第一篇:了不起的盖茨比读书笔记 英文版
The Mirror of the Social Morality
——The Females in The Great GatsbyAs an unreplaceable part of the society, females are often considered to be in an unequal status and act a different role from males.By now, they are gaining more and more attention.It’s interesting to analyze their words, their behaviors and their thoughts, because they are usually more sensitive to the changeable society and more likely to react to the change.Therefore, to some extent, they are a mirror of the social morality in their times.In F.Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, there are many female characters.They are of various personalities: some of them look pure while some of them seem to be hypocritic.However, all of them play a vital role in developing the fascinating plot and fitting in the large picture of the theme.From these females, we can learn how they reflect the general corruption of the morality at Jazz Age, especially the value of money and the hypocrisy.One of the most distinctive subject in the novel is the American values, indicated by Myrtle and Daisy especially when they choose between love and money.To begin with, Myrtle, namely Mrs.Wilson, is the wife of a garage owner George B.Wilson.Wilson loves her so much that he even becomes insane after her death.According to this, she should have cherished their marriage.However, she marries him just “because I thought he is a gentleman”(P41), and she has an affair with Tom, a man who even broke her nose.Her
choice of husband or lover is not depended on how much he loves her, but merely their status.It is strange, isn’t it? Whether she really loves Tom more than Wilson or not is uncertain, but it is clear that Tom is richer.Although Myrtle lives in lower class of the society, she is always
struggling to go up.Unlike her husband, who is “a blond, spiritless man”(P31)without the desire, she is with “immediately perceptible vitality”(P31).So she tries to improve her status but in a wrong way of having relationship with a “real gentleman” who doesn’t love her.Compared to Myrtle, Daisy is more god-favored.Born in a relevantly rich family, she marries to a equally rich man, Tom as a matter of course.She loves Gatsby, but could not marry him because he was a man of nothing.She does not accept him later because she has no intention to leave the rather distinguished society to which she and Tom belong.When Daisy and Gatsby reunite five years later, the reason she is moved is not the persistent love from Gatsby, but Gatsby’s lavish shirts.How absurd it is!
Evidently, no matter from upper or lower class, both of Myrtle and Daisy worth status and wealthy much more than true love as many people do.At that luxury roaring 20th,Americans treasure money most.Therefore it’s not difficult to understand why people often trade for some materials at the expense of sacrifying their love, their healthy, or something else valuable.Nowadays, some women still prefer to marry a man with large possessions rather than the one she really love, owing to the appetite of material.Moreover, another distinctively perceivable character should be hypocrisy.Firstly, it could be noticed from Daisy.She likes to dress herself and her daughter in white, a color that symbolizes purity.In contrary, she talks to Nick with absolute smirk and insincerity, she praises at party while she dislikes West Egg, she ignores Gatsby’s profound affection, shirk responsibility onto Gatsby after she killed Myrtle and so on.Since all of these behaviors have no thing to do with pure spirit, the white dress becomes an ironic satire on her.In no way can she be as pure as she seems, neither can she perceive what purity is.She even sees
something terrible from this purity that she could never understand, which is the reason why she dislikes West Egg.Similarly, Myrtle is also hypocritic.Even though she is not in upper society, She pretends to be noble.So she lets four taxicabs drive away and finally selects “a new one, lavender-colored with grey upholstery”(P33), she acts like a queen “throwing a regal homecoming glance”(P34)at the arrival at the apartment, and she laughs, talks and revolves with impressive hauteur at the party she holds.She strives to be elegant but only to make others feel lousy.Her sister Catherine’s appearance arouses the same unpleasant feeling.She wears heavy makeup with “solid, sticky bob of red hair, powdered milky white,eyebrows drawn at a rakish angle and pottery bracelets.”(P36)Unfortunately, the restoration of beauty against nature works the opposite way.It doesn’t make her more favorable, but presents a sense of unreal.All of these pretending deeds may seem ridiculous to us, but it is human nature.At times, it may be quite tired to live in disguise.Daisy complains that she is sophisticated.As she said, “I hope she’ll be a fool-that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world”(P24), it’s better to be a simple-minded fool than a calculating woman.However, as a matter of fact, dishonest
people are still inclined to wear up a mask so as to attain what they pursue and get where they long for.No one wants to be considered as poor, ignorant, or anything bad, so they disguise by instinct.It’s neither uncommon for vain people to conceal their shabby family background to get what they want, nor unusual for illiterate people to conceal their ignorance.In a word, hypocrisy is not only typical among females, but the common characteristic of human race.As the result, none of the females in the novel has a happy ending: Myrtle dies in the
accident, Daisy becomes a fugitive, Jor dan breaks up with Nick, ect.From above, we can safely draw the conclusion that neither females nor men should make wealth and status the only standard of their life.Life is all about trades.We should never trade their love, their marriage, their happiness of the rest life for wealth.It is essential for us to recognize what is actually valuable in our life.It is also important to take money correctly and pursue it in a reasonable way.
第二篇:了不起的盖茨比英文读书笔记
Why Gatsby is Great?
——After reading The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is written by an American author F.Scott Fitzgerald.F.Scott Fitzgerald is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.The Great Gatsby is his most famous novel.The movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby is very popular during this period, so I read this famous novel.The story is about the young and mysterious millionaire named Jay Gatsby and narrated by Nick Carraway.Nick is the neighbor of Gatsby and is connected with other characters.As far as I am concerned, Nick is absolutely a good narrator, which offers an objective angle for us readers to have a comprehensive understanding of the story.However, the story is a tragedy with an ending that Gatsby is killed wrongly.For his whole life after he falls in love with Daisy, an elegant and attractive but shallow and selfish young lady, he strives for years to become a millionaire even in an illegal way.But Gatsby doesn’t realize the truth of his love and still sacrifices for his dream blindly, even by paying with his life.Gatsby takes the blame of killing Myrtle for Daisy, and is shot by Myrtle’s husband who is incited by Tom.Sadly, after his death, all Gatsby gains is Daisy’s indifference.I am curious about the novel title The Great Gatsby and have my own understanding.Why is Gatsby great? In my opinion, it is about the difference between Gatsby and other characters.Even Gatsby’s dream of getting his first love Daisy’s heart finally leads to his tragedy;Gatsby is pure and idealistic relative to other characters to a certain extent.Gatsby is enthusiastic, sincere and persevering.On the contrary, Daisy is self-absorbed, and Tom is heartless and cruel with a bad faith.Wilson is cowardly and suspicious and Myrtle is adulterous.And the people in the upper ten who enjoy the good wine and dainty food offered by Gatsby actually do not accept him as one of them.People are cold and detached, and we can learn about that with their indifference after Gatsby’s death.
