《了不起的盖茨比》英语读后感(精选3篇)

《了不起的盖茨比》英语读后感篇1

Thereisadream,rooteddeeplyineveryAmerican,fromtheverybeginningoftheMayFlower,thatthegreatgrandfathersofallAmericanshadbeencontemplatingandseeking,andofallAmericansthathasbeenwritteninthesecondsentenceoftheUnitedStatesDeclarationofIndependencewhichstatesthat"allmenarecreatedequal"andthattheyare"endowedbytheirCreatorwithcertaininalienableRights"including"Life,LibertyandthePursuitofHappiness."TheAmericanDream,isabeliefthataslongastheUnitedStatesafterahardstrugglewillbeabletoachievetheidealofabetterlife,thatis,peoplehavetoworkthroughtheirownhardwork,courage,creativityanddeterminationtomovetowardsProsperity,ratherthanrelyonspecificsocialclassesandotherassistance.Thisisusuallyonbehalfofthepeopleintheeconomicsuccessorentrepreneurialspirit.

Yet,thedreamhasalreadybecameanightmare,thatinthemoney-orienting,power-persuingmindsspringingupsincetheIndustryRevolution,Americanshavefallenin,notonlythewayoflifethroughwhichAmericansriflingformoreluxuriousenjoyment,butthemoralityofheartthattheypersuedprosperitywithallcostsofwhichtheywereoblivious.

Luckly,wehadpeoplewhosawtherealitymuchmoreclearlythantheblindmasses,whilethosewereconsideredCriticsofsorts.Theypointedoutthatmanyversionsofthedreamequateprosperitywithhappiness,andthathappinessmaynotalwaysbethatsimple.ThesecriticssuggestthattheAmericanDreammayalwaysremaintantalizinglyoutofreachforsomeAmericans,makingitmorelikeacrueljokethanagenuinedream.FitzgeraldwasoneofthemwhowentthefirststepthatAmericanfictionhastakensinceHenryJames,becausehedepictedtheextolledgrandestandmostboisterous,recklessandmerry-makingscene（T.S.Elliot）。

ItwasfiveyearsthatFitzgeraldforeseenthelatentfatalcancerofCapitalismofAmerican.TheGreatGatsbysooncameintobeing,inwhichfirsthalfiscomedy,secondhalfistragidy.Inthethird--personview,Nike,wholearnsthathisnext-doorneighbor,whothrowslavishpartieshostinghundredsofpeople,isthewealthy,mysteriousJayGatsby.Andthekeycharactor,Gatsby,hadfalleninlovewithDaisyin1917asanArmyLieutenantstationednearDaisy'shometown,Louisville.Afterthewar,GatsbycameeastandboughthismansionnearDaisyandTom,wherehehostspartieshopingshewillvisit.BeforthenGatsbywasamanofintegrityandhonor,whoreceivedgreatrespectformthesocietytohiswealthandpower.Whileafterhisdeath,hewasmerelyremembered,forgotternintheflewoftimeandlust.Thesepartieswerefashionable,butpointless.Itwasonlyashow-offofGatsby’srichesandmaterialsuccess.Thecrowdshardlyknewtheirhost;manycameandwentwithoutinvitation.Themusic,thelaughterandthefaces,allblurredasoneconfusedmass,showedthepurposelessnessandthelonelinessoftheparty-goersbeneaththeirmarksofrelaxationandjoviality.Allthiswastypicalof“theJazzAge”，whenmanypeoplelostbeliefinAmericandreamandindulgethemselvesindrinkinganddancing.ThegreatexpectationswhichthefirstsettlementoftheAmericancontinentbringsvanish,andsodespairanddoomsetin.Inhisbluegardens,menandgirlscameandwentlikemothsamongthewhisperingsandthechampagneandthestars…Onweek-endshisRolls-Roycebecameanomnibus,bearingpartiestoandfromthecitybetweennineinthemorningandlongpastmidnight,whilehisstationwagonscamperedlikeabriskyellowbugtomeetalltrains.AndonMondayseightservants,includinganextragardener,toiledalldaywithmopsandscrubbing-brushesandhammersandgarden-shears,repairingtheravagesofthenightbefore.

“EveryFridayfivecratesoforangesandlemonsarrivedfromafruitererinNewYork----everyMondaythesesameorangesandlemonslefthisbackdoorinapyramidofpulplesshalves.”（Chapter3,52）

Theexavagentlife,thenoisypeopleconstituteGatsby’sparties.However,thedepictionofthefashionableandmeaninglesspartiesservedtohighlightGatsby’stragedybycontrastingthegrandeurofhispartywithhisviolentdeath,withthefrustrationofhisdream.Gatsby’sfuneralwasratherdesertedandcheerlesscomparedwithhisparties.It’sarecordofhumancoldness.NickhadinvitedsomepeopletocometoGatsby’sfuneral.ThesepeoplewereallGatsby’sso-calledfriends.TheyfoundalotofexcusesfortheirabsencebecausetheyknewclearlythatGatsbywasnolongerusefulforthem.Gatsby’sgenerouspartieshadnotbroughthimevenonefriend.What’smore,Daisy,onceGatsby’slover,therealkiller,“hadn’tsentamessageoraflower”。（Chapter9,233）ThesharpcontrastbetweentheexavagenceofthepartiesandthecoldnessofthefuneralrevealedthehypocriticalrelationshipamongpeopleandthemoraldegradationoftheJazzAge.

Gatsby,thoughhiswealthcamefromhiscriminalactivities,wasthetypicalsymbolofAmericandreaminthattime,andthewhole-hearteddedicationofGatsbyandhissincerebeliefinwhathedidmadehimheroic,andthissubmergedtheunpleasantdetailssothattheydidnotseemimportantinthefinaloutcome,ashastheAmericandreammerwhoweresostubborntobelieveperspiritionwouldbringwhattheywant.

TherealkillerwhomurderredGatsbywasthesociety,inwhichpeoplecouldbecomerichovernightbynon-moralmeans.Apoorbeautifulgirlcouldmarryawealthyboywhomaynotbehandsomeforthepurposeofbeingrich,andayoungmancouldfindajobinwhichhewoulddonothingbutbepaid.WhileGatsby,thetrueheirtotheAmericandream,waskilledbyConspiracyofhisloverDaisy,whowasactuallystimulatedbythevanityfair,andlivedinluxuryatthecostofGatsby,towhomwithoutmercy.ThecruelrealitysmashedGatsby’sdream.Fitzgerald’scommentonthefailureofGatsby’sdreamwasalsoastatementonthefailureofAmericandream.Thecontrastofthedreamandtherealitysignificantlyindicatedamovingawayfromfaithandhopeinaworldwherematerialinterestshaddrivenoutsentimentalityandfaith.Whatismore,dream,evenifitpersists,isutterlyhelplessanddefenselessagainstamaterialsociety.Itcanonlybedefeated.Gatsbywasanexample.Owingtohisunrealisticdream,Gatsby’sfateturnedouttobeatragedy.Becausehewasnotconsciousofhisunrealisticdreamofloveandhedidnotcorrectlyhandlecontradictionsbetweenidealandreality,Gatsbysunkintothiskindofunrealdreamsodeeplythathecan’twakeup.AndthefinalresultofGatsbywassurelymiserable.

TheGreatGatsbyisFitzgerald’sfinestnovel.“sensitiveandsymbolictreatmentofthemesofcontemporaryliferelatedwithironyandpathostothelegendryoftheAmericandream.”——【TheOxfordCompaniontoAmericanLiterature】

ThesharpcontrastbetweendreamandrealitynotonlyexplainsGatsby’sfailureattheend,italsoexplainsthemeaninglessnessofthatage.Inaword,thesecontrastsprovidethereaderswithapanoramaof1920s.Andinthecontrast,thethemeofthenovel----thedisillusionoftheAmericandream----isstrengthened.Inthemeantime,thelossoftheAmericandreamreflectsthecorruptionofpeople’smorality.

《了不起的盖茨比》英语读后感篇2

ABookReportonTheGreatGatsby

TheGreatGatsbyIread,byF.ScottFitzgerald,thewell-knownAmericanwriter,waspublishedbyForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPressin2004,with225pages.

Thebookisanovel.ItisastorytoldbyNickaboutamannamedGatsby.Theauthorgivesthereaderavividlovestorywithatragicend.Thestorycanbeinterpretedmanyways.ThefalloftheAmericandreamisonemajortheme.

Herearethetopfourcharacters.Gatsby,theprotagonist,hasanobsessivelovewithDaisy.Hestrugglesforherattention,forherjoyance,andmostimportantly,forherherself.Itturnsoutwhathestrugglesforisonlyanallusion,ashadow,andadream,justoutreachofhishand.Hepays“ahighpriceforlivingtoolongwithasingledream”(Fitzgerald,200).SpecialattentionshouldbepaidtoNick,thenarrator.Heis“oneofthefewhonestpeople”thatweeverknowninthenovel(Fitzgerald,70).Therefore,wecan,firstofall,trusthisnarration.AsDaisy’scousinandGatsby’sneighbour,hethenexistsasaconnectionofthetwo.Anotherfunctionheplaysisthatbeinganobserver,hecanevaluateandcriticizeourprotagonistobjectively.DaisyandTommakeaperfectcouple.Daisy,thoughbornabeauty,issensualand“hervoiceisfullofmoney”(Fitzgerald,152).ThenTom,bothphysicallyandspiritually,isvulgar.TomandDaisyleadaluxuriousandprofligatelife.

Thefollowingistheplotofthenovel.GatsbyandDaisylovedeachother.However,GatsbywastoopoortomarryDaisy.HewenttowarinEurope.WhenhecamebackhefoundDaisyhadmarriedTom.Heearnedsubstantivemoneyillegally,andcametoNewYorkCity,andboughtahouse,andheldparties,whichwereluxuriousoutofimagination,inordertodrawDaisy’sattention.FinallyheknewNick,hisneighbour,wasDaisy’scousin,andcametohimforhelp.UnderNick’sarrangement,GatsbymetDaisyfiveyearsaftertheyparted.AfterTomhadlearnedthattherewassomethingbetweenGatsbyandDaisy,heattackedGatsbythatthelatterdiddrugstorebusinessinthefaceofDaisyandNick,andaskedDaisybacktohisarms.Later,Daisy,driving,killedMyrtle,Tom’sloverbyaccident.However,Tomtoldherhusband,Wilson,thatitwasGatsbywhowasMyrtle’sloverandkilledher.ConsequentlyWilsonshotGatsbytodeathandtookhisownlifeaswell.AfterGatsby’sdepressingfuneral,NickdecidedtogobacktotheMiddleWest.Afterall,Gatsby,Daisy,TomandhehimselfwereallfromtheMiddleWest.

WhenTheGreatGatsbywaspublished,T.S.EliotpraiseditwasthefirststepofAmericannovelhadtokensinceHenryJames.Ilikethisnovel,whichisnothardtounderstandbutnoteasytoappreciate.First,itisanovelaboutdreams.Youngmen,maybeyoungwomenaswell,withoutfortuneandoutlookmaylackeverythingbutdreams.Yethowtheirdreamswillturnouttobeiscompletelyanotherthing.WenoticeinChapter9,Gatsby’sSCHEDULE,whichismarvelouslysimilartoBenjaminFranklin’sschedule,andthenweareremindedoftheAmericandream.Thatisadream,asJamesTruslowAdamshasremarked,“ofalandinwhichlifeshouldbebetterandricherandfullerforeveryone,withopportunityforeachaccordingtoabilityorachievement”(“WhatistheAmericanDream”).ThegenerationofFranklinsucceededthroughtheirpersonalstruggle.Unfortunately,thiswasnevertruetomenlikeGatsby,wholivedinthe1920sAmerica.Gatsbydoeshaveambition,butheisaheroinanimpropertimewheremoneyisthesolecriterionofsuccess.FitzgeraldlinksGatsby“withaworldthatnolongerexist,aworldthathasbeenlostinbackrushoftime,aworldthatoffersmoreinpromisethanhasbeenrealizedinfact”(Lehan).Itisthedreamthatdeceiveshimintolivingwithsufferings;anditisthedreamthatevenmakeshimdiewillingly.

BesidesthedeclineoftheAmericanDream,anotherthemeofthenovel,inmyopinion,isthatthereexistsnotrueloveinaworldwhereruthlessmaterialismprevails.Notwithstanding“theloveGatsbyhasforDaisyseemstobetheonlypureimpulseinacorruptworld”(Lehan),hislovehasnoopportunitytoflourish.DaisyfinallychoosestofollowTom,andtheyescape,“andletotherpeoplecleanupthemesstheyhadmade”(Fitzgerald,222).Aboutlove,Fitzgeraldsaysthroughoneofhischaracters,“Thereareonlythepursued,thepursuing,thebusyandthetired”(Fitzgerald,95).ThelovebetweenNickandBaker,ifitexists,cansupportthispointaswell.

IntermsofcraftsmanshipinAmericanliterature,TheGreatGatsbycanbesaidoneofthemostconsummate.Itisaworkmakinggooduseofsymbolism.First,thegreenlightattheendofDaisy’sdockrepresentsGatsby’shopeanddreamforthefuture.Itisyetonlyanillusorydreamwhichhewillneverreach.Itisnotmorerealthanthestarsinthesky.Second,theValleyofAshessymbolizes“themoralandsocialdecaythatresultsfromtheuninhibitedpursuitofwealth”().Third,theeyeofDoctorT.J.Ecklebury’sinabillboardrepresents“GodstaringdownuponandjudgingAmericansocietyasmoralwasteland”().Eachsymbolhasmorethanoneinterpretation,withwhichIwillnottrytobotherhere.

ThenthelanguageofTheGreatGatsbydeservestobementioned.Thelanguageiselegantandgraceful,andsometimesitcouldbecomparedtoapoem’slanguage.InoneofGatsby’sgrandparties,“peopledisappeared,reappeared,madeplanstogosomewhere,andthenlosteachother,searchedforeachother,foundeachotherafewfeetaway”(Fitzgerald,44).ThenwhenDaisywassingingwiththemusicinahusky,rhythmicwhisper,shebringsout“ameaningineachwordthatithadneverhadbeforeandwouldneverhaveagain”(Fitzgerald,135).ThenGatsby“stretchedouthishanddesperatelyasiftosnatchonlyawispofair…”(Fitzgerald,191).Moreexamplesshallnotbequoted.Thedescriptionofviewsoftheeveningandmoonlightshouldbespeciallynoticed.

Inrelationtoourlife,howshallwedowithourpersonaldreams?Man,ashegrows,becomesrealistic.Thisprocessislikewhenweputapieceofpaperintoaglassofwater,thepaperisgraduallysoakedandsuddenlyfallsintothebottom.Thenitislikeanartichokeflower,peelsoffonepetalafteranother,andfinallywithers.However,withoutdreams,whatcanmanhold?ThePandora’sBoxopened;everythingflewout,leavingonlyhopeatthebottom.Hope,thence,staysforeverforthedespairingpeople,evenwhentheyhavenothingelse.

Finally,thefictionurgesmetothinkaboutwhatkindoflifewearewillingtohave?AllthefourprinciplecharactersarefromtheMiddleWestandcometoliveintheEast.ManyinChinacomefromthecountrysideandpursuetheurbanlife.NickneverfeelsheisapartoftheEast,andifGatsbyhasfelt,hewouldnotbedead.Therelationbetweencountrysideandurbanlifedeservesreconsidering,especiallyinthecontemporaryChinesecontext.

Itismypleasuretorecommendthisnoveltomyfriends.Anotherwell-knownAmericanwriter,whowascontemporarywithFitzgerald,ErnestHemmingway’swordsareofservice,“Gatsbywasagreatbook.I’vereadittwiceinthelastfiveyears.Itgetsbetterwitheachreading”(Hemingway,Gregory).Iwouldliketoreadittwicewhentimeisavailable.

Bibliography

Fitzgerald,F.Scott.TheGreatGatsby.Beijing:ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPress,2004.

Hemingway,Gregory.“Lessons.”EnglishEssays50.Ed.TaoJie.Nanjing:YilinPress,2002.354.

Lehan,Richard.“FocusonF.Scott.Fitzgerald’sTheGreatGatsby.”AmericanDreams,AmericanNightmares.Ed.DavidMadden.LondonandAmsterdam:SouthernIllinoisUniversityPress,1970.

《了不起的盖茨比》英语读后感篇3

"Thegreatgatsbyisaharborof"Americandream"intheliteraturewriterFitzgerald'sworks,Fitzgeraldsaidhisownextraordinary,withhisparentsisdifferentalso,don'teventhinkofthemselvesasthesonofparents,hehascomefromtheselfPlatonicidea.

Inthisarticle,theherothatgatsbyisauniquethoughtofthepeople,healsohavePlatoniclove.Heputhimselfasthesonofgod,hethoughtheshouldbegod'scareerservice,hispursuitofa"vast,secular,ostentationofbeauty",obviouslyheimaginehimselfbecomeChrist'scharacter.Seventeen,hedecidedtochangename,fromtheoriginalJamesgatestojaygatsby,jaygatsbyissaidtobeEnglishJesus,God`sboypronunciationvariation.Buttheironyisthat,fromthemomenthechangedhisname,hebegantopursuetheso-calledbeautyandkindness,alsobeganhistragiclife.HesawDaisybuchananashepursuestheincarnationofbeauty.Whenhesawher,heknewthatshehadputhisidealandhislifetogether.Heknewhishearttoheartwithgod,mustbesingle-minded,neverheartsidewuchi.Whenhekissedherforthefirsttime,"sheisjustlikeaflowerbloomforhim,andtheembodimentofthisidealisdone."OnDaisy,gatsby'sdreambecamefleshandblood.HedesireandDaisytogethertorealizetheirdreams.

However,Daisycannotactastherole.Sheisajustamissthebourgeoisieforthehighestgoalinlife,nothoughts,thereisnosentiment,shallowfalse,bored,nothingtodo.Shenevertorealizegatesthanhisdreamtosacrificetheirownvestedinterests.Whilegatsbyhimselfcouldnotachievetheirdreams,ofcourse,hisideaistoounreal.HeandDaisy'shusbandTombuchananpossesswealth,thedifferencebetweentwopeopleisatleastheusedhiswealthtopursueakindof"beauty",andtrymybesttogetit.However,hedidn'twinit,finally,GeorgeWilson,isTom'smistress'shusbandinDaisycouplekilledgatsbyconspiredandegged.Hisdreamcompletelyshattered.Gatsby'sfailureisthefundamentalreasonisthathedidthe"Americandream"hasbeenoutofdate,hisopportunityhadlittlesdreamcometrue.

Ifeltsorryforgatsby,heissosingle-minded,butintheendwashurtbytheirfavoritewoman.Ofcourseheispraiseworthyinsomeplaces.Hecanreadtheloveisbeautiful,andnotlikemostpeopleassociateloveandinterests.Buthereallymisledbyhisideal,hedidnotseetimeandoccasion,heshouldn'tbeontherightpeoplealsoisreluctanttopartwiththepastmemoriesaftermarried.AndDaisythispersontoovain,toogreedy.Tosomeextent,gatesthanthefinalfatehasalottodowithher.