AStudyofBinaryOppositesinTheGreatGatsby

宋天祎

1.Introduction to Binary Opposition

A binary opposition is a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning.It refers to a system in which two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set off against one another.It is the contrast between two mutually exclusive terms，such as on and off，up and down，left and right.Binary opposition is also an important concept of modern structural linguistics which sees the mutually exclusive terms as fundamental to all languages and thoughts and can help us get better understanding of their nature.In structuralism，binary opposition is seen as a fundamental organizer of human philosophy，culture，and language.

2.Introduction to The Great Gatsby

The story begins in the summer of 1922 when the narrator Nick Carraway meets his new neighbor Jay Gatsby who lives in a Gothic mansion and is renowned for his lavish lifestyle with parties.Nick finds out that Gatsby has ever been Daisys ex-boyfriend.At that time Gatsby is still a poor lieutenant.But finally Daisy gets married with Tom，an upper-class man.Ten years later Gatsby becomes very rich through running a bootlegging operation.He returns and buys a mansion located opposite Daisys house.

3.Gatsbys Dream and Disillusionment

After World War I，this generation has been cut off from old values，losing the sense of the calm idyllic past.Yet they are unable to come to terms with a new era.People in that period aimlessly wander about the Continent，drinking，making love，and traveling from country to country and parties to parties.These activities seem to justify their research for new meanings to replace the old ones.Gatsby，a delegate of this generation，has come a long way to pursue his great dream.Daisy is Gatsbys dream，representing the colossal vitality of his illusion，whereas，as the writer mentions，“this dream had gone beyond her，beyond everything” （Fitzgerald 94）.Gatsby throws himself into this dream with a creative passion，adding to it all the time，nothing can challenge what he will store up in his ghostly heart.

4.Daisy： Embodying both Goodness and Evilness

In most Western countries white is the color for goodness.Its the color of royalty or of deities.Angels are typically depicted as wearing white.Usually the good guy wears white while the bad guy wears black.In The Great Gatsby，Whenever Daisy shows up，she is in white.Actually，Daisy has ever been an Angel.In Louisville，she falls in love with Gatsby.And when she gets to know Gatsby would go abroad for battles very soon，she does not break up with him.But finally money overweighs her love.Half an hour later，when Daisy walks out of the room，the pearls are around her neck.

5.Gatsby： Prosperousness and Bleakness

Gatsby buys a deluxe department on the opposite side of Daisys house and holds hilarious parties through summer nights.The narrator goes to painstaking lengths to describe the spectacular.On weekends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus，bearing parties to and from the city between nine in the morning and long past midnight，while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains.The bar was in full swing，and floating rounds of cocktails permeated the garden outside，until the air was alive with chatter and laughter，and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot.（Fitzgerald 37） After the party ends，a sudden emptiness seems to flow from all the windows and the great doors and muffles Gatsby.

6.Conclusion

Binary opposition is a theory by which，in terms of language and thought，two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set against one another.There are many opposite elements in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and they contribute a lot to the novels characterization，its theme and the setting.The opposite images in The Great Gatsby deepen the novels ironic style and tragic theme.Binary opposition plays an important role in revealing the theme.Daisy represents Gatsbys dream.The protagonists possessed hankering of this dream and its forlorn finale form a deliberate contrast.The binary opposition of Gatsbys pursuit of dream and disillusionment promote the tragedy color of his life.The analysis of binary oppositions in The Great Gatsby in this thesis deepens the novels tragic theme and imparts to the whole text artistic glamour.It helps readers to get a better understanding about the conflicts between victory and vanity in The Great Gatsby.