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I. Introduction
Francis Scott Fitzgerald is one of the most outstanding American writers of 1920s, he is also a typical writer of the “Jazz Age” and a member of “The Lost Generation”, his greatest novel is The Great Gatsby. The reason why The Great Gatsby is seen as the most outstanding novel of Fitzgerald is that it vividly reflects a real era—the Roaring Twenties, the story happens in the booming Long Island of 1922 which full of decadence, turmoil, idealism and redundancy. The leading character in the novel is Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald describes the poken of Gatsby’s dream to symbolize the disillusionment of American Dream, and ultimately conclude that the failure of American Dream is inevitable.Nowadays, a lot of scholars study The Great Gatsby, and most of them study the reasons that lead to the failure of American Dream, the symbolism in the novel, the concept of love in the book, the female images in the novel and so on. Gao Hui, a famous scholar, says that Gatsby’s personal dilemma and failure of the American Dream and it is impossible to attain it because of the illusory nature of the American Dream(220). Another famous scholar Xu Dawen writes in his thesis that the use of symbolism is ubiquitous in this novel, in addition to the symbols of the concrete things, what the story itself signifies is the evaporation of the American dream(96).And in Cheng Shuxian’s thesis, she thinks that as for the great Gatsby, self-made and self-invented millionaire, his American Dream is to have much money and then win Daisy(226). These opinions can represent most of scholars’ views and this is the current researches of The Great Gatsby.II. American Dream in The Great Gatsby
A. American Dream in the 1920sThe roots of American Dream could be traced back to the founding period of North American colonies, and it reflected in the pursuit and ideals of European immigrants, these people, especially the Puritans from England originally, empaced religious faith firmly, and lived tenaciously in tough environments, hoped to establish heaven on earth which belongs to the people who were chosen by God. The American Dream was largely integrated into the ideals of the American nation, and symbolized the longing to a better life, which made it’s connotation and extension have different definitions at different times. But generally speaking, American Dream included spiritual ideals and material ideals, they became American values with the formation of American national consciousness. After World War I, American economic entered an unprecedented prosperity, America became the leader of capitalist countries, and at the same time, the war pought human uncertainty about their own fate, denial to their beliefs and destruction of social morality. This biggest, most putal war erupted in the western world which has the same faith. And God was no longer the role that was set by people but a savior or a destroyer? What’s more, moral rules and discipline were left behind, people were addicted to material enjoyment, used sensual pleasure to palsy the doubts about God and to escaped from the torture of belief. American Dream was covered by contradictions and illusory, lost its faith and material, became the meaning of life. So on the whole, in 1920s, American Dream became money fully, people were only willing to believe money, and to some extent, American Dream meant to get rich at time time.B. The Embodiment of Gatsby’s American Dream1. Wealth On the one hand, Gatsby’s American Dream reflects in his “wealth dream”. Gatsby’s original name is Jay Gates, and his parents are common farmer, he is very eager to shake off poverty, and get into the upper class. When Gates is 17 years old, he meets a man named Dan Cody who gets rich through illegal acts, but little Gates respects him very much. Later, Gates changes his name into Gatsby and follows Cody, focuses his dream on the acquisition of wealth. When Dan Cody is sober, he knows he always overspend when he is drunk, so he is increasingly trust Gatsby in order to prevent this kind of accidents. After a long time, when Dan Cody died, Gatsby uses his heritage to traffic bootleg illegally and amasses a large number of fortune. However, no matter how rich Gatsby is, when he tries to integrate into the coveted upper class, he becomes an excellent figure of suspicions and rumors by those so-called upper class because of his humble origin. With people’s continuing suspicion, Gatsby’s illegal activities is finally debunked by Tom, and Gatsby’s wealth which is created by his hardworking does not help him to realize his ideal, then his wealth dream is shattered. After the death of Gatsby, on the funeral which Nick holds for him, former guests do not appear at all, there is a sharp contrast between the desolate funeral and the former bustling banquet, this reveals that Gatsby does not get the recognition of the upper class at all.2.LoveOn the other hand, Gatsby’s American Dream also embodies in his “love dream”. Gatsby believes that money can buy Daisy’s love, and Daisy’s strong attraction to him is because money decorate her to be a noble princess, Gatsby wants to cast off poverty, be with this kind of “princess”like Daisy can satisfy Gatsby’s vanity perfectly. Five years later, even sometimes Daisy is not like Gatsby’s fantasy, his dream is still beyond everything, under the support of his fancy, Gatsby wants to win Daisy’s