《了不起的盖茨比》文献综述(4页).doc

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1、-了不起的盖茨比文献综述-第 2 页Color Symbolism in The Great Gatsby学号 10511010101 姓名 程思With the development of symbolism, one of ramification of it， the color symbolism has been widely used by lots of writers for represent figures, to convey feelings and make the theme standing out in the literary works. Fitzgera

2、ld uses color symbolism to portray the characters and reveal the theme in his finest work The Great Gatsby and present us a vivid image of American during the Jazz Age after the First World War. This paper is based on the social background and tradition of America and makes an analytical study of th

3、e unique artistic achievement of the novel through summarizing and analyzing the colors Fitzgerald use.Unlike his other novels, in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses artistic method to express plot, characters and the final disillusionment of American Dream. The use of symbolism is especiall

4、y obvious in the novel; anything in the novel can be taken as a symbol. Based on the American history, religion, literature and culture, F. Scott Fitzgerald vividly shows us a colorful painting of the Jazz Age.With different understandings of the colors, the essayists analyzed these colors decades b

5、efore, nowadays the essayists still work on them. I gathered some of opinions years before from some of the essayists below.The analysis of green: the author Li Xueshun ( 李雪顺 和它的色彩象征) believesDaisys light in front of her house on the dock is the main image symbolizing Gatesbys love and faith, for wh

6、ich he has been working so hard all through his life time, but even in the end of this story his dream is still like the green light, which is always beyond his reach, it never comes true, and most of the observers hold the same opinion.The analysis of white: Ma Xiangruis thesis mentions that in Gat

7、sbys eyes Daisy looks like a pure angel often in white and sits in white limo, whereas he doesnt know in the real life she just has a beautiful body with no soul and always does things cruel. In the other author Dong Aihuas opinion the white symbolized the demoralization and emptiness of the people

8、during the Jazz Age. Although this two author express in different ways, but they share the same basic point of view. The white has very opposite meaning in two sides.The analysis of yellow and golden: In Dong Aihuas opinion yellow and golden mean money and material factors people are searching for.

9、 He believes peoples main philosophy at that age is to chase money, luxury things and social status. And in Wang xiaomings thesis (王晓敏. 了不起的盖茨比中色彩象征的运用.) he mentions that this color also links to the death, because the desire is original sin . Desire will lead people to behave badly, finally destroy

10、 them.The analysis of grey: “Grey is the color of disappointment and it indicates the broken of American dream” Dong Aihua says. However, Li Xueshun has the different thoughts about this. He thinks grey can compare with other bright colors to show under the luxury and dissipation life spiritually pe

11、ople have nothing. Like the feeling grey brings to us, it is not clear, its amphibolous.About the other color mentioned less in the novel, for example the pink, blue and purple. Very few essayists researched on them years before. But these years more essayists start working on this and make their me

12、anings clear.Recent years essayists sum up different ideals and analyze these ideals in a systemic way and add some of new opinions in the research. About the green most people hold the same opinion, it symbolized all Gatsbys hope. About the white Ying Chengjun and Feng zhicais(尹成君&冯志才. ) pointed ou

13、t it has two opposite meanings. It symbolized the purity things, justice and simplicity; on the other hand it shows nonentity and destroys. People link the white with Daisy to show the double character of her. She is a pure and fabulous beautiful angel and an emptiness marble hearted devil. The yell

14、ow and golden shows the reality of the society that money can drive peoples mind. Most essayists agree this ideal. Lots of essayists focus on the color of grey, especially the grey vale in chapter 2 of Great Gatsby ,for example Dong Aihua (董爱华. 谈了不起的盖茨比中色彩象征在表现主题中的运用.J.克山师专学报) mentioned the grey val

15、e is the place surrounded by industry waste and ashes where the poor people live in. Ashes with the color of grey and it allude death and broken dream. After reading different essayists opinions we can see they hold lots of common points with particular difference on details.Some of the colors which

16、 are mention less in the novel, for example the red, pink and blue people hold various ideals. Wang Xiaoming thinks that red symbolized Toms selfishness, haughty, wildness and cruel character. Ma Li thinks Gatsbys pink suit means his faithful warm love to Daisy. But in Li Xueshuns opinion the red ha

17、s very close relationship with violence and blood; it indicates the accident in the second half of this novel. In Dong Aihuas opinion the purple means Daisy is a mystery creation in Gatsbys heart; he used his life time to chase on it and dreamed to make it come true. As most people know the blue sti

18、ll means melancholy and a calm mood.Its true that color can represent emotion, but this kind of symbolize depends on a certain culture, custom and social. Different environment can affect the meaning of all these colors. In this way when we analyze these colors, our thoughts become subjective. We sh

19、ould make our thoughts more impersonal, so we have to study the culture, the history, the environment when this story happened. Whats the American society like after the First World War? Whats the real meaning of the age so called Jazz Age? Joining both the culture and color analysis together can ma

20、ke the thesis more logical and reasonable.Through analysis of color symbolism of the Great Gatsby, we find that this area needs more research and in a systemic way. Especially we should combine with American culture, custom background, the religion thoughts or the reflection of the war and so on. We

21、 know that the reason why F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the color symbolism is not that simple, we should dig out the inner meanings he expressed. And the colors help us understand each character much better. The research we will do in the future will make this analysis more integrity.In the novel The Gr

22、eat Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses many literary devices, especially color symbolism which is the most popular technique, to embrace his believes about the people of these period and express many different intangible ideas. The use of color symbolism in The Great Gatsby is similar to the use of color in my

23、th, customs and rituals each color has a conventional meaning and particular ideas and themes. The Great Gatsby is not only a plain story of the life and death of a romantic hero, but also a vivid painting of the twentieth century, showing that the dream of spiritual freedom is inseparable from that

24、 of material advancement. And American Dream is doomed to be destroyed. Through the artistic expression of color symbolism, Fitzgerald has skillfully and wisely revealed the theme of this novel and the fate of the characters. Lots of people and some of famous critic gave very high praise on this boo

25、k and this book is still read by people nowadays. All this can show its prominent status in the history of American literature.ReferencesF. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby M. Penguin Books, 1974.Zhao Linlin. Symbolism in The Great GatsbyJ.齐齐哈尔大学学报(哲学社会科学版). 2004 (1):86-88象征主义. 亨利詹姆斯著,朱雯等译.小说的艺术M.

26、上海:上海译文出版社，2001.李顺雪. 了不起的盖茨比和它的色彩象征. J. 涪陵师范学院学报. 2001.(10):95-97.李希. 论了不起的盖茨比中的色彩描写在刻画人物中的作用. J.外国文学研究. 2002 (3):79-83.马丽. 试析了不起的盖茨比中色彩的象征意义. J.忻州师范学院学报. 2004 (2):90-91.马瑞香. 司各特.菲茨杰拉德作品的色彩描写特色. J. 沈阳大学学报. 2004 (7):82-84.王晓敏. 了不起的盖茨比中色彩象征的运用.J.贵州工业大学学报(社会科学版). 2006 (3):75-76.尹成君&冯志才. 论色彩的象征特征. J.Art&Design.2006 (11):111-113.董爱华. 谈了不起的盖茨比中色彩象征在表现主题中的运用.J.克山师专学报. 2003 (4):78-79.