Perceiving the Moral Values of the American Society
in the Early Twenties Century
in Tender Is the Night
Abstract
F. Scott Fitzgerald, the famous American novelist in the 20th century, is known as the spokesman of the “Jazz Age” America, whose works give us an accurate picture of the atmosphere of the American twenties: the prosperity of economy and the moral absence. Tender Is the Night, published in 1934, is one of the greatest literary documents of Fitzgerald’s period. The exploration of moral emptiness and hypocrisy beneath the Jazz Age, together with the stylistic brilliance of the novel ensures Fitzgerald’s position in American Literature. His novel bears some features of modernism, among which symbolism is the most remarkable. Critics have analyzed the novel through different perspectives, such as the narrative point of view, the structure of the novel, etc. We will analyze four types of symbols in the novel: character symbols, object symbols, action symbols and scenery symbols. It consists of four parts. The first part introduces the writer, his works and some criticisms on Tender Is the Night. The second part concerns symbolism in literature and the functions of symbolism. The third part analyzes the symbols in the novel. The conclusion comments on the function of symbolism in Tender Is the Night.
Key words: Fitzgerald; Tender Is the Night; symbol
Contents
中文摘要………………………………………………………………………..i
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………ii
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………….iii
Introduction………………………………………………………………….......1
I. Symbolism…………………………………………………………………….4
A. Symbol……………………………………………………………………..4
B. Symbolism in Literature………………………………………………….4
C. The Significance of Symbolism in Literary Criticism……5
II. Symbols in Tender Is the Night.........................7
A. Characters………………………………………………………………...7
1. Dick Diver—the Disillusion of the American Dream………………...7
2. Nicole—the Inconstancy of Human Relationships in the Upper Class……8
B. Objects…………………………………………………………………..8
1. The Sexual Relationships…………………………………………….8
2. The Colors…………………………………………………………..10
C. Actions…………………………………………………………………10
1. Violence…………………………………………………………….11
2. Programs—Religious Actions Performed by Dick Diver………….11
D. Scenes………………………………………………………………….12
1. The Beach and the Garden…………………………………………12
2. Moonlight and the Title “Tender Is the Night”…………………….13
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….14
Notes……………………………………………………………………………………...16
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………18