1. 研究目的与意义（文献综述包含参考文献）

a critical analysis of symbolism in the great gatsby

f. scott fitzgerald is considered to be one of the most outstanding american writers in the twentieth century, the spokesman of the ”lost generation” and ”the roaring 20s”. in his short-lived literary career, he created 4 full-length novel and more than 160 short stories, leaving priceless spiritual legacy for the literature circle. the great gatsby, one of his famous works, is entitled ”the great american novel”, which reflects the core of american dream as well as exerts great influence on the contemporary american society. it is worth to mention that apart from its profound realistic significance, the great gatsby also has great artistic values, among which the use of symbolism is a distinctive feature reflected throughout the novel. hence, it is of great importance to analyses the great gatsby from the perspective of symbolism.

undoubtedly, the analysis of the great gatsby from the perspective of symbolism can help the reader grasp the deeper meaning reveal by the novel and better understand its artistic values. symbols in the great gatsby are diverse, for instance, the symbolic images, the symbolic environment and the symbolic characters, which have rich connotations and are beneficial to the clarifying of the theme. therefore, through researching on the implications of the novel , one can not only achieve a further understanding of the novel but also appreciate the artistic value of the novel. more importantly, the employment of symbolism is included in the overall organization of the novel and is one of the most prominent writing techniques.

2. 研究的基本内容、问题解决措施及方案

To start with, this thesis will give a detailed introduction to the F. Scott Fitzgerald as well as his accomplishment. Secondly, it will give a brief overview both on the current studies on The Great Gatsby and on the symbolism used in it. Moreover, it will list some theories regarding the use of symbolism. At last, the thesis comes to its conclusion that symbols used in novel plays a pivotal role in strengthening artistic value as well as deepening the theme. The main research method of this thesis is documentation mathod. The topic will be analyzed and discussed in this thesis by the study of literature and comprehensive analysis.