摘　 要

《了不起的盖茨比》不论在思想还是艺术方面都是菲茨杰拉德最优秀的作品。同时也是菲茨杰拉德一生经历的写照。许多评论家认为这是一部关于美国梦的经典之作。美国梦是贯穿于美国文学中一个永恒的主题。它强调物质财富在个人成功和幸福生活上所扮演的重要角色。国内外学者对美国梦都做过研究，但仍需解决很多问题。本论文共有六个部分，序言指出了研究方法以及意义。第二部分简要介绍了作者以及作品。第三部分通过美国梦在不同历史背景下的内涵分析，深刻的揭示出美国梦从形成到发展到最终破灭的这一过程。第四部分作者试图对比分析菲茨杰拉德的其他作品，进而差异研究了美国梦的内涵。此外，作者还将对小说中美国梦的形成与破灭进行探讨。最后得出结论：美国梦的破灭与梦想的腐化以及不可逾越的阶级鸿沟有着必然的联系。

关键词：了不起的盖茨比；美国梦；破灭

Abstract

 The Great Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s best work in terms of the ideological contents and artistic respects as well. Meanwhile,it mirrored Fitzgerald’s lifelong experiences.Many critics regarded this novel as the masterpiece of the American dream,and the American dream is an eternal theme throughout the American literature.It stresses the importance of wealth on the personal success and happiness.It was a fatal temptation to everybody. Everyone dreamed to hold every opportunity to obtain the ultimate wealth. Studies have been made by researchers home and abroad on this theme,but many problems remained to be solved. Many researchers settle only on the American social aspect. They did not deeply denote the history of the American dream and discuss the relationship between Fitzgerald’s American dream and Gatsby’s American dream.This paper is composed of six parts.The introductory part is about the methods and the significance.The second part will try to give a brief introduction to F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby.By analysis of the connotation of the American dream in different backgrounds,this paper will have a keen reveal of the process of the American dream.The fourth part will try to reveal disillusion of the American dream in Fitzgerald’s works.Futhermore,the wrier discusses formation and disillusion of the American dream in The Great Gatsby.Finally the writer draws a conclusion that the disillusion of the American dream is inevitably connected with the specific social background:depraved dreams and impassable social class.

Key words: The Great Gatsby; American dream; disillusion

1 Introduction
As we all know,the American dream is an eternal theme of study for researchers home and abroad.The American dream actually is the dream of wealth and happiness. It was a fatal temptation to everybody. Everyone dreamed to hold every opportunity to obtain the ultimate wealth. From the formation of the American dream to the final disillusion, it was really ironic and critical to the society.