2023年全國1月高等教育外國文學作品選自考試題

論菲茨杰拉德在《了不起旳蓋茨比》中旳道德觀院系外國語學院專業(yè)英語（教育方向）班級06教本2學號學生姓名李寧聯(lián)系方式指導教師趙佳職稱：講師4月獨創(chuàng)性聲明本人鄭重申明：所呈交旳畢業(yè)論文是本人在指導老師指導下獲得旳研究成果。除了文中尤其加以注釋和道謝旳地方外，論文中不包括其他人已經(jīng)刊登或撰寫旳研究成果。與本研究成果有關旳所有人所做出旳任何奉獻均已在論文中作了明確旳闡明并表達了謝意。簽名：年月日授權申明本人完全理解許昌學院有關保留、使用本科生畢業(yè)論文旳規(guī)定，即：有權保留并向國家有關部門或機構送交畢業(yè)論文旳復印件和磁盤，容許畢業(yè)論文被查閱和借閱。本人授權許昌學院可以將畢業(yè)論文旳所有或部分內(nèi)容編入有關數(shù)據(jù)庫進行檢索，可以采用影印、縮印或掃描等復制手段保留、匯編論文。本人論文中有原創(chuàng)性數(shù)據(jù)需要保密旳部分為：簽名：年月日指導教師簽名：年月F.ScottFitzgerald'sMoralityInTheGreatGatsbyAThesisSubmittedtoSchoolofForeignLanguages,XuchanginPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirementsfortheDegreeofBachelorofArtsByLiNingSupervisor：ZhaoJiaApril26,AcknowledgementsIamgreatlyindebtedtomythesissupervisor,ZhaoJia.Withoutherpatientassistanceandfriendlyencouragement,itwouldnotbepossibleformetocompletethisthesisinsuchashortperiodoftimewithoutreducingitsscholarlyquality.Herwillingnesstogivemehertimesogenerouslyhasbeenmuchappreciated.Truly,withoutherpainstakingeffortsinrevisingandpolishingmydrafts,thecompletionofthepresentthesiswouldnothavebeenpossible.Thanksarealsoduetomyclassmatesandfriendsfortheirconstantencouragementandtheirwaysofassistanceinthecourseofwriting.YetIhavetoacknowledgethatIamindependentlyresponsibleforthepaperandIamthepersontoblameforanypitfalls,flawsandneglectsinit.摘要《了不起旳蓋茨比》是美國小說家菲茨杰拉德旳代表作之一，這部小說除思想性較強外，還獲得了很高旳藝術成就，本篇論文《論菲茲杰拉德在<了不起旳蓋茲比>中旳道德觀》著重探討作者在小說中體現(xiàn)旳道德觀。文章從三個角度加以論述。首先，挖掘了菲茨杰拉德道德觀形成旳社會歷史背景和理論背景。然后,分析了爵士時代人們道德墮落旳原因,菲茲杰拉德認為爵士時代旳人們深受美國夢旳影響。美國夢是他們形成道德面貌旳一種重要旳思想意識上旳原因。最終,通過作者旳道德代言人來闡明作家在小說中怎樣生動詳細展現(xiàn)他旳道德觀。關鍵詞：菲茨杰拉德；《了不起旳蓋茨比》；道德觀；美國夢AbstractTheGreatGatsbyisoneofthetwentiethcentury'sbrilliantworks,andalsoitswriterF.ScottFitzgerald'smostoutstandingworks.Hisnovelwinsforthewriteragreatdealofacclaimfromasubstantialnumberofresearchersandscholars.Thisthesisaimstomakeatentativestudyandexplorationofthewriter’smoralityinthisnovelfromthreeperspectives.Atfirst,thefocusisonthehistoricalandtheoreticalbackgroundforFitzgerald’smorality.Whichcontainssocial-historicalbackgroundandtheoreticalbackground.Then,thecausesformoraldegenerationinJazzAgewillbediscussed,FitzgeraldholdstheviewthatthemoralsofhiscontemporariesaregreatlyinfluencedbytheAmericanDream.Basedontheaboveanalyses,thewaystopreachhismoralityinthenovelwillbeillustrated.Inmyopinion,thewriterpreacheshismoralityinthenovelbythemoralspokesmanNickCarraway.Keywords:Fitzgerald;TheGreatGatsby;morality;AmericanDreamTableofContentsAcknowledgement…………..............Ⅰ摘要…………….……....................................ⅡAbstract…………………….………............ⅢTableofContents…………..………..............ⅣIntroduction……………………….................1ChapterOneBackgroundforFitzgerald’sMorality................................................................31.1Social-historicalBackground………………................31.2TheoreticalBackground……………………..…..........4ChapterTwoCausesforMoralDegenerationInJazzAge……...………..…….......….........62.1AmericanDream…………………..............…..............62.2CorruptionoftheAmericanDreamintheModernSociety………..……..….............62.3CorruptionoftheAmericanDreamanditsNegativeEffectsonMoralityandHumanity……………...….…….........7ChapterThreeWaystoPreachFitzgerald’sMoralityinTheGreatGatsby……….…………3.1NickCarraway:Fitzgerald’sMoralSpokesmanintheNovel…………..….……....103.2WaystoPreachFitzgerald’sMoralitythroughNickCarraway................................10Conclusion……….……......14WorksCited………….....…15IntroductionF.ScottFitzgeraldiswidelyknownasthespokesmanofAmericanJazzAge,anagewhenendlessparties,alcoholicobsessionandfeverishpursuitofmoneyaresymbolsofitscarefreemadness.However,therecognitionofFitzgeraldhasundergoneahardprocess.Hedidnotattractmuchattentionduringhislifetime,andwascontinuouslycriticizedbyhiscontemporarycriticsasadecadentandvulgarwriterwithdecreasingfame.Hisliterarytalentsandvalueweredoubted,evenbyH.L.Mencken,oneoftheleadingliterarycriticsofthe1920s.FitzgeraldRenaissancebeginswiththepublicationofhisuncompletednovelTheLastTycoonandhisautobiographicalworksTheCrack-up,compiledbyoneofhisfriendsEdmundWilson.Fromthenon,hisreputationroarsamongthereaders,scholarsandcriticsalongwiththesalesvolumeofhisbestnovelTheGreatGatsby.Now,Fitzgeraldisoneofthemostsignificantwritersfavoredamongacademiccriticsandhisnovelsandstoriescontinuetoattractawideaudience.HisTheGreatGatsbyisregardedasthemostwidelytaughtandwidelyreadAmericanliteraryclassic.Butwhathasmadethisnovelsofamousthatitreceiveswidepopularityfromgenerationsofbothacademiciansandgeneralreaders?MostcriticsandscholarsfocustheirattentiononFitzgerald’ssocial-historicalcriticismofAmericainthenovelandonhisspectacularartisticachievementssuchassymbolismandnarration.However,Fitzgeraldismorethanthesementionedabove.NotlongafterTheGreatGatsbywaspublished,FitzgeraldcomplainedinhisletterstobothEdmundWilsonandJohnPealeBishop,sayingthat“ofallthereviews,eventhemostenthusiastic,noonehastheslightestideawhatthebookisabout”(HenDanPiper,1970).ManyFitzgeraldcriticsviewhimasasocialobserverofhistimes.Theyneglectthefactthatheisoftenconnectedwiththeinvisibleandspiritualdimensionoflife,thatis,heisamoralandevenareligiouswriter.“FitzgeraldintegrateshisstrongmoralsenseandhisconcernabouthumanityintohiswritingofTheGreatGatsby”(Yang,).InhisNovember4,1939lettertohisdaughter,commentingonmusical-comedywritersColePorter,RichardRodgers,andLorenzHart,Fitzgeraldadmittedthatheisessentiallyamoralist.“SometimesIwishIhadgonealongwiththatgang,butIguessIamtoomuchamoralistatheartandreallywanttopreachatpeopleinsomeacceptableformratherthantoentertainthem”(KarlA．N,1999:47-48).JustasNickCarraway,Fitzgerald’smoralspokesmaninthenovel,commentsattheverybeginningofthenovel,“WhenIcamebackfromtheEastlastautumnIfeltthatIwantedtheworldtobeinuniformandatasortofmoralattentionforever”(F.ScottFitzgerald,1993:3).Tomyregret,Ifindthatpeople,especiallyresearchersandcriticsinChina,seldomattachedimportancetoFitzgerald’smorality.Inthisthesis,Iwilltrymybesttocallpeople’sattentiontohisredeemingsideofbeingamoralistwriter,whichneedsmuchmorenoticethanitusedtohavereceived.Thethesisbeginswiththesummaryofthegeneralacademicachievementsmadebyformerscholarsandresearchers,inanattempttobasethestudyandexplorationofmysubjectonaresearchbackground.Then,thefocusisonthehistoricalandtheoreticalbackgroundforFitzgerald’smorality.Afterthat,detailedandspecificanalysesaremadeoftherelationshipbetweenthewriter’smoralityandhissocial-historicalcriticism,anditsembodimentinthenovel,sincethetwoarecloselyinterrelated.FitzgeraldholdstheviewthatthemoralsofhiscontemporariesaregreatlyinfluencedbytheAmericanDream.Basedontheaboveanalyses,thewaystopreachhismoralityinthenovelwillbeillustrated.Inmyopinion,thewriterpreacheshismoralityinthenovelbythemoralspokesmanNickCarraway.ChapterOneBackgroundforFitzgerald’sMoralitySocial-historicalBackgroundTheGreatGatsbycanbelookedonasapieceofsocialsatire,makingcommentonthecarelessgaietyandmoraldecadenceoftheJazzAge.TheJazzAge,theperiodimmediatelyfollowingtheFirstWorldWar,referstothe1920sinAmerica.Oneoftheobviousfeaturesoftheperiodistheeconomicboom.Firstly,Americamakesalargeamountofmoneyinthewar,andthus,withtheapplicationofassemblylinesandothertechniques,thelaborefficiencyinAmericansocietyhadbeengreatlyimproved.Asaresult,endlessconsumergoodshadbeenmanufacturedthroughassemblylinesanddeliveredtothemarkets,wherethecommoditiesweresufficientandtheconsumptionwasactive.Meanwhile,Americanpeople’sincomeandlivingstandardwerealsoenormouslyimproved.Alltheseillustratedavital,wealthyandprosperoussceneofAmericansociety.The1920switnessedAmerica’stransformationfromproductionsocietytoconsumersociety.WorldWarIdestroyednotonlytheoldworldorder,butthetraditionalmoralsandsocialcustoms.Growingupundertheshadowofwar,theyoungAmericansnolongerbelievedthelieof“thewartoendallwars”.Asthewarended,theysurprisinglyfound“allGodsdead,allwarsfought,allfaithsinmanshaken”.Withoutfaith,peoplefoundthemselveslivinginaspiritualwastelandwherelifewasmeaningless,restlessanddevoidofpurpose.Theydidnot,astheeldergenerationsdid,abidebytheregulationsoftraditionalPuritanism.Instead,theyadvocatedfreedomandindependence,concernedtheexpressionofuniquepersonality,andpurchasedhedonismandmaterialism.InTheGreatGatsby,Gatsby’sflashycars,hislavishpartiesandtherecklessconductoftheparty-goersareallpartofthisatmosphereofwildenjoymentandmerrymaking.Secondly,accompaniedwiththeatmosphereofwildmerrymakingistheemergenceofcrimesandillegalactivities,whichleadstowidelyspreadcorruption.Duringthedecade,thesocialworldexperiencedalotofchange,andpeople’smoralsseentobesharplylooserandlowerthanbefore.Itisaneraofdisorderandchaos.Thereisagreatpopularcontemptforanddefianceoflaw.Thebootleggingbusinessbecomesverypopular.Girlsandyoungwomenstartwearingmoremake-upandshorterskirtswhichonlyafewyearsagowaswornonlybywomenofillrepute.Manypeoplebegintogotopartyanddrinkalcoholmore.Anotherindicatorofthischangeinmoralitywasthatpeopleshowsamuchopenerattitudetowardssexualrelationship.Evensportsbecomeoccasionsforbriberyandcheating.IntheGreatGatsby,Fitzgeraldpresentsaharshpictureofthesociety,whichheadsfordisaster.ThecharactersandthescenesinthenovelareatruthfulrepresentationandvividdescriptionoftheinnatelycorruptedandmorallybankruptJazzage.Ononehand,Fitzgeraldpointsoutthathiscontemporarieserroneouslyplacetheirfaithinsuperficialexternalmeanssuchasmoneyandhedonism,whileoverlookingthecultivationofcompassionandsensitivitythat,infact,separatehumansfromanimals.Ontheotherhand,thewriter’sconcerniswiththecorruptionofvaluesandthedeclineofspirituallifeandmoralstandard.LikeNickCarraway,Fitzgeraldisbothanoutsiderandaninsideroftheworld.Heispassionatelyattractedtoitsglamoroussurfacewhilebeingdeeplyconsciousoftheuglinessandsufferingthatunderlieitstinsel,withhisstrongmoralsenseprovidinghimwithaninsightintoitsinnernatureandpotentialdisaster.WhetheronEastorWestEgg,wewitnessdissipatedlivesgovernedsolelybyinstinctanddesperatepleasureseeking,andcommonnormsandsocialconsciencearelackingthere.Obviously,TheGreatGatsbycannotbeunderstoodtobeaneffortatanobjectivedepictionoftherealityofAmericainthetwenties.Asamatteroffact,thewriterdrawsuponhisownexperience,hisvalues,andhissenseofthedirectionofAmericainthewritingofthenovel.1.2TheoreticalBackgroundInthecontemporaryhistoryofthenovel,Fitzgeraldisawriterofstrongmoralsense.Adeepattitudeofmoralityunderlieshisstories.TheGreatGatsbyis,inpart,anexpressionofFitzgerald'sdoubtsaboutAmerica'smoraldirection,andthroughthisnovel,Fitzgeraldisurgingareconsiderationofwherethesocietyisandwhereitisgoing.Sklar,oneofthecriticsofFitzgerald,andaccordingtohim,Fitzgeraldneverremainscontentwithhisaccomplishedartistry,instead,hestrugglesallthetimeinhissuccessivenovelstowardsafirminganddeeperunderstandingofmoralqualitiesandvalueshedramatizesintheconflictofhisnovels.SklarholdstheviewthatFitzgeraldtakesseriouslyhislegacyofthePuritantradition,whichinvolvessuchqualitiesaschivalryanddecency,andmoreover,hedevoteshislifeartisticallytothesearchforawaytomakethislegacymorallydefensibleinamodernworldwheretherearesomanychallengestothistraditionwithallgodsdead,allwarsfought,andallfaithsinmanshaken.Forthat,Fitzgeraldcreatesinhisnovelssomemodernheroeswhostillretaintheirrespectiveaspectsofthetradition,andJayGatsby,NickCarraway,andDickDiverarethetypicalones.Inamaterialisticsociety,inwhichhiscontemporariesareinfatuatedwithmaterialismandhedonismandshowdisregardtotheirmoralimprovementandinnerperfection,headherestohissimpleandplainmoralideal,mixedwithNewEnglandHumanism,MidwesternEgalitarianism,andSouthernGentility.However,whathepreachesandadvocatesmostishisPuritanbelief,especialthewell-knownthirteenvirtuesoforder,industry,frugality,temperanceandsoon,whicharetakenoutfromPuritandogmasbyBenjaminFranklin.“SusanResneckParrreadsGatsbyasFitzgerald’sratherpuritancommentaryontheconditionalofpersonalresponsibilityinAmerica”(McAdams,Tony,1993).ChapterTwoTheCauseofMoralDegenerationinModernSociety2.1AmericanDreamThetermtheAmericandreamwasfirstintroducedintocontemporarysocialanalysisin1931byJamesTruslowAdams,theAmericanhistorianandquicklyacceptedbytheAmericanpublic.“InitsbroadsenseAmericandreamisreferredtoabroadculturalethosthatentailsacommitmenttogoalofmaterialsuccess”(Tan,1997).Initsoriginalsense,theAmericandreamistheidealofopportunityforall,ofadvancementinacareerorsocietywithoutregardtoone’sorigin.Initsmostpopularsense,theAmericandreamisthesearchformaterialisticsuccess.IntheearlydevelopmentoftheUnitedStates,therearetwotraditionswhichplayanimportantpartontheformationof“AmericanDream”,onebeingthesacredtradition,theotherseculartradition.Puritansbelievedinoriginalsinandtheybelievedthatindividuals’fateswerescaledfromthemomenttheywereborn.TheyfeltthatonecouldbesavedonlybyfaithinGod,whichwouldleadtohisgiftofgraceandsalvation.TheyweretaughtthatinadditiontoservingChrist,whichwasman’sgeneralcalling,allmenwereobligedtosucceedinsomeusefulsecularemployment,inordertowinsalvationinhislifeaswellasinthenext.Thustheythoughtthatsuchpeoplewouldtendtobehardworking,thriftyandsuccessful.ThenthereisanotherAmericantradition-theseculartradition.Thistraditionsawtheworlddifferentlyfromthewaythepilgrimsandpuritansdid.Theybelievethat,inthelandofopportunityandgreatpossibility,everymanisequalandisentitledtothepursuitofhishappinessandself-fulfillment.Inthisway,TheAmericanDreamcanalsobeunderstoodasanattitudeofhopeandfaiththatpursuesforthefulfillmentofhumanwishesanddesires.2.2CorruptionoftheAmericanDreamintheModernSocietyAsanimportantpartofAmericanvaluesystem,the“Americandream”isadmiredbymostAmericanpeople.ItmakesthembelievethatintheUnitedStates,peoplesharethesameopportunitiesandtheywillsucceedonlyiftheyworkhard.ItsspecificcontenthaschangedgreatlywiththedevelopmentofAmericanhistory.Atfirst,itwasthedreamforfreebeliefandfreecreation.Thenitdevelopedtothepursuanceforhappinessandsuccess.AftertheCivilWar,itwasspecifiedastheyearningforenterprise,loveandwealth.AfterWWI,itchangedtotheloveofomnipotentmoneyandthestatusofupper-class.Whathappensisthat,fromonepointofview,thematerialaspectofthedreamistooeasilyandtooquicklyachieved,whiletheearlyspiritualidealsaresoonoutpacedandevenobliterated.Theresultisthatastateofmaterialwell-beingemergesbutspirituallifeorpurposeisgreatlylacking.“InAmericainthe1920s.thenewGodiscommercialismandmaterialism”(JohnFCallahan,1996).Theuninhibitedpursuitofwealthresultsinmoralandsocialdecay.Theenergythatmighthavegoneintothepursuitofnoblegoalshasbeenchanneledintothepursuitofpowerandpleasure,whichbecomesaveryshowy,butfundamentallyemptyformofsuccess.TheGreatGatsbyisanovelaboutwhathappenstotheAmericandreaminthe1920s,aperiodwhentheoldvaluesthatgivesubstancetothedreamhavebeencorruptedbythevulgarpursuitofwealth.Inthenovel,FitzgeraldlamentsthedeclineofAmericathroughapictureofmaterialismandmoraldegeneration.2.3CorruptionoftheAmericanDreamanditsNegativeEffectsonMoralityandHumanityTheAmericandreamiscorruptedanddegeneratedbymaterialism,andAmericahasbeenreducedinto“avalleyofashes”.Theonce“fresh,greenbreastofthenewworld”hasbeenreducedtoavalleyofashes,whichisusedbyFitzgeraldtosymbolizethemoderncivilizationofAmerica.ThemoderncivilizationofAmericaisfarmorethanwhattheAmericandreampromises-“theorganicfuture”intheeyeoftheHollandseamanandtheidealmanGatsby.“TheAmericahadproducedanidealismsoimpalpablethatithadlosttouchwithreality(Gatsby)andmaterialismsoheavythatitwasinhuman(TomBuchanan).Thenovelasawholeisanotherturnofthescrewonthislegend,withtheimpossibleidealismtryingtorealizeitself,toitsutterdestruction,inthegrossmateriality.”Gatsby’shugeandextravagantpartyisabestillustrationofwhatlifemodernmenin“avalleyofashes”live.Beneaththerelaxationandjovialityoftheparty-goers,thereisevidentanxietyovermerriness,gloomyspiritualbarrennessandahintofdecadenceanddecay.Manyofthecrowdscomeandgowithoutbeinginvited,“l(fā)ikemoths”,andmostofthemevendonotknowthenameofthehost.Meaninglessness,purposelessness,lonelinessandfutilitycanbefelteverywhere.AlthoughGatsby’sfailuretorealizehisAmericandreamissymbolicofthenatureoftheAmericandream,themostdetestablequalitiesofthatdreamlieinthewealthypeople,whicharetypifiedbyDaisyandTomBuchanan.Theupper-class,whoareborntobethepossessorsofimmensewealthandmaterialisticpower,andthusaresupposedtobethehighestpointoftheAmericancivilization,asNickobserves,arethemostdegeneratedandcorrupted.Daisy’sshallowness,Tom’srestlesswickednessandJordan’sinclinationtotakeadvantageofothersareallrepresentativesoftheself-centeredandcarelessrich.Theyaredevoidofhumannature,withnocapabilitytobecompassionate,tolove,andtodream.OneofthetypicalexamplesforthesituationisthatthelivesoftheBuchananarefilledwithmaterialcomfortsandluxuries,butaredevoidofpurpose.Daisy’slamentisanindicationofthis:“‘What’llwedowithourselvesthisafternoon?’criedDaisy,‘a(chǎn)ndthedayafterthat,andthenextthirtyyears?’”(F.ScottFitzgerald,1993:26).TomandDaisyarethepossessorsofgreatwealthandhighstatus,whichsomeself-mademenaspirefor,buttheyareheartlessanddehumanized.Theirnumerousamountofwealthpreventsthemfromfosteringallinspirationandcultivatingtrueemotion.Buttressedbytheirhighsocialstatusandwealth,theyindulgethemselvesinphysicalpleasureseekingandtendtobecapriciousandchildish,neverrealizingthattheyshouldassumetheresponsibilityforwhattheyhavedoneandsaid.Failingtogrowupmorallyandspiritually,theylivewithnohopes,noregrets,andnonobleness,likeawalkingcorpse.Whattheyownisonlymoneyandwealth.TheirresponsetotheGatsby’sdeathistruetotheircharacter.DaisyneverturnsupafterGatsbytakestheblameforherdrivingaccidentwhileTomjustifieshiswrongtoGatsbybyclaimingthatheneverfeelsguiltyorashamedasheisamemberoftheupperclass.Gatsbyhopesto“buy”hisaccesstotheupper-classstratabytheacquisitionandaccumulationofimmensewealthandfinallyachievehisgoalofbecomingasuccessfulmaninthesociety.Hedoesnotcarebywhichmeansheacquiresandaccumulateswealth.Inhisdesperateefforttoaccumulatewealthheviolateslawanddefiesmoralitybydoingillegalandundergroundbusiness,andinthisway,heisbynomeansaspureandsacredashisexampleFranklin,and“thesonofGod”(F.ScottFitzgerald,1993:75).Ultimatelyattheendofthenovel,thegreenlightGatsbyworshipsanddedicateshimselftoisputparalleltothe“greenbreastofthenewworld”.NeverthelessGatsby'sgoalsandthemeansbywhichheachievesthegoalareorientedbywealthandmaterialisticpower.Whatisworse,hisdreamtoresumehisloverelationshipcanonlybeattainedbytheacquisitionofwealthinthematerialisticmodernAmerica.Therefore,thesacred“greenbreastofthenewworld”(F.ScottFitzgerald,1993:115)isreducedtoanddegradedintothegreenlightwhichisnothingmorethanthebulbburningattheendofthegoldengirl,DaisyBuchanan’sdock.Thisreductionanddegradationare,inoneway,evidentinGatsby’suseofillegalpracticesandundergroundconnectionstoattainhisenormousfortune.Hisostentatiousparties,boundlessmansion,andlavishclothingareallsignsofhisunknowingcorruption.Hisabilitytoevadethelaw,demonstratedwhenhistrafficviolationisignoredbyapoliceofficer,revealshisuseofstatusandprivilegetogetwhatheneeds.Atthesametime,herefusestoadmitthemoralbackwardnessandthespiritualblanknessmaterialismandwealthbringtopeople.HeisnotcompletelyunconsciousofDaisy’sdeficiencies,whichNickCarrawayseveraltimesremindshimof.Rather,heneverpaysparticularattentiontothem,andevencloseshiseyestothem.WecansaythatGatsby’sdeathiscausedmorebythebrutalityandcrueltyoftheimmoralwealthypeoplethanbyhisownfaultyvisionoftheAmericandream.Inotherwords,hisdreamissingle-sided.Heattacheshimselftomaterialisticpower,whileheismorallyblinded.Hehimselfbecomescorruptedinthepursuitofhisincorruptibleidealanddream.Gatsby,ashasoftenbeensaid,representstheironyofAmericanhistoryandthecorruptionoftheAmericandream.AllthesedenoteclearlythevanishingofthegreatexpectationswhichthefirstsettlersoftheAmericancontinentonceaspiredfor.TheaspectofmaterialachievementobliteratestheotherindispensableaspectoftheAmericandream-thecultivationoftheirinnerworldandself-perfection.People’scrazeformaterialachievementisharmfulanddisastroustotheirinnerworldandself-cultivation.Thus,themodernAmericandreamisadramaticreversaloftheearlyAmericandream,insteadofarealizationofit.Thehopeisgone,anddoomhassetin.ThroughGatsby’stragedy,Fitzgeraldillustratesthatidealsbasedonmaterialismarethecorruptionratherthanfulfillmentofit.TheAmericandreamisnothingmorethananemptydream.ChapterThreeFitzgerald’sMoralityInTheGreatGatsby3.1NickCarraway:Fitzgerald’sMoralSpokesmanintheNovelMoralityessentiallyleadstothequestionbetweenrightandwrong.Inthenovel,NickCarrawayisfacedwiththeconstantstrugglebetweenrightandwrong.InNick’sconstantstrugglebetweenrightandwrong,Fitzgeraldgraduallyrevealstoushismoralstanceandmoralviews.ThereasonsforNick’sroleofthemoralspokesman:Firstlyandfundamentally,Nickisatraditionalmoralist.Heconformstotheorthodoxandconventionalpre-warMid-westernmoralstandards,andthesestandardsarethecriteriaforhisjudgments.Hisdecentfamilygroundendowshimwithmoralsuperiority,whichqualifieshimfortheprivilegeofbeingtolerantofothercharacters'lowermoralstandardsandalsomakingjudgmentoftheminthebook.Thissuperioritymakeshimtolerantofothersandinclinedto“reservealljudgements”,whichmakesothercharactersreadyandwillingtoconfidetohim.Theirtrustprovideshimwiththeopportunities.ofkeepinginconstanttouchwiththemandcatchingaglimpseoftheirinnerworldandunderlyingmotivesfortheiraction,whichisfavorableforhisbeinganobjectiveandrationaljudgmentmaker.Secondly,beingthenarratorofthenovel,heisacquaintedwithallthathappensinthenovel.EverycharacterinthestoryhassomerelationswithhimandhewitnessesnearlyeveryimportantsceneoftheGatsbystory.HeisnotonlyGatsby’sneighbourbutalsohistrustworthyfriend.HeisDaisy’scousin,Tom’sclassmate,andalsoJordan’shalflover.Toconclude,duetohismoralsuperiorityandthespecialrolesofbothanobserverandaparticipantofthestoriesinthenovel,heiscapableofcommentingonandmakingjudgmentofalltheothercharacterswhenobservingwhathashappened.HebecomesthespokesmanofFitzgerald’smoralityinthenovel.3.2WaystoPreachFitzgerald’sMoralitythroughNickCarraway.InaletterwrittenbyPerkinstoFitzgerald,November7,1924,“Ithinkyou,haveeverykindofrighttobeproudofthisbook.Itisanextraordinarybook,suggestiveofallsortsofthoughtsandmoods.Youadoptedexactlytherightmethodoftellingit,thatofemployinganarratorwhoismoreofaspectatorthananactor.Thisputsthereaderuponapointofobservationonahigherlevelthanthatonwhichthecharactersstandandatadistancethatgivesperspective”(HenryDanPiper,1970:102).Nickadmitsthatatfirst,heshowsadmirationtotheBuchanansfortheirwealthanddespisesGatsbyforhisobsessionwithhisillusionandreadinesstosacrificehimselfto“theserviceofavast,vulgar,andmeretriciousbeauty”(F.ScottFitzgerald,1993:63).However,asthenovelproceeds,Nick’sattitudestowardsthemundergoagradualtransformationafterhediscoversthatinthemoralwastelandonlyGatsbyretainsmoralvirtuesandhumanity,whiletheBuchanansaredeprivedofthem.Nick’sillusionoftherichdrainslittlebylittle,whilehisrespectforGatsbyreplacesday