第三篇:《了不起的盖茨比》读书笔记
《了不起的盖茨比》读后感
我喜欢小说开头出现的,父亲教导儿子的一段话,“每逢你想要批评任何人的时候,你就记住,这个世界上所有的人,并不是个个都有过你那些优越条件。”这些都是封底上描述的本书的伟大之处。这些文学范畴内的概念,我不是很懂。《了不起的盖茨比》,被评为“华丽的爵士时代的挽歌,如诗般梦幻。”是美国文学史上墨色浓重的一笔,百年英语文学排名,高居第二位。文学真是个永远不过时的东西,写在85年前的这段句子,它甚至与这本书的主要内容没有太多的关系,却让人为之长久的思考与反思。就像《诗经》中的“人而无仪,不死何为?”在几千年后的今天,依然让人内心震动。我还喜欢小说的最后一句话,“于是我们奋力向前,逆水行舟,被不断地向后推,被推入过去。”令人叹息的深深的一股无力感,人们,积极努力,向前迈步,迈向的终是,时光的过去。
在小说中,挥金如土的大富翁盖茨比,夜夜举办着欢歌纵饮的派对,然后他内心唯一的牵绊却是住在河对岸的黛西——他曾经的恋人和如今的女神。“然而,冰冷的现实容不下飘渺的梦,他心中的女神也不过是凡尘俗世的物质女郎。”盖茨比在真相大白后,选择了随梦一起幻灭的归途。生的孤独,是吉光羽片,死的孤独,是永恒。这本书的文字也是如介绍所说的“诗般梦幻”,唯美的很,就连车祸,枪杀,死亡这些与美沾不上关系的场景,菲茨杰拉德仍然能以诗一般的手法展现。
喜欢《了不起的盖茨比》的理由有很多:喜欢开头那句父亲的忠告:你在评论他人的时候,要记住并非所有的人都有你这样优越的条件。喜欢看着盖茨比站在海边遥望黛西家码头上的绿灯,喜欢看着他“以奇怪的方式伸出手臂”,喜欢那种惊奇和热切;喜欢盖茨比豪宅上彻夜不明的灯光,和从花园里随风飘至的音乐和笑声,那样声色犬马,醉生梦死。以及盖茨比躲在这一切繁华背后的孤独和被压抑的欲望。喜欢死后的那段人情冷暖,喜欢看着那辆来自另一个世界尽头的汽车来到豪宅门口,却没有发现美好的宴会早已散场。也喜欢书中的语言、隐喻、讲故事的方式,和精致却缜密的结构。只有在反复阅读之后,你才会发现原来书中的每个人不仅丰满、独立,而且在无形之中又被归拢在情节的网罗里,成为情节的一部分。
正因为如此,我们都会站到了黛茜的一边,而盖茨比则会永久的站在我们的对岸,忧伤但并不哀怨的注视着等待的哀歌无尽的包围古老的悲剧。我们都曾坚持过什么,也许已经忘记,也许仍旧铭记却无力实现。
这仅仅是一个梦碎的故事,所有的情节所有的人物所有的跌宕也不过是为码头尽头的那盏绿灯的熄灭铺垫的。
这本书让我感到一种委屈。为我们自己。大人们称我们是“浮躁的一代”。美国人称为“迷惘的一代”。
第四篇:《了不起的盖茨比》读书笔记
梦想幻灭 悲剧人生
——《了不起的盖茨比》读书笔记
《了不起的盖茨比》一书以第一次世界大战后的美国为背景,讲述了主人公盖茨比梦想幻灭后惨遭枪杀的悲剧人生。战争期间出生贫寒的年轻军人盖茨比爱上了出生在上流社会的姑娘黛西,对他一往情深却没钱娶她。战后盖茨比得知到黛西已经嫁给了富豪子弟汤姆婚后生活并不幸福,因为汤姆有情妇。为了重新赢得黛西的爱情,盖茨比发奋赚钱,短短几年里,便通过走私等非法生意发了财于是他专门在黛西家附近购置豪宅,大宴宾客,挥金如土,为的是引起黛西的注意。后来经黛西表兄的安排,盖茨比与黛西重温旧梦。汤姆发现这段隐情后,妒火中烧。黛西面临在他们之间做出选择,却态度暧昧,始终不肯放弃汤姆。她在心绪烦乱时撞死了汤姆的情妇。盖茨比承担了责任,汤姆嫁祸于他,致使其情妇的丈夫开枪打死盖茨比。
盖茨比的悲剧源于苦苦等待五年终被爱人黛西抛弃,他死后黛西没有来参加他的葬礼,甚至“没有捎来口信,也没有送来花。”他的死是他悲剧人生的终结,却又是另一出悲剧的开始,这一出剧就叫做人情的冷漠。他生前在海湾豪宅大宴宾客,无论是受邀请的还是没受邀请的,都可以在他的就会上狂欢。书中描写道:“整整一个夏天,邻居家房子里都飘出音乐。他家那呈现蓝色调的院子里,男男女女飞蛾似的在香槟和繁星之间嗡嗡飞舞”,酒会的热闹景象可见一斑。可他死后,昔日来参加酒会的人却只有以为来参加葬礼,“我把牧师拉到一边,求他多等半个小时。可这毫无用处。没有任何人来。”这场面又是何等凄惨。昔日举办酒会的宅子从此无人搭理,“草坪上的草都及膝了”。前后一对比,当时人情的冷漠跃然于纸上。
盖茨比悲剧的实质是他梦想的破灭。黛西就是这个梦想的化身,他将一切都献给了这个梦想。“隔着海湾望着黛西家码头末端那盏绿色的灯,他的梦让他觉得近在咫尺,不可能抓不到。”然后现实无情泼了他冷水,他心爱的姑娘选择了放弃她。他失去了她,也就失去了梦想,失去了一切。
汤姆是盖茨比悲剧发生的客观促成者。他的刻意嫁祸直接导致了盖茨比的死亡。同时他是那个纸醉金迷的爵士乐时代大所数人的典型代表。他只会用肌肉思考问题,粗暴自负,仗着金钱飞扬跋扈。更可怕的是他那简单粗笨的脑袋里装入了那么多浮华的思想,“我们是统治种族,是我们创造了一切,这些构成了一切”,仿佛他坚实实在的自我中心已经不再能滋养他那颗妄自尊大的心了。在那样一个由汤姆这般推崇金钱、享乐至上、无所追求的人构建的上流社会里,盖茨比这样一个拥有纯真梦想的人显然是个异类,他的梦想之花缺乏适合生长的土壤,凋零是无可避免的。
而黛西则是盖茨比悲剧的主观根源。盖茨比将他当做梦想来追寻,渴望有一天能收获她的爱情。而黛西毕竟是上流社会的产物,是一个徒有一副美丽外表的俗物。她需要近在眼前、不容置疑的实在东西来帮助她做决定,这东西绝不可能是飘渺虚无的爱情。而已有的婚姻以及金钱无疑能满足她的要求。于是她抛弃了爱情,选择了汤姆当做金钱靠山,只有如此她才有安全感,即便不幸福。
尼克作为这个故事的叙述者,既参与其中,又是一个以睿智的眼光洞悉一切的局外人。作为盖茨比为数不多的真正的朋友之一,他理解并且同情着盖茨比。“他们是一帮混账,把他们加在一起也比不上你”,这是尼克对盖茨比的评价。他们同样拥有一颗赤子之心。而之所以盖茨比遭遇了那样的悲剧,是因为他过于热情冲动,他的梦想浪漫的近乎幻想,与主流有着激烈的冲突,终不免被时代的浊流吞噬。而尼克富于理智的判断,他尽管不喜欢周围人的虚伪势力、堕落腐化,却能安身其中而不至于被拖下泥淖。
本书的作者菲茨杰拉德不吝以“了不起”这个词眼给盖茨比定位,可见其对盖茨比努力追
寻梦想的精神是予以肯定的。主任公的梦想可能就是作者自己的梦想,就是美国梦,然而在人人沉湎于声色犬马的时代里,这样的梦想注定是无法实现的。小说这人公最终以悲剧收场,相比这其中也寄寓着作者的失望吧。
第五篇:了不起的盖茨比读书笔记
了不起的盖茨比》读书笔记
时间:9.16 ——9.28
书名《了不起的盖茨比》
在峰哥的淳淳教导下,从本学期开始我要养成阅读图书的好习惯,于是本学期读的第一本书是《了不起的盖茨比》。
一直听说《了不起的盖茨比》是一部了不起的巨作,如今有幸拜读了这本书,有些许感受和想法,现在我把它记录下来。
这部小说的背景被设定在现代化的美国社会中上阶层的白人圈内,通过卡拉韦的叙述展开。卡拉韦出生于美国中西部,后来到美国纽约学习经营股票生意,并想以此发财。他住在长岛,与故事的主人公盖茨比为邻,并与之交上了朋友。盖茨比原名盖茨,和卡拉韦一样也来自中西部,他出身贫苦,但雄心勃勃,后因贩卖私酒而暴富。他经常在家举办大型豪华聚会,大宴宾客,以显示其阔绰,目的是为了吸引五年前的恋人黛西并赢回她的芳心。五年前在盖茨比服兵役时黛西曾是他的恋人,在盖茨比去海外参加第一次世界大战期间,由于利欲熏心嫁给了出身于富豪家庭的纨绔子弟汤姆·布坎南。然而物欲和肉欲的满足并没能填补黛西精神上的空虚与贫乏。在卡拉韦的帮助下,与盖茨比重逢后好像又旧情复燃。但黛西已不是原来的黛西,她不再是盖茨比想象中的纯情女孩,而是一个愚蠢、自私、庸俗、美丽的躯壳。盖茨比的美丽旧梦终于被打碎了,但他还在做最后的挣扎,仍对黛西抱有一丝幻想,以至遭遇了更加凄惨可悲的结局。后来黛西在一次酒后驾驶盖茨比的车时轧死了汤姆的情妇,却与汤姆一道密谋并残忍地嫁祸于盖茨比,导致死者的丈夫突然闯入盖茨比家中并开枪打死了盖茨比,然后自杀身亡,使盖茨比最终彻底成为自私而残忍的黛西的牺牲品。
看完这本书,确实特别吸引人,也很喜欢它。喜欢《了不起的盖茨比》的理由有很多:喜欢开头那句父亲的忠告:你在评论他人的时候,要记住并非所有的人都有你这样优越的条件。喜欢看着盖茨比站在海边遥望黛西家码头上的绿灯,喜欢看着他“以奇怪的方式伸出手臂”,喜欢那种惊奇和热切;喜欢盖茨比豪宅上彻夜不明的灯光,和从花园里随风飘至的音乐和笑声,那样声色犬马,醉生梦死。以及盖茨比躲在这一切繁华背后的孤独和被压抑的欲望。喜欢死后的那段人情冷暖,喜欢看着那辆来自另一个世界尽头的汽车来到豪宅门口,却没有发现美好的宴会早已散场。也喜欢书中的语言、隐喻、讲故事的方式,和精致却缜密的结构。有人说,只有在反复阅读之后,你才会发现原来书中的每个人不仅丰满、独立,而且在无形之中又被归拢在情节的网罗里,成为情节的一部分。虽然我现在还没那么深刻的感悟。
当我翻完《了不起的盖茨比》的最后一页,有种无奈与惋惜,我为盖茨比的命运而惋惜。在爱情面前,盖茨比永远是在等待,从他发现在码头尽头黛茜的倩影还有她身后的那盏绿色的灯开始,他就陷入了坚毅但痛苦的守望,虽然这种守望在许多时候对于看似很聪明的人来说,简直是愚不可及。当我们面对一个满眼只有金钱但却当着你的面柔情的说爱你的女孩该如何应对呢?更恐怖是,她并没
