Abstract

Symbolism is an influential movement of literature in Europe in the field of visual arts between 1885 and 1910. With the preference to the subjectivity, symbolism discards the objectivity, and it aims to suggest ideas through multi-vocal and powerful symbolic meaning. Char-les Pierre Baudelaire, a famous symbolism pioneer, advocated that artists should use "all means of art" to reach their artistic intents and the specific intention to express abstract concepts. Inspired by the idea of symbolism, F. Scott Fitzgerald skillfully used colors, which are based on the different personalities, destiny and changes of psychological characteristics of characters in order to provide the readers with instructive figurative meanings.
In this paper, the author take the symbolism as the main starting point, and details the main character's personality traits and psychological ideas. Besides, the paper elaborates on the colors, the social environment and the background of the novel followed by the specific analysis of related symbolic meanings in The Great Gatsby.
Structurally, this paper is divided into three parts: The first part introduces the background and the theme of the novel. The second part analyzes the novel based on the different environments and shares the details of the colors of in the work. The third part describes the facilities and some other objects to embody the symbolism. The fourth part shows the tragic elements of this era and it illustrates symbolism through the analysis of the main personality traits, characteristics of the time and the psychological changes of the characters. At the end of the paper, we discuss the general symbolic features of the novel and the profound impact and contemplation that it may provoke for future generations.

Key words: symbolism; symbolic images; The Great Gatsby

摘  要

象征主义是1885—1910 年间欧洲文学和视觉艺术领域一场颇有影响的运动。象征主义摒弃客观性，偏爱主观性，旨在通过多义的、但却是强有力的象征来暗示各种思想。象征主义先驱Charles Pierre Baudelaire主张运用“艺术包含的一切手段”来达到作者的艺术目的，用具体的意向表达抽象概念。受到象征主义思想的启发，弗•司各特•菲茨杰拉德根据小说里不同人物的个性、不同的目的、命运和心理特征变化和对颜色的巧妙运用给读者以启发喻意。
本文以象征主义为主要出发点，具体讨论了象征主义在作品中的运用。文章对作品中主要人物的性格和心理特征入手展开研究，对其特性的变化所彰显的象征性进行剖析，并且对作品中颜色的描写、小说背后的社会环境、时代背景和地理环境、物品摆设、时间变化和天气等细节进行系统的分析论证，从而总结出作品中所蕴含的丰富象征意涵。
结构上，本文分为四个部分：第一部分主要介绍时代背景和小说主题；第二部分基于不同环境和人物变化下所展现的颜色特征进行分析；第三部分通过对物品、设施等客观物体分析展现了作品中象征手法的运用；第四部分通过对主要人物性格特征与时代特征的剖析，及对故事情节和人物心理变化的对比分析，总结了那个时代富有悲剧色彩的象征意象，并讨论了其留给后人的深刻启示。

关键词:象征主义；象征意象；《了不起的盖茨比》