費茲傑羅《大亨小傳》中的階級、資本和名流文化

Abstract

本論文旨在透過皮爾 · 布迪厄的理論探討費茲傑羅所著《大亨小傳》中的階級流動性以及名流文化對階級的影響。法國社會學者皮爾 · 布迪厄指出，個人的社會階級不僅取決於經濟資本，並在他的理論中闡述階級是如何以不被覺察的方式進行複製。 布迪厄對於各種形式之資本的探討，有助於我們了解蓋茲比無法成為上流社會一份子的原因。蓋茲比並不缺經濟資本，因此我認為蓋茲比所缺乏的文化資本、象徵資本和社會資本是造成他無法融入上流社會的理由。布迪厄的理論解釋了為何蓋茲比在小說中被各個角色批判。 除了探討蓋茲比擁有或缺乏的各種資本如何決定他在階級中的定位，以及他的資本如何影響他和其他角色之間的關係，我也試圖探討名流文化是否影響了蓋茲比對階級的觀念，或是改變了他所構築的理想自我。本論文會討論一九二零年代美國的社會結構以及蓋茲比所設定的目標，來釐清蓋茲比悲劇的成因，並說明為何一九二零年代的美國在這個悲劇中扮演關鍵角色。

This thesis aims to examine social mobility and the impacts of celebrity culture on social class in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby through Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of forms of capital. The French Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu illustrates in his theory how individual social position is determined by several forms of capital instead of by economic capital alone, and he offers a systematic theory to illustrate how classes are constructed and reproduced in a subtle process. Bourdieu’s discussion of different forms of capital enables a study of why Gatsby fails in his attempt to be a member of the upper class. Since what Gatsby lacks is not economic capital, I intend to argue that Gatsby’s insufficient cultural capital, symbolic capital, and social capital are the central causes for the upper class to deny his access to the class and to reject a permanent relationship with him. Bourdieu’s theory offers a lens to examine impacts of forms of capital on other characters’ judgments of Gatsby. Besides studying how the forms of capital Gatsby owns or lacks define him and his relationship with other characters, I will also explore if the formation of celebrity culture has any effects on Gatsby’s understanding of the class structure and further on the ideal self that he pictures. This thesis will investigate the relationship between the social structure in the twenties in the United States and the accomplishment Gatsby aims to achieve in order to figure out the key cause to his tragedy. Also, I attempt to suggest that the 1920s America is a significant historical background in which Gatsby’s failure is almost inevitable.