heart, he is eager to realize the dream in the bottom of his heart and he has a strong desire for a better future. This shows that Daisy is Gatsby’s love dream. However, Gatsby chooses a wrong person, it is because Daisy is a woman who pays more attention on money and status than love, so she only represents things that worthless and unreal. Daisy can not be the embodiment of love and happiness, and she also can not ping Gatsby’s life meaning and satisfaction. At the last, in the cruel reality, Gatsby’s dream collapses, his efforts failed at last. Gatsby finally understand, the past is unable to return, old dream can not review, hence, he died with his soul, dream and body together. In short, Daisy bears all of Gatsby’s love dream, but on the contrary, for Daisy, Gatsby is the lightness that she can not bear. In Gatsby’s mind, Daisy is beautiful and pure, she is a symbol of virtues that only exist in the upper class, while Gatsby pursue Daisy as the incarnation of beauty, the tragedy of his life starts. C. The Disillusionment of Gatsby’s American Dream Firstly, it is the specific era in which Gatsby lives that leads to the emptiness of American Dream. In twentieth Century, the economic prosperity of the capitalist society makes individual’s spirit and value get weaker, and taken over by hedonism. People are barren spiritually, only to pursuit material wealth and format “money first” ideology. The generation who grows up in this atmosphere finds it is hard to rely on hard work solely in an unequal society. Secondly, although Gatsby realizes his “wealth dream”, he does not understand the possession of money is not enough in American society, money is still not the passport of upper class, so he can not get Daisy’s love. Thirdly, the hypocrisy and merciless of capitalist society is fully incarnate in Daisy and Tom. Daisy, as a big fan of money, eventually leads to the tragedy of Gatsby with her selfishness and heartless. In conclusion, Gatsby’s tragedy is the one that the destruction of youth under capitalism and the bankruptcy of bourgeois spiritual civilization, it is the tragedy of the age.III. The Formation of American Dream and Chinese Dream
A. The History of American DreamOver hundreds of years, people from all over the world come into America with American Dream, hope to create their own pilliant life. James Adams define American Dream in his The Epic of America: “regardless of family and background, each person relies on own ability and achievement, has the opportunity to get a better, richer and fuller life.(103)” From the Atlantic into New York’s Hudson River, people can see the very eye-catching Statue of Liberty stands in the sky. Many western movies show that people always burst into tears when see the Statue of Liberty far at sea, just like Samuel Huntington writes in his Who Are We? The Challenges To America’s National Identity: “once upon a time, American immigrants who come to America after go through untold hardships always burst into tears when catch sight of the Statue of Liberty , they identity with this new country because it provides them freedom, job and hope.(79)”American Dream is a dream that accompanies the beginning of the country. When the May Flower carrying more than one hundred of Puritans came to America, American Dream was quietly sprout. In 19th century, with the independence of America and constant expansion, the content of American Dream kept changing. Later, although experienced World War I, World War II and the Great Depression, although American Dream ceaselessly questioned and criticized by people, the basic elements of American Dream has not changed, and still was regarded by most of American people as a common belief, America until today is still the world’s most popular immigration destination countries. Despite of the short history of America, America is a miracle in the Rising Powers, and the motivation of American Dream plays an important role.B. The Connotation of American DreamThe connotation of American Dream is mainly embodied in three aspects:Firstly, in the content aspect, American Dream emphasizes the inevitability of success and the importance of hard work. American Dream contains two important factors: one is that America offers everyone chance of success, and the other is that success depends on individual’s personal talents and efforts rather than family and background. American Dream leaves enough space for American people to dream about future. It is because American people always uphold “everyone can succeed”, many outstanding people appear, their common point is born in poverty but through hard work create their own huge career and become legends. Thus, when American Dream stresses the inevitability of success, it does not ignore the importance of personal hard work. If only dream without working hard, then dream can only be a fancy and success is always on the other side that can not be reached.Secondly, in the object aspect, it includes all the people in the world not only American people. American Dream guides American people to move forward, at the same time, it also arouses people from all over the world desire for success. According to American media reports, people who gets the American green card is about 1000 thousand each year, nowadays, America goes by the name of “the land of opportunity”, it is the fruits of America social economy in the 20th century that make American Dream transfer from the spirit level to material level, and promote more and more people from other countries to chase American ideal life. A large number of outstanding immigrants come to America and succeed in this land, the most typical representative is American President Obama, he uses his personal experiences illustrate to all the people around the world that he realizes his American Dream which is a African immigrant stands out step by step and is elected to be American leader. According to experts, American rapid economy development and industrial expansion is not just because America is rich in natural resources, but also for all the people around the world are able to achieve their values in this “land of opportunity”. Thirdly, in the way of transmission, America lays stress on cultural package and intangible penetration. American people are good at packaging, as well as American Dream. During the early period of 20th century, “package” as a verb got into American language, all kinds of items in sale were put on new clothes, “package”not only became a trade but also an unconscious reformation. Package comes into American people’s life and changes their inherent idea of consumption. American people also package their American Dream and spread it as cultural products which include American movies, classical music dramas, vivid cartoons and so on, the places that is packaged by American Dream include Hollywood, Broadway, Disney and so on. In America, newspapers, magazines, movies,TV and websites, all have a strong political color, even a simple American cartoon shows all the people around the world American Dream. These cultural products were widely accepted by people from other countries, meanwhile, they promote the transmission of American Dream unconsciously.C. The History of Chinese Dream From the starting of 1940s, Chinese awakened from the dream of strong China by invader’s guns. From the Opium War to the burning of Old Summer Palace, Chinese national consciousness and national spirit was awakened again. There were many heroes struggled on the way of realizing Chinese Dream, such as Wei Yuan, Hong Xiuquan, Sun Yat-sen and so on, their Chinese Dream was also the dream of national renaissance, but unfortunately failed at last. In 1921, after the origination of Communist Party of China, there was an unprecedented and exhaustive war began, to against imperialism and feudalism. In 1941, Chairman Mao put forward in a speech that all of Chinese people should have the rights of protecting personal freedom, participating in politic and protecting their own property, all the Chinese people should have opportunity to speak, clothes to wear, something to do and books to read, all in all, to play their proper role. This was the China Communists’ Chinese Dream, and was also many Chinee people’s expectations. In 1949, the new China established, opened a fresh chapter of striving to realize strong, prosperous country and to achieve people’s common prosperity under the leadership of the Communist Party. In 1961, Chairman Mao pointed out in the conversation with British Field Marshal that in our country, it would spend more than a hundred year to build up a strong socialist economy. Later in 1962, Chairman Mao stressed that if China wanted to catch up with and surpassed the world’s most advanced capitalist country, no more than a hundred year was impracticable. This was new Chinese Dream that put forward by Communist Party of China. In 1984, Deng Xiaoping spoke when met all the foreign representatives who came to participate in the foreign economic cooperation that our first step was to achieve our economic level over two times, it would need twenty years, and then the second step would need thirty to fifty years, it may need fifty years to get close to the level of developed countries. Two steps together would need fifty to seventy years, this was Deng Xiaoping’s Chinese Dream after Chinese economic reform. November 29, 2012, when Xi Jinping, General secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visit the “Road to Revival” exhibition at the National Museum, he firstly explain the concept of Chinese Dream, he said: “We are discussing Chinese dream, I think that, it is the greatest dream of Chinese nation to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.(1)” He also said, the aim of building a well-off society must be achieved fully when it came to the 100 anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. When New China was founded for 100 years, the goal of becoming a prosperous, democratic, civilized and harmonious modern socialist country would be able to achieve, and the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation would come true.D. The Connotation of Chinese DreamChinese scholars have discussed Chinese Dream long time ago, the most universal view on the connotation of Chinese Dream is that it is the modernization dream of Chinese people, the most profound meaning and requirement of it is to realize China’s modernization in the first half of the twenty-first Century, in the interchange of various civilizations of cotemporary society and in the process of developing national spirit and independent innovation. In this sense, we can say that Chinese Dream is using civilized idea, civilized image, civilized manner to achieve the modern rejuvenation of Chinese nation. Chinese Dream has mainly two levels of connotation: one is that many Chinese personal dream—wealth, fame, position; the other is the dream of Chinese nation—powerful country. Wealth, fame and position is just the external performance of Chinese Dream, while its real connotation is the dream of becoming a powerful country which reflects a nation’s cultural background and psychology.There are mainly three aspects to understand Chinese Dream.Firstly, historical perspective: Chinese Dream is not only the summary of the desire and pursuit in the history of fighting for almost a hundred years, but also Chinese people’s expectations for their future. Chinese Dream is not only the inheritance of Chinese outstanding culture for not less than five thousand years, but also the high condensation of the great practice since the foundation of new China especially the 30 years of reformation and openness. So we can say that Chinese Dream not only bears the weight of history, but also embodies the characteristics of reformation and innovation;Secondly, the transverse perspective of China and foreign countries: Chinese Dream is put forward in the background of having the whole world in vision, this shows China’s extraordinary self-confidence and firm pursuit, and at the same time, Chinese Dream likes a tree which is deeply rooted in the Chinese soil. Thirdly, the coequality perspective of individual and groups: Chinese Dream is the expression of individual’s hope and aspire, as well as the expression of groups’ feelings and power. Chinese Dream is the national dream and the people’s dream, this kind of dream reflects the beautiful vision from every Chinese people’s relentless pursuit and the Chinese nation’s lasting and strong power of cohesion. Individual, national and country’s dreams are three-in-one, ping out the best in each other.IV. Analysis of American Dream and Chinese Dream
A. The Differences Between American Dream and Chinese Dream1. ContentThe essential content of Chinese Dream is to achieve national prosperity, national rejuvenation, people’s happiness and realize each people’s freedom and comprehensive development. Chinese Dream emphasize on collectivism, prosperity, democracy, civilization, harmony, freedom, equality, justice, dedication, honesty and kindness, and the most important is that Chinese Dream stresses personal fate and country closely linked.American Dream emphasize on individual value and is the fulfillment of individual supreme value and the practical interests, it concentratedly embodies in American’s individualism values.2. SettingThe development road of America is established in the background of capitalist development for hundreds of years and is the product of western culture for thousands of years. American Dream is the embodiment of immigrant culture and is the gold dream in everyone’s heart from a country of immigrants. Especially with the popularity of American neoliberalism and other ideological trends, to get maximize material enjoyment seems to become the highest aim of people’s life and American Dream. Therefore, there are not less than a million people become American citizens through immigration. While Chinese Dream comes up in Chinese culture, and praises highly that only country and nation is good, we Chinese people will be happy. It also makes Chinese people take great national wisdom as temperament and always have the character of “strengthen self without stopping, and hold world with virtue”.3. PurposeIn addition to some personal success and the illusory incentive components, now, the purpose of American Dream is to pursuit dominating the world. However, the purpose of Chinese Dream is to realize people’s happiness, country and nation’s great rejuvenation, just like Chairman Xi said that people’s yearning for a better life is China’s goal.4. ApproachThe approach to realizing American Dream is so-called globalization, its essence is expansion, aggression and plunder. In 1898, America lanched American-Spanish War, this was the first expansion outside North America and occupied the Philippines. In the 21th century, in order to transfer the pressure of economic decline, America pazenly invaded Iraq, Yugoslavia, Libya and some other countries. The history of America is a continuous expansion, plunder and invasion to foreign countries.However, the realization of Chinese Dream rely on the peaceful rise of China and the unremitting efforts which is made by the whole country and people to build socialism with Chinese characteristics.5. ImpactAmerica is cracked down by international financial crisis, the malpractice of system gradually revealed and domestic conflicts becoming increasingly prominent, the prospect of American Dream is far less hopeful than the past. American ideology takes individual interests and individual freedom as center. American Dream stresses the pursuit of a strong and big unipolar world, and damnify even sacrifice the benefits of other country even the whole world to satisfy American own benefit. On the contrary, as a big developing country with a rapid rise, China maintains the good momentum of fast economy development for not less than 30 years, and now Chinese development is heading to the Two Century target, this indicates the pight prospect of Chinese Dream. Chinese Dream is the pursuit of promoting common development of the whole world and building harmonious world, this mighty dream belongs to China as well a the whole world. Realizing Chinese Dream is the well-being of people throughout the world.B. The Enlightenment to Chinese Dream1. People-centered Scientific ValuesChinese Dream is a nation’s dream as well as everyone’s dream. While American Dream’s core content is respecting personal value and promoting personal development, American Dream pings vitality to American citizens and America. Therefore, the most crucial point of realizing Chinese Dream is to be people-centered, carefully observe the public views, truly respect the public and let the public show great creative potential. The people-centered value is the core idea, origin and standpoint of scientific outlook on development. At the mention of development idea, it requires us to establish an idea of loving people, power for people and benefits of people; at the mention of development origin, it requires us to set up the perception of development depends on people, development for people and the fruits of development share with people.; at the mention of development standpoint, it requires us to solve the problems that people care most, the most direct and the most realistic; and at the mention of development methods, it requires us to be coordinated and realizing sustainable development.Achieving Chinese Dream must fully respect people’s own dream which in the bottom of heart, the official Chinese Dream only goes through people’s fully cognition and identity can links government’s ambition and people’s inward feelings, then transforms into conscious actions.2. The Innovation SpiritAmerican Dream pings American not only the motive power to running to their dreams but also the innovation spirit of exploring. A few years after American Civil War, only parts of the mainland get prospecting, people in that time go to the wild west, start with empty-hand and grow out of nothing, they produce meat in the desert, find oil in the stone and ping light to thousands of houses. Chinese Dream can not realize without this kind of spirit, as Jiang Zemin pointer out: “innovation is the soul of a nation’s advance and is a driving force for national prosperity(433).” Since then, Central Committee clearly put forward upholding innovation spirit of the era, constructing innovate country and party and some other important propositions. However, China still insufficient in the design of system and in practice transformation. Chinese people is not lacking in dream but often irresolute and gradually dreams just become fancy.Nowadays, under the new leadership, the connotation of Chinese Dream has been more clear, we should be more pave, more confident and more open up to explore. The reformation and openness makes Chinese economy develop continuously and international status promote ceaseless, it also makes a large number of Chinese people dare to dream and dare to do, their success is due to the exploration of Chinese Dream. Today, as the technology is so developed, the exploration of dream only integrates into scientific innovation spirit, peaks solidifying mode of thinking and looks for fresh peakthroughs comprehensively, it can be efficiently when achieving Chinese Dream. Equal Social Environment American Dream can become American people’s faith attributes to the social environment which is created by the state. We can say that, American Dream exists before America, the puritans on the May Flower look for new continent with the dream of freedom, equality and democracy, then after development for about two hundred of years, American people are keeping looking for dreams like this, and the country also obtains a big space to develop, every single person’s American Dream comes true. The formation of Chinese Dream is very complicate because of the experience of social strife, foreign invasion, national scattered and national independence, so Chinese Dream needs a good social environment as the protection. Chinese government should create a fair and justice social environment for realizing Chinese Dream. Under the condition of modern market economy, only on the basis of concept of fairness, it can enhance the vigor of social development as well as the degree of social integration, then realize our country’s dream. To take law and institution as protection, Chinese government should provide each citizen a fair starting point to develop, no matter what family he or she from or has background or not, through hard study and work, can achieve own value and own Chinese Dream. V. Conclusion Chinese Dream that raised by Chairman Xi, follows the thought which stresses by Chairmen Mao and Deng Xiaoping that Chinese nation should do great contributions to the whole world. Therefore, at any time, in any case, the understanding of Chinese Dream should not be the powerful rise of China and the achievement of China’s own profits, and ignore the profound connotation that China should make contributions to mankind. Through the rejuvenation of China, we should let our country, which can show a splendid culture of 5000years, can inherit the civilization of 5000 years, can share own values with the whole world and can use own power to promote world prosperity, stand erectly in the world. The renewed China is the country that advocates mankind’s destiny is conjunct, that gives consideration to other country’s legitimate concerns when chasing own profits, that promotes common development when chasing own development. The renewed China is a responsible country which adhere to the combination of Chinese people’s benefits with other country people’s benefits, and take part in international affairs with a more positive attitude, deal with global challenges jointly and solve the problem of human development together.