The Archetypal Interpretation Of The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) is one of the most well-known American novelists in twentieth-century and he occupies a unique position in American literature. His masterpiece The Great Gatsby can be regarded as one of the greatest American novel, which depicts the Jazz Age and shows us a vivid picture of the nineteen twenties with its artificial prosperity and underlying sadness. The collapse of American dream and the crisis of value are well reflected in characters and the details of the novel. This novel stands as the super achievement of his career and the critics around the world set high values on this work.This thesis is an interpretation of The Great Gatsby in terms of its characters, symbols, and themes by resorting to the theory of Northrop Frye's Archetypal Criticism. A comprehensive understanding of the archetypes in this novel can not only help us get into the inner world of each character but also help us gain a deep understanding of the themes and the plots of this novel.Part one is a general introduction about Fitzgerald and his novel The Great Gatsby. It introduces the life of Fitzgerald, his position in the literary field, and the literature review of this novel. It gives a general introduction of the Archetypal Criticism and explains some important terms that are employed in the thesis. Finally the author will illustrate the significance of this study.Part two is the main body of the thesis. In detail, this part analyzes the archetypes in The Great Gatsby. It is subdivided into three chapters. In the first chapter, the author of this thesis tries to analyze the archetypal characters in The Great Gatsby. In the second chapter, the author will analyze the main symbols, such as the Green Light, Dr.T.J.Eckleburg's Eyes, Valley of Ashes and the Color in The Great Gatsby respectively. In the third chapter, the author focuses on the archetypal themes in The Great Gatsby, including Quest-myth and the old theme of paradise lost and paradise regained.Part three is a conclusion of the thesis. Through the detailed analysis of archetypes in The Great Gatsby, we notice that Fitzgerald has shown us his great talent as a writer, and he succeeds in borrowing, adapting and representing the archetypes that appear recurrently in his novel. By interpreting the novel from the angel of Archetypal Criticism, we can not only deepen the understanding of social criticism but also receive a significant artistic effect.