本篇論文的目的在於探討費茲傑羅作品《大亨小傳》劇中角色生存心態的同時，能辨正出蓋茨比的死亡並非取決於單一特定因素，而是因為生存環境與價值觀內、外衝突下，所產生之結局。長年以來，多數批評家皆以單一面向的方式來闡述蓋茲比之死亡,進而忽略內心價值觀與外在生存環境對劇中角色之影響。 此篇論文希望能以布爾迪厄之生存心態與品味的觀念，提供另一角度了解蓋茨比的死因。
本文分為三部分，第一章探討布爾迪厄之生存心態的觀念，包含其基本定義、發展與應用。第二章以生存心態與品味的觀念引出蓋茲比與湯姆及黛西之差異性，進而了解蓋茲比如何邁向死亡之途。第三章則以蓋茲比對家人、朋友與異性之關係，探討他的愛情價值觀，了解無論從客觀或主觀因素，他對黛西之追求註定不會成功。藉由這三部份之描述，希望能提供讀者對《大亨小傳》有更深一層了解與體會。
This thesis aims at exploring the characters'habitus in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby while at the same time recognizes that Gatsby's death does not result from one single element but results from multiple elements,which include environment and value. Over the past decades,most critics focus on single perspective to illustrate what accounts for Gatsby's death. This may limit the significances for condition of existence and value on characters in the novel. Through the concept of habitus,it is to hope that we can bring readers a new interpretation for the death of Gatsby.
The thesis consists of three parts. Chapter one discusses the Boudieu’s concept of habitus, which includes the definition, development and application. Chapter two employs the concept of habitus to draw the difference among Gatsby, Daisy and Tom and leads us to unravel what account for Gatsby’s wretched ending. Chapter three, with the descriptions for the Gatsby’s relationship between family, friend and woman, proves that Gatsby is doomed to fail in recapturing Daisy either from objective or subjective concern. It is to hope that through the previous illustrations, while some gaps of the literary field can be filled in, a new interpretation of The Great Gatsby will be provided as well.