有逢场作戏,她真诚的眼神让你无法回避你那什么也没有的钱包时候,也许我们抱以回应的只能是尴尬的猜测与沉默了。但盖茨比却坚定的意识到,她是爱他的,只是他没有钱。于是,盖茨比的悲剧也就此开始上演。菲茨杰拉德也伟大的令我们有无数话需要表达却也只好闭紧嘴巴,看着盖茨比无可挽回的渐渐的倒在了后来他自己建造爱情幻想花园的后院中。准确的说,我们应该讨厌的并不是那个物质主义女孩黛茜,与她对世态的冷漠与玩世不恭一起,她选择了生活的安逸与平淡,尽管她不一定是达到了她选择的初衷。
很多人不理解盖茨比为什么那么执着的等待着,只有盖茨比唯一的朋友尼克理解了他的等待。也许,应该说菲茨杰拉德理解了人群中的等待。虽然菲茨杰拉德随后也把这种等待抛诸脑后,坠入不可遏制的失败中,他终究没有办法化解掉等待那难言的孤苦与焦虑。但当盖茨比荒唐的被手枪打死的一刻,他笔下的尼克伤感坐在了盖茨比无数次去过的海滩上缅怀着那个久远的,未知的世界。他理解了盖茨比第一次认出了黛茜的码头后那奇妙的惊讶,也明白了盖茨比之后在蓝色草坪上等待黛茜靠岸的所有举动,更重要的是,在他无限的怅惘中,盖茨比的梦也已经飘散,在依稀的人声鼎沸的幻觉中,只有盖茨比消逝于这个混沌的世界,留下的是逆水行舟后的倒退,还有他镇定而紧张的等待爱情与梦幻的孩子一样的眼神。
我们都曾坚持过什么,也许已经忘记,也许仍旧铭记却无力实现。
用了一周多的时间把这本书看了两遍,对于从来不看打着世界名著标签的书的自己,对于已经变得懒惰又恶俗的自己实属不易。
这仅仅是一个梦碎的故事,所有的情节所有的人物所有的跌宕也不过是为码头尽头的那盏绿灯的熄灭铺垫的。
这本书让我感到一种委屈。为我们自己。大人们称我们是“浮躁的一代”。美国人称为“迷惘的一代”。
是的,他们大人们这么轻责我们。站在他们的高度,站在他们的世界。我们不是不想拥有梦想 我们都曾为心中的一个梦努力过。只是它总是那么容易就被打破。
我们唱“想回到过去”唱“追忆似水年华”,仅仅是在声嘶力竭的坚守曾经的梦想曾经的自己,当发现在乱七八糟的世界这些坚持仅仅的垃圾的时候,我们只能选择遗忘,用更垃圾的方式。没有人看到我们的委屈,大人们只是在指责我们胸无大志不学无术无病呻吟,却不想想我们生来就在这样浮躁的世界。
你们大人是从虽然艰苦却单纯美好的社会长大,你们曾经的梦想仅仅是吃饱饭吃白面过年穿新衣,你们经历过梦想实现时自我肯定的满足,而我们呢?生来就在已经异化了的世界,你们让我们不愁吃不愁穿从小顺着我们,我们拥有的梦想总是美好却在复杂的世界里被人嘲笑践踏。我们要想不成为废材就要当英雄去改变这个已经被你们损坏的世界,可我们和小时候的你们一样,我们都不是天才,我们仅仅是贫穷的小盖茨比。
我们的梦想被拎出来鞭笞再活活歼灭,我们追求被一次次证明是愚蠢的儿戏,我们的信仰换了又换却仍旧被推翻践踏,我们想单纯的爱上一件东西一个人一个世界,却总被漫天的垃圾漫天的钞票一巴掌扇到心灵深处。
但是不管世界变成什么样,我们都应该遵从自己的心,为自己而奋斗!!
虽然文章中夹杂着别人的想法,但也是我所认同的。最后:
记上作者菲茨杰拉德的话——
“我们继续奋力向前,逆水行舟,被不断的向后推,被推入过去。梦想幻灭 悲剧人生——《了不起的盖茨比》读书笔记《了不起的盖茨比》一书以第一次世界大战后的美国为背景,讲述了主人公盖茨比梦想幻灭后惨遭枪杀的悲剧人生。战争期间出生贫寒的年轻军人盖茨比爱上了出生在上流社会的姑娘黛西,对他一往情深却没钱娶她。战后盖茨比得知到黛西已经嫁给了富豪子弟汤姆婚后生活并不幸福,因为汤姆有情妇。为了重新赢得黛西的爱情,盖茨比发奋赚钱,短短几年里,便通过走私等非法生意发了财于是他专门在黛西家附近购置豪宅,大宴宾客,挥金如土,为的是引起黛西的注意。后来经黛西表兄的安排,盖茨比与黛西重温旧梦。汤姆发现这段隐情后,妒火中烧。黛西面临在他们之间做出选择,却态度暧昧,始终不肯放弃汤姆。她在心绪烦乱时撞死了汤姆的情妇。
盖茨比承担了责任,汤姆嫁祸于他,致使其情妇的丈夫开枪打死盖茨比。盖茨比的悲剧源于苦苦等待五年终被爱人黛西抛弃,他死后黛西没有来参加他的葬礼,甚至“没有捎来口信,也没有送来花。”他的死是他悲剧人生的终结,却又是另一出悲剧的开始,这一出剧就叫做人情的冷漠。他生前在海湾豪宅大宴宾客,无论是受邀请的还是没受邀请的,都可以在他的就会上狂欢。书中描写道:“整整一个夏天,邻居家房子里都飘出音乐。他家那呈现蓝色调的院子里,男男女女飞蛾似的在香槟和繁星之间嗡嗡飞舞”,酒会的热闹景象可见一斑。可他死后,昔日来参加酒会的人却只有以为来参加葬礼,“我把牧师拉到一边,求他多等半个小时。可这毫无用处。没有任何人来。”这场面又是何等凄惨。昔日举办酒会的宅子从此无人搭理,“草坪上的草都及膝了”。前后一对比,当时人情的冷漠跃然于纸上。盖茨比悲剧的实质是他梦想的破灭。黛西就是这个梦想的化身,他将一切都献给了这个梦想。“隔着海湾望着黛西家码头末端那盏绿色的灯,他的梦让他觉得近在咫尺,不可能抓不到。”然后现实无情泼了他冷水,他心爱的姑娘选择了放弃她。他失去了她,也就失去了梦想,失去了一切。汤姆是盖茨比悲剧发生的客观促成者。他的刻意嫁祸直接导致了盖茨比的死亡。同时他是那个纸醉金迷的爵士乐时代大所数人的典型代表。他只会用肌肉思考问题,粗暴自负,仗着金钱飞扬跋扈。更可怕的是他那简单粗笨的脑袋里装入了那么多浮华的思想,“我们是统治种族,是我们创造了一切,这些构成了一切”,仿佛他坚实实在的自我中心已经不再能滋养他那颗妄自尊大的心了。在那样一个由汤姆这般推崇金钱、享乐至上、无所追求的人构建的上流社会里,盖茨比这样一个拥有纯真梦想的人显然是个异类,他的梦想之花缺乏适合生长的土壤,凋零是无可避免的。而黛西则是盖茨比悲剧的主观根源。盖茨比将他当做梦想来追寻,渴望有一天能收获她的爱情。而黛西毕竟是上流社会的产物,是一个徒有一副美丽外表的俗物。她需要近在眼前、不容置疑的实在东西来帮助她做决定,这东西绝不可能是飘渺虚无的爱情。而已有的婚姻以及金钱无疑能满足她的要求。于是她抛弃了爱情,选择了汤姆当做金钱靠山,只有如此她才有安全感,即便不幸福。尼克作为这个故事的叙述者,既参与其中,又是一个以睿智的眼光洞悉一切的局外人。作为盖茨比为数不多的真正的朋友之一,他理解并且同情着盖茨比。“他们是一帮混账,把他们加在一起也比不上你”,这是尼克对盖茨比的评价。他们同样拥有一颗赤子之心。而之所以盖茨比遭遇了那样的悲剧,是因为他过于热情冲动,他的梦想浪漫的近乎幻想,与主流有着激烈的冲突,终不免被时代的浊流吞噬。而尼克富于理智的判断,他尽管不喜欢周围人的虚伪势力、堕落腐化,却能安身其中而不至于被拖下泥淖。本书的作者菲茨杰拉德不吝
以“了不起”这个词眼给盖茨比定位,可见其对盖茨比努力追寻梦想的精神是予以肯定的。主任公的梦想可能就是作者自己的梦想,就是美国梦,然而在人人沉湎于声色犬马的时代里,这样的梦想注定是无法实现的。小说这人公最终以悲剧收场,相比这其中也寄寓着作者的失望吧。