《了不起的盖茨比》是二十世纪美国作家弗·司各特·菲茨杰拉德最具影响力的作品。小说讲述的是一个关于金钱与爱情的浪漫故事，以盖茨比对初恋情人黛茜的热恋追求为主线，展现了美国挥霍性消费对年青一代的消极影响，揭露了经济繁荣时期的美国社会，人们过度追求物质上的满足，导致精神衰败，道德沦丧。本文主要分为四个章节。第一章的主要内容是分析当时美国社会的现状，一战后的美国经济高度繁荣，美国由生产型社会转变为消费性社会。第二章则是分析小说中三个人物的消费主义行为说明崇尚拜金主义成为一种社会风气，情感开始商业化，价值观开始扭曲。第三章论述消费主义行为对美国社会的消极影响有主要三点：美国梦的破灭，情感商业化和人性的丧失。最后则是结论，盲目的过度消费只会给社会带来各种负面影响，是社会失去和谐与安宁，造成社会动荡。
The Great Gatsby is a perfect and influential novel in the 20 century. The novel tells a romantic story about money and love of " Roaring Twenties ", In the main line that Gatsby has the pursuit to the first love Daisy, and the US wasteful consumerism has the negative impacts on the younger generation, presenting the excessive pursuit of material satisfaction, leading to mental decline and moral turpitude in American society with an economic boom. This paper is divided into four chapters. The main content of the first chapter is to analyze the status quo of American society at that time. American economy is in a highly prosperous period, American is turning a production-oriented society into a consumer society. The second chapter is analysis of consumer behavior with the three figures in the novel, in order to illustrate that advocating money worship becomes a social atmosphere, emotion becomes commercial, values is distorted. The third chapter discusses the negative impacts of consumer behavior on American society. Therefore, blind and excessive consumption which will bring a variety of negative social impacts, such as social harmony, tranquility lost and social unrest.
The United States made a great fortune during World War I, the whole community is under the erosion of a lot of money and wealth, so people's spiritual ecology has been seriously damaged. At this time, “all the gods are all died, all the wars are over, and all beliefs are all finished.” [6] In this novel, analyzing consuming behaviors of different characters. Showing the wasteful consumerism has negative impacts on the younger generation of US, people over the pursuit of material satisfaction which leads to moral bankruptcy during the economic boom of American society. For instance, the death of Gatsby expresses that American people become more and more cool and distant. Gatsby held parties in his lifetime; he was a gentleman when Lucille was careless to torn clothes. Gatsby also bought a dress for her. After Gatsby's death, those who previously participated in his parties, but no one went to his funeral. In the corrosion of money society, excessive consumption makes the relationship between people become indifferent and alienated, humanity gradually has lost. For another instance, when Daisy realized Gatsby and she were not in same social class, she abandoned Gatsby without hesitation. It was crueler that she conspired with Tom to shirk the responsibility of traffic accident committed by her to Gatsby, leading to a direct result of Gatsby’s death. Even more distressing is that She has forgotten Gatsby’s death and traveled with Tom continue to seek her happiness. The dehumanization is performed from themselves, which is also one of the features of “Jazz Age”. Truth becomes worthless in the face of money, material enjoyment far beyond any spiritual consolation and life criteria. The alienation of existence makes human relationships become indifferent, the so-called family, friendship and love in that frenzy “Jazz Age” has lost their fertile ground for growth and reproduction. Most Americans, especially young people, have abandoned the traditional American beliefs and values. They have confusion to future, and fall into hedonism and money worship. In this money-oriented capitalist society, people gradually become selfish and vulgar, having lost the original ethics and spiritual support. At the same time, the relationship between people is based on money and benefits. Consumerism leads to loss of humanity.
American society after World War I everywhere filled with social crisis. In the consumer society, everywhere it fills with the stench of money. Money has become the main values; Due to the popularity of money worship, people become moral turpitude and empty. American business culture and consumerism prevailing have a devastating impact on the US. Spiritual beliefs are destructed and ravaged by consumerism. Young generation has lost the basic moral principles of life and attempt to get rid of their humble origins. The whole society has become a spiritual ruin without morality, truth and soul. |
