An Interpretation Of Tender Is The Night From The Perspective Of Lacanian Theories

Fitzgerald is one of the most important writers in American literature history in the 20th century. His novels deeply reveal characteristics of America in 1920s, representing theme of disillusion about"American dream". Because of which, he was called as spokesman of"Jazz Age". His works vividly reflect disillusion of"American Dream"in 1920s, performing the upper class's spiritual aspects in the period of"Economic Depression"in America. In 1934, Fitzgerald created the semi-autobiography novel"Tender Is the Night"which expressed theme of realism with romanticism."Tender Is the Night"tells a story about the main character Dick·Diver a psychological doctor, who has elegant temper and ambitious prospects, whose road of pursuing American Dream and how disasters failure, turn to depressing, reflecting Fitzgerald's tragedy of disillusion of"American Dream". The thesis attempts to analyze the characters, particular Dick in"Tender Is the Night", and the social relations with Lacan's theory of Mirror Stage and Three Orders, consequently get the reasons why the American dream disillusioned in the most prosperous era of"Jazz Age"in America.This thesis consists of five parts, with three chapters coming between the Introduction and Conclusion.The first part is Introduction, which gives information about Fitzgerald's life, works, the novel of Tender Is the Night, literature review, and outline of the thesis.Chapter One focuses on the Fitzgerald and background of"Tender Is the Night"Jazz Age, and its characteristics. In order to explore American dream more clearly, this chapter will give a brief introduction of American dream's definition and its essence, the development and evolution of it; then stresses on stating American dream's meaning and characteristics in Jazz Age.Chapter Two is the theoretical part of the thesis. Chapter Two tries to explore Lacan's theory of Mirror Stage and Three Orders. This chapter includes four parts, the first part general introduces background of Lacan's psychology theory. The second and the third part make a deeper analysis on the mirror stage and three orders. The last part explores values of Lacan's theory on literature.Chapter Three analyzes and states theme of American dream in"Tender Is the Night"combining with Fitzgerald's personal experiences.Chapter Four is the main part of the thesis. It applies Lacan's theory to interpret American Dream in"Tender Is the Night". This chapter consists of three parts, the first part introduces Dick's road of pursuing love and money. The last two parts explore and analyze Dick's dream of love and money respectively with theory of Lacan, thus get reasons of disillusion of American dream.Conclusion is a summary and overview of the thesis. This thesis summarizes and interprets the significance of the novel. Under the background of"Jazz Age", according to Lacan's theory of Mirror Stage and Three Orders, the thesis analyzes American dream in"Tender Is the Night"from a new perspective, thus get the source of disillusion of American dream.