人性的一些本质。退伍后更加迷茫、颓废。30岁时变得愤世嫉俗、厌世，开始“厌恶这个社会制度”，盼望来一场社会革命，把自己推到社会的顶峰。小说以作者自己求学和海外生活为原型，描述主人公从预备学校到大学，再经历第一次世界大战的经历，再现“迷惘一代”精神面貌，主人公是多愁善感、满脑子幻想的年轻人，一心想“飞黄腾达”，娶漂亮姑娘做妻子。可因家庭状况欠佳，漂亮姑娘不愿嫁他。他由此“厌恶这个社会制度”，“盼望来一场社会革命，把我翻到社会的顶峰”。 夜色温柔(Tender Is the Night，1934 ) 生前完成的最后一部长篇，描写一个出身寒微但才华出众
12、的青年对梦幻般理想的追求以及最终遭到失败、变得颓废消沉的故事。小说背景是作者熟悉的欧洲大陆，时间为19171930，但小说展现的仍是美国“爵士乐时代”的社会场景。一部自传性小说，探索一种酷似作者所经历的感情与精神的崩溃过程，描写了强烈的怀旧情绪、悔恨心理、失落的希望、破灭的幻想、人格的分裂。Tender Is the Night迪克戴弗是来自美国中西部的年轻有为的精神医生，在瑞士的苏黎世进行精神病的病理研究。他参与了对富家女尼科尔沃伦的治疗。尼科尔因百万富翁的父亲与她乱伦而患上精神病的。在治疗过程中尼科尔爱上了迪克，迪克不顾他人的劝阻娶了尼科尔。婚后，他将全部的精力花在照顾有病的妻子上，自己的
13、事业则逐渐荒疏。尼科尔在迪克的悉心照料下慢慢康复，过上了正常的生活，迪克却身心疲惫不堪重负日趋消沉。出于苦闷和无聊，迪克与一个名叫萝丝玛丽的女孩产生了爱情纠葛，而尼科尔则同阔少爷汤米寻欢作乐。最后，尼科尔同迪克离婚，嫁给汤米；迪克孓然一身返回美国，在他的家乡小镇以一个普通医生的身份行医了结余生。 Jazz Age and the Roaring TwentiesThe Jazz Age describes the period after the end of World War I, through the Roaring Twenties, ending with the onset of
14、 the Great Depression.The Roaring Twenties The spirit of the Roaring Twenties was marked by a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity, a break with traditions Jazz Age (1919-1929) The Jazz Age is the nickname in America of the decade of the 1920s, beginning from 1919 to the Crash
15、at the end of 1929. It refers to the “Twenties” of this century. These ten years were, for Americans, a time of carefree prosperity, isolated from the worlds problem, bewildering great social change, and a feverish pursuit of pleasure. These were the ten years when the First World War was just over,
16、 when new inventions and manufacturing techniques greatly changed the way people lived; when people moved from the countryside in great numbers; when women won the right to vote and many started to earn their own money. Jazz AgeWhen cars, washing machines, radios and vacuumcleaners became commonplac
17、e; and when millions ofpeople lived beyond their means and went into debt inorder to obtain such things while the middle classfrantically pursued individual “success” and personal enjoyment. They lived a rich, extravagant, frivolous moneymaking life, and it was this style of living gave the decade o
18、f the 1920s such nickname as the “Jazz Age”, the “Dollar Decade”, and the “Roaring Twenties.”Jazz AgeEverything seemed to be feasible through modern technology. New technologies, especially automobiles, moving pictures and radio proliferated modernity to a large part of the population. Formal decora
19、tive frills were shed in favor of practicality in both daily life and architecture. At the same time, jazz and dancing rose in popularity, in opposition to the mood of the specter of World War I. As such, the period is also often referred to as the Jazz Age.LiteratureThe Roaring Twenties was a perio
20、d of literary creativity, and works of several notable authors appeared during the period. Books that take the 1920s as their subject include:The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is often described as the epitome of the Jazz Age in American literature. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Mari
21、a Remarque recounts the horrors of WWI and also the deep detachment from German civilian life felt by many men returning from the front. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the lives and morality of post-World War I youth. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway is about a group of
22、expatriate Americans in Europe during the 1920s. The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published on April 10, 1925, it is set on Long Islands North Shore and in New York City during the summer of 1922 and is a critique of the American Dream.Ma
23、jor CharactersNick Carraway - The narrator of the novel; moves from the Midwest to New York to learn the bond business. Jay Gatsby - Lives next to Nick in a mansion; throws huge parties, complete with catered food, open bars, and orchestras; people come from everywhere to attend these parties, but n
24、o one seems to know much about the host. Daisy Buchanan - Shallow girl who is the emodiment of Gatsbys dreams; she was going to marry Gatsby but he went off to war. Tom Buchanan- Husband of Daisy; a cruel man who lives life irresponsibly. Jordan Baker - A cynical and conceited woman who cheats in go
25、lf; wants Nick to go out with her. Myrtle Wilson - Tom has an affair with this married woman, and then abandons her after he become bored with her. George Wilson - Myrtles husband, the lifeless, exhausted owner of a run-down auto shop at the edge of the valley of ashes. The Great Gatsby The plot of
26、the novel Gatsby is a poor youth from the Midwest. He falls in love with Daisy, a girl from a wealthy family. As a poor lad, Gatsby is too poor to marry her, so Daisy is married to a rich young man named Tom Buchanan. Determined to win Daisy back, Gatsby engages himself in Bootlegging and other ille
27、gal activities, thus earns enough money to buy a magnificent mansion. There he hosts dazzling parties every weekend in the hope of attracting the Buchanans to come. By chance his next-door neighbor, Nick Carraway, is Daisys relative and he helps Gatsby to make an appointment. They finally come and G
28、atsby meetsDaisy again. But he finds Daisy is no longer the ideal love of his dream.The plot of the novelA sense of loss and disillusionment come over him. Daisy and Tom do not really love each other. In fact, Tom has a mistress by the name of Myrtle Wilson, who is the wife of the owner of a garage.
29、 One day Daisy quarrels with Tom and in a fit of anger she drives Gatsbys car and kills Myrtle in an accident. In order to protect themselves, Daisy and Tom plot to shift the blame on to Gatsby, sayingGatsby has an affair with Myrtle and he kills her eventually. Myrtles husband George Wilson breaks
30、into Gatsbys house and shots him to death. The Buchanans escape, and the only two persons attending Gatsbys funeral are Nick and Gatsbys father, who reads the news in newspaper.了不起的盖茨比了不起的盖茨比内容简介内容简介尼克从中西部故乡来到纽约，在他住所旁边正是本书主人公盖茨比的豪华宅第。这里每晚都在举行盛大的宴会。尼克和盖茨比相识，故事就这样开始了。 尼克对盖茨比充满探究的兴趣。探究的结果是：尼克了解到盖茨比内心深处
31、有一段不了之情。 年轻时的盖茨比并不富有，他是一个少尉军官。他爱上了一位叫黛茜的姑娘，黛茜对他也情有所钟。后来第一次世界大战爆发，盖茨比被调往欧洲。似是偶然却也是必然，黛茜因此和他分手，转而与一个出身于富豪家庭的纨绔子弟汤姆结了婚。黛茜婚后的生活并不幸福，因为汤姆另有情妇。物欲的满足并不能填补黛西精神上的空虚。盖茨比痛苦万分，他坚信是金钱让黛茜背叛了心灵的贞洁，于是立志要成为富翁。几年以后，盖茨比终于成功了。他在黛茜府邸的对面建造起了一幢大厦。盖茨比挥金如土，彻夜笙箫，一心想引起黛茜的注意，以挽回失去的爱情。 尼克为盖茨比的痴情所感动，便去拜访久不联系的远房表妹黛茜，并向她转达盖茨比的心意。黛
32、茜在与盖茨比相会中时时有意挑逗。盖茨比昏昏然听她随意摆布，并且天真地以为那段不了情有了如愿的结局。然而真正的悲剧却在此时悄悄启幕。黛茜早已不是旧日的黛茜。黛茜不过将她俩目前的暖昧关系，当做一种刺激。尼克终于有所察觉，但为时已晚一次黛茜在心绪烦乱的状态下开车，偏偏轧死了丈夫的情妇。盖茨比为保护黛茜，承担了开车责任，但黛茜已打定主意抛弃盖茨比。在汤姆的挑拨下，致使其情妇的丈夫开枪打死了盖茨比。盖茨比最终彻底成为了牺牲品。盖茨比至死都没有发现黛茜脸上嘲弄的微笑。盖茨比的悲剧在于他把一切都献给了自己编织的美丽梦想，而黛茜作为他理想的化身，却只徒有美丽的躯壳。尽管黛西早已移情别恋,尽管他清楚地听出“她的
33、声音充满了金钱”,却仍不改初衷,固执地追求重温旧梦。人们在为盖茨比举行葬礼，黛茜和她丈夫此时却早已在欧洲旅行的路上。不了情终于有了了结。尼克目睹了人类现实的虚情寡义，深感厌恶，于是怀着一种悲剧的心情，远离喧嚣、冷漠、空洞、虚假的大都市，黯然回到故乡。 了不起的盖茨比的思想意义以盖茨比的追求和毁灭来表现“美国梦”的幻灭，深刻揭露了“美国梦的”虚假实质。所谓的美国梦是一种相信只要在美国经过努力不懈的奋斗便能获致更好生活的理想，而非依赖于特定的社会阶级和他人的援助。一般而言，“美国梦”包含几个要素：美国提供了人人都能成功的机会；成功取决于自己的才能和努力，而不是家世和背景；人人都拥有平等的权利；人人
34、都有信仰的自由。“这些要素是与历史密不可分的，也必须和时代背景结合起来看。”Analysis of Major CharactersJay GatsbyGatsby is a young man who rose from an impoverished childhood in rural North Dakota to become fabulously wealthy. However, he achieved this lofty goal by participating in organized crime. From his early youth, Gatsby despise
35、d poverty and longed for wealth and sophisticationhe dropped out of St. Olafs College after only two weeks because he could not bear the janitorial job with which he was paying his tuition. Though Gatsby has always wanted to be rich, his main motivation in acquiring his fortune was his love for Dais
36、y Buchanan. Gatsby immediately fell in love with Daisys aura of luxury, grace, and charm, and lied to her about his own background in order to convince her that he was good enough for her. Daisy promised to wait for him when he left for the war, but married Tom Buchanan in 1919, while Gatsby was stu
37、dying at Oxford after the war in an attempt to gain an education. From that moment on, Gatsby dedicated himself to winning Daisy back, and his acquisition of millions of dollars, his purchase of a gaudy mansion on West Egg, and his lavish weekly parties are all merely means to that end.Nick Carraway
38、Nick represents another part: the quiet, reflective Midwesterner adrift in the lurid East. He lives in the West Egg district of Long Island, next door to Gatsby. Nick is also Daisys cousin, which enables him to observe and assist the resurgent love affair between Daisy and Gatsby. As a result of his
39、 relationship to these two characters, Nick is the perfect choice to narrate the novel, which functions as a personal memoir of his experiences with Gatsby in the summer of 1922.he is tolerant, open-minded, quiet, and a good listener, and, as a result, others tend to talk to him and tell him their s
40、ecrets. Gatsby, in particular, comes to trust him and treat him as a confidant. Often he functions as Fitzgeralds voice, as in his extended meditation on time and the American dream.Insofar as Nick plays a role inside the narrative, he evidences a strongly mixed reaction to life on the East Coast, o
41、ne that creates a powerful internal conflict. On the one hand, Nick is attracted to the fast-paced, fun-driven lifestyle of New York. On the other hand, he finds that lifestyle grotesque and damaging. This inner conflict is symbolized throughout the book by Nicks romantic affair with Jordan Baker.Da
42、isy BuchananDaisy represents the paragon of perfectionshe has the aura of charm, wealth, sophistication, grace, and aristocracy. She is beautiful and charming, but also fickle, shallow, bored, and sardonic. Finally, rather than attend Gatsbys funeral, Daisy and Tom move away, leaving no forwarding a
43、ddress. Like Zelda Fitzgerald, Daisy is in love with money, ease, and material luxury. She is capable of affection , but not of sustained loyalty or care. She is indifferent even to her own infant daughter. Daisy represents the amoral values of the aristocratic East Egg set in the 1920s.ThemesThe De
44、cline of the American Dream in the 1920s The Hollowness of the Upper ClassMotifsGeographyWeatherSymbolsThe Green LightThe Valley of AshesThe Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg了不起的盖茨比艺术特色一、第一人称的叙事视觉“身在其中，又置身其外”，不是“叙述自我”，而是“经验自我”。尼克盖茨比的近邻，黛西的远房表兄，汤姆的大学同学，同时又在和黛西的密友谈恋爱。置身于人物关系网的核心，同时有没有直接的利害关系。二、颜色在作品中的象征作
45、用1、白色 冷漠、空虚 。 白色在美国的文学中有着特别的含义 , 它既可 以象征纯洁也可以象征冷漠 ; 它既可以象征高 贵也可以象征空虚 它既可以使善良的更显纯真但也可使贪欲更显卑污 。 首先 ,菲茨杰拉德在小说中反复 在黛西身上使用了白色 : 她出场时穿着一身白色的衣裙 。显得高贵而神秘 、洁白而美丽 。让盖茨比着迷 ,却如同白云一样只能让她从眼前飘过 。 “黛西如同一个住在白色宫殿的公主 。在纯真的外表下却有着”白色”所象征的空虚与冷漠 。 “我们在做什么呢 ? 别人都是怎么渡过这一天的”? 黛西自己的话将她的空虚无聊表露无疑 。尼克在汤姆的家里第一次见到表妹黛西时，黛西一身素白，身上所散
46、发出的光辉使得整座房子都笼罩在一种舒缓的浅淡色调中。白色在小说里无疑是属于黛西的。正是这种貌似的纯洁、美丽、童贞、无邪深深吸引着盖茨比，白衣飘飘的少女时期黛西的纯洁形象在他的内心深处烙下了不可磨灭的印象。成为盖茨比迷恋一生，却又始终无法企及的梦想。虽然在尼克的安排下，盖茨比最终见到了心上人黛西，但唤醒黛西旧情的并不是盖茨比的一片痴情，而是他别墅内部的豪华装饰和盖茨比本人的奢华生活方式。这时候的黛西已不再是当年的黛西，环境已把她彻底腐蚀了。在东部的物质世界中，对金钱和物欲的渴望早已把她扭曲成了贪婪、空虚、自私的庸俗女人。即便盖茨比拥有再多的财富，也无法拯救她堕落的灵魂。换个角度看，白色也象征着懒
47、惰、浅薄、无知、无用，而这才是黛西的本质所在。盖茨比的美国梦永远无法完整、完满。为了赢得黛西的爱，他拼命赚钱，在获得大量的金钱与物质财富后，奢华铺张，夜夜笙歌的生活掩盖不了他的空虚。内心深处对以往纯洁的黛西的向往化为支撑他的精神支柱。然而残酷的现实再次给他以狠狠的打击。这再一次深化了美国梦破灭这一主题。 2、黄色 金钱、衰亡黄色也是不得不提的一种颜色。这种金钱、权势、富贵的象征在小说中总是与死亡相联系。黛西在慌乱中撞死汤姆情人时开的正是盖茨比那辆黄色轿车。盖茨比被威尔逊杀死跌入游泳池的刹那，菲茨杰拉德形容他如一片落叶掉进黄色的丛林间。或许通过这种联系，作者想告诉读者有时金钱正是引领我们走向死亡
48、的罪恶之源。 黄色是权力、财富和地位的象征象征。为了重新得到他的爱情，盖茨比无时无刻不在向黛西传递着富足的信息：他乘坐的华丽而贵重的汽车是浅黄色的；与黛西见面时戴的领带是金色的；每逢周末，在盖茨比的花园里所举行的豪华、盛大、灯火辉煌的宴会上，轿车、食物、酒吧等都是黄色的，所有这些黄色象征象征着一种喧嚣、财富、金钱至上的氛围，在这样一种氛围中，一个人要想成功，必须借助金钱的力量。 小说中黛西和她的丈夫汤姆无疑是金钱的奴隶。金钱是黛西爱情的基础，享乐是她的生活准则，对黛西来说，财富远比爱情重要。婚礼当天，她断然抛弃了深爱她的穷小子盖茨比，嫁给了有钱有地位的花花公子汤姆。戴上汤姆送给她的那串价值三十
49、万美元的项链，跟汤姆结了婚。五年后，看到盖茨比发了财，一下子嚎啕大哭起来。黛西虽然物质上很富有，但精神上却异常空虚，整天无所事事地打发日子。作者在小说中很好地运用了黄色这种象征象征喧嚣、金钱的色彩，表现了那个时代的特征和人物命运。3 3、红与白汤是姆和黛西的豪宅的基调色彩。既然白色象征着黛西的个性特征，那么红色无疑能更完美地展示汤姆自私、傲慢、野蛮、残酷的个性。优越的家世背景使得汤姆骄傲自大，目中无人，菲茨杰拉德在小说中这样描写到，他总是野蛮地推开挡在他前面的每个人，一头红色鲁莽公牛的形象跃然纸上。他虽然与黛西结婚，但却经常与情人幽会。在察觉到妻子和盖茨比的私情后，竟然把她带到盖茨比面前，以证
50、明盖茨比无法对自己造成伤害。虚伪的自负从此可见一斑。最后在得知妻子开车无意撞死自己情人时，出于对盖茨比的嫉妒，他用心险恶地唆使情人的丈夫残酷地杀死了自己的情敌。从本质上看，他才是真正双手沾满鲜血的凶手。红色在小说中为汤姆形象的塑造划下了完整的句号。4 4、 绿色 希望 。 习惯上人们总是把绿色与青春、活力、春天、希望相联系。然而在这部小说中，菲茨杰拉德赋予绿色以全新的象征意义。长岛码头黛西那盏绿灯无疑是书中的一个主要意象。盖茨比的信念就在那盏绿灯上，那是他未来的仙境，终其一生的梦想，盖茨比常常在晚上孤独地望着它，伸开双手想去拥抱它那青春和爱情的象征，仿佛是黛西的化身。虽然这一切似乎渐行渐远，盖
51、茨比仍孤注一掷地试图抓住它。每逢周末盖茨比都有意在黛西住宅对面西卵岛上那座豪华的白色大理石别墅里通宵达旦举行盛大的晚会，招待四方慕名而至的宾客。他想以此来炫耀自己的财富和显赫的社会地位，重新把黛西吸引到自己的身边。然而在这个过程中盖茨比忽略了至关重要的一点，企图以财富和地位换回爱情的做法本身就与爱情的真谛相违背。而他从金钱唤回的女人身上所能得到的只有虚情假意。他的美国梦从开始就是个无法实现的错误，这种错误导致了他的悲剧结局。他最终为了黛西，为了理想献出了自己的生命。正如小说末了，尼克又想起了盖茨比信奉的这盏绿灯，似乎近在眼前，他几乎不可能抓不住，实际上却可望而不可及，他的梦想已经远远逝去了。
52、除了以上提到的三种颜色之外，作品中还有其他具有象征象征意义的颜色，如象征象征着精神废墟和迷惘的“灰谷”；以及体现在乔治.威尔逊这个小人物身上具有象征象征意义的蓝色。威尔逊初次出场，作者说他是一个“浅黄色头发、无精打采的男人，贫血，其貌不扬”还特别提到他有一双浅蓝色的眼睛。威尔逊在故事中始终是一个窝窝囊囊、没本事的男人，他妻子根本不把他放在眼里，汤姆也把他当傻瓜，小说中蓝色象征象征着忧郁和悲伤。作者匠心独运，巧妙地利用色彩的象征象征意义成功地刻画人物、揭示了主题。The Great GatsbyMythological and archetypal approachTwo mythologica
53、l and archetypal aspectsIn practice: The Great Gatsby written by F. S. Fitzgerald in 19251.Seasons: Prototype season code 2.Archetypal motifs: a. Quest motif (for identity and the promised land) b. Exile motifThe Great GatsbyPrototype season code by Frye: the mythos of spring: comedy the mythos of s
54、ummer：romance the mythos of autumn: tragedy the mythos of winter: ironySeasons: prototype season codeNature has its own cycle, the four seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter).Based on the mythos theory of Frye, the equivalence of the changing seasons finds their full expression in t
55、his novel. Specifically, this story begins in spring, which symbolizes hope and anticipation. Gatsbys encounter with Daisy occurs in summer, which stands for success and prosperity. It is during that time Gatsby reaches his climax both in his love affair and career. At the end of the story, it is au
56、tumn, representing the mischance of Gatsbyhis failure to be upper class and his final death.Archetypal motifs or patternsQuest motifs1.Quest for identity: He changes his name in order to be recognized of his identity, during which he goes through continuous tests, although enjoying momentary resplen
57、dence finally ending tragically as Phaeton.Archetype of Phaeton: It tells a tragic story of a young man who sacrifices his short life for pursuing his self-identity. Phaeton is a true son of Apollo, the sun-god, but his mother is a common woman on the earth. Thus for many years he keeps living in a
58、land of mortals far from the Apollos palace, but he holds such a belief that his identity is a son of god. However, the moment he speaks of his noble birth, he is always mocked by people and no one takes seriously whatever he says. Therefore, when he grows strong enough he starts a journey to his fa
59、thers golden palace to get the recognition of his true identity by the claim of his golden chariot. The boy is so strong-minded that neither of warning of perils nor threatening of consequences can shake his determination. On the fatal day, Phaeton mounts to the gods place in his golden chariot. The
60、 tragedy draws its curtains. He does enjoy the glorious momentpeople who have once mocked him are now far below him, wind flying by ears and clouds whirling around, but this glory only lasts for a while, for soon things are out of his control.Steeds begin to gallop; chariot swerves from the path; th
61、e earth bursts into ablaze; great cities perish with everything in them; plants and trees are dried up and consumed, and nations are swallowed one by one by the vast conflagration. Crying for pain, screaming for panic, wailing for mourning, howling for anguish and begging for mercy pervade everywher
62、e and finally reach the heaven.Greatly shocked, full of grief and indignation, Zeus takes out his thunderbolt furiously and hurls it to Phaeton with full strength. Phaeton, streaking down through the air like star, meets his tragic fate at lastThe parallel between Phaeton and Gatsby:Jay Gatsby, orig
63、inally named as James Gatsby, is a poor boy from western part of America, whose parents are just shiftless and unsuccessful farm people. However, he never takes them as his real parents at all. Just as Phaeton, although he lives among the common community, he is quite sure about his noble birth from
64、 the very beginning. He knows he is “a son of God”, and he can fully take the responsibility of “his Fathers business”, which is why he changes his name as well as his family background and education experiences to match with his identity. However, both of them are ambitious but reckless young men.
65、When Phaeton once speaks about his noble birth, nobody around believes him. What he gets in return is only mocking and ridicule. Although Gatsby never speaks of his identity in public, he does possess “ a constant, turbulent rot” in his heart, and he can always feel a kind of “grotesque and fantasti
66、c conceits” haunting him in his bed at night. Neither of their noble birth can gain recognition from others, which seems a heavy blow on their pride in their innermost hearts. Therefore, a journey of pursuing for true identity and recognition comes into being.2.Quest for the promised land: Gatsby in
67、volves into the illegal bootlegging business just for earning money to get rid of his original bondage of low birth to pursue his Promised Landupper class, but dies prematurely similar to Moses.Archetype of Moses: Moses, which means “pull out of water” in Hebrew (Exodus2:8), is one of the posterity
68、of Israelite people living Egypt but growing up among the rich around the Egyptian Pharaoh. Although he is well-nursed in the grandeur of kings palace, he has never forgotten his true national identity and always keeps eyeing on his miserable people who have been suffering the maltreatment and cruel
69、 slavery from Egyptians. One day he kills an Egyptian out of rage who is then beating one of those Israelite slaves and has to escape to Midian, where God manifests himself to Moses at the bottom of Mount Sinai. In a flame from the middle of a bush comes the call of God for Moses:“I am the God of yo
70、ur ancestors Abraham, Isaac and JacobI have seen how cruelly my people are being treated in Egypt, so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious landNow I am sending you to the king of Egypt so that you can lead my people out of this country.”Thus
71、 Moses shoulders the responsibility to bring Israelites out of Egypt for “a rich and fertile land” (Exodus 3:7). After forcing Pharaoh to allow them to leave with their lands and flocks by performing some miracles endowed by God, their quest for the Promised Land begins. However, it is really a long
72、 and hard journey. They get rid of the Egyptian pursuing troops, travel through the vast desert, cross the Red Sea, overcome the crisis of flood and water deficiency, win the battles with other tribes, and finally cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised LandCanaan but without Moses, who died r
73、ight before their final victory.The parallel between Moses and Gatsby:For Moses he tries his best to learn both language and history of his own nation-Hebrew, taught by his real mother, while Gatsby tries hard to enter the upper class in order to realize his ideal identity of a prominent person by i
74、mproving his mind as well as keeping self-control to preserve his moral integrity, like “be better to parents”, “no more smoking” and so on. Even later he is involved in the notorious bootlegging business he has never touched even one drop of alcohol, standing out strikingly among people in his time
75、.Gatsby spends his next five years unwaveringly on his quest. His dream is like this: first he tries to set Daisy free and then they will return to Louisville and get married from her house “just as if it were five years ago”. However, when Daisy utters these words, “you want too muchI love you nowi
76、snt that enough? I cant help whats past ”. His quest is declared to end completely.Moses is forbidden to enter the Promised Land because he disobeys once the Gods rules, “I have let you see it, but I will not let you go there” (Exodus 34:4).Moses quest begins on the Mount Sinai and ends on the Mount Pisgah, both of which stand for the steadiness and security.Gatsby fails since he is betrayed by the whole world. On the other side, Gatsby bases his pursuit on the green light, which is evidently a token of uncertainty as well as visionary.
