Abstract

Every literary school had its special background, after World War I in the United States there was a new literary group called "Lost Generation". They played a vital role in the history of American literature. Those young men had the same experiences and they felt lost and despair of the society. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was one of the typical writers. His novel The Great Gatsby was a good reflection of the 1920s. The United States was getting more wealth through the First World War, and therefore people got lost in the pursuit of material life. The Great Gatsby was also considered to be Fitzgerald’s summary of his times.
This novel has showed American society and culture in that time by narrating how Gatsby becomes a rich man to go through the hard times after he comes back from the war, and how he pursues his true love that he has lost in his youth. And he is dead alone in the end. This novel also exposes the dark side of America.
The purpose of this paper is to discover the historical background and dig out the causes of the lost generation by intensively reading and studying the The Great Gatsby and further analyze the characteristics of the lost generation. From the practical view, it is concluded that the elevation of the spirit is the highest importance.
 
Keywords: The Great Gatsby; the Lost Generation; Characteristics of the Lost Generation
 
摘要

每一个文学流派的产生都有着它特殊的时代背景，比如在第一次世界大战后的美国出现了一个新的文学流派叫做“迷惘的一代”。他们在美国的文学史上占有举足轻重的地位,这些年轻人都有着共同的经历，都有着对社会的绝望。弗•斯科特•菲茨杰拉德就是其中一位典型的代表。其中他所创作的代表作《了不起的盖茨比》很好得反映了20世纪20年代，美国在第一次世界大战中大发横财，人们迷失在对物质生活的追求中。这本小说也正是菲茨杰拉德自己的生活写照。
《了不起的盖茨比》展示了当时的美国社会和文化，讲述了盖茨比战后回归度过窘困如何一夜暴富，如何追求他青年时期的爱人，被人假手杀害，爱人也离他而去的故事。这本小说也揭露了那个年代美国的阴暗面。
本文意在通过研读《了不起的盖茨比》，了解那些分析那个年代迷惘一代的时代背景及形成原因和特点并进一步探讨迷惘一代的特点。最后，在结合现实的基础上，本文得出，对物质的一再追求是错误的。精神的升华才是最重要的。

关键词：了不起的盖茨比； 迷惘的一代；迷惘一代的特点