Symbols in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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The Great Gatsby is one of the most read pieces of literature throughout the current modern Western world. High school kids all across the globe must learn and read it as part of their curriculum. One of the aspects that makes this novel so notable is that Fitzgerald, at no point in the story, needs to convey to his audience the theme of his novel directly. The main points of his novel are brought out by the powerful symbols he infuses in the book. Not only does he use them to convey his theme, but also ties them in to the rest of the story. Every aspect of this book is affected by the presence of one of his symbols. Through the use of the green light, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, and the Valley of the Ashes as symbols, Fitzgerald is able to both develop plot and character and convey his theme throughout the novel. The first symbol brought to the attention of the reader in The Great Gatsby is the green light that Nick Carraway sees Gatsby reaching for at the end of chapter one (Fitzgerald 21). This light ominously appears at the end of Daisy Buchanan’s dock. Fitzgerald uses this light to symbolize Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. As Gatsby’s main purpose in life is to win Daisy back, him reaching for this light is symbolic of Gatsby reaching for Daisy and trying desperