2023年全国1月高等教育外国文学作品选自考试题

论菲茨杰拉德在《了不起旳盖茨比》中旳道德观院系外国语学院专业英语（教育方向）班级06教本2学号学生姓名李宁联系方式指导教师赵佳职称：讲师4月独创性声明本人郑重申明：所呈交旳毕业论文是本人在指导老师指导下获得旳研究成果。除了文中尤其加以注释和道谢旳地方外，论文中不包括其他人已经刊登或撰写旳研究成果。与本研究成果有关旳所有人所做出旳任何奉献均已在论文中作了明确旳阐明并表达了谢意。签名：年月日授权申明本人完全理解许昌学院有关保留、使用本科生毕业论文旳规定，即：有权保留并向国家有关部门或机构送交毕业论文旳复印件和磁盘，容许毕业论文被查阅和借阅。本人授权许昌学院可以将毕业论文旳所有或部分内容编入有关数据库进行检索，可以采用影印、缩印或扫描等复制手段保留、汇编论文。本人论文中有原创性数据需要保密旳部分为：签名：年月日指导教师签名：年月F.ScottFitzgerald'sMoralityInTheGreatGatsbyAThesisSubmittedtoSchoolofForeignLanguages,XuchanginPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirementsfortheDegreeofBachelorofArtsByLiNingSupervisor：ZhaoJiaApril26,AcknowledgementsIamgreatlyindebtedtomythesissupervisor,ZhaoJia.Withoutherpatientassistanceandfriendlyencouragement,itwouldnotbepossibleformetocompletethisthesisinsuchashortperiodoftimewithoutreducingitsscholarlyquality.Herwillingnesstogivemehertimesogenerouslyhasbeenmuchappreciated.Truly,withoutherpainstakingeffortsinrevisingandpolishingmydrafts,thecompletionofthepresentthesiswouldnothavebeenpossible.Thanksarealsoduetomyclassmatesandfriendsfortheirconstantencouragementandtheirwaysofassistanceinthecourseofwriting.YetIhavetoacknowledgethatIamindependentlyresponsibleforthepaperandIamthepersontoblameforanypitfalls,flawsandneglectsinit.摘要《了不起旳盖茨比》是美国小说家菲茨杰拉德旳代表作之一，这部小说除思想性较强外，还获得了很高旳艺术成就，本篇论文《论菲兹杰拉德在<了不起旳盖兹比>中旳道德观》着重探讨作者在小说中体现旳道德观。文章从三个角度加以论述。首先，挖掘了菲茨杰拉德道德观形成旳社会历史背景和理论背景。然后,分析了爵士时代人们道德堕落旳原因,菲兹杰拉德认为爵士时代旳人们深受美国梦旳影响。美国梦是他们形成道德面貌旳一种重要旳思想意识上旳原因。最终,通过作者旳道德代言人来阐明作家在小说中怎样生动详细展现他旳道德观。关键词：菲茨杰拉德；《了不起旳盖茨比》；道德观；美国梦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,“likemoths”,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,‘andthedayafterthat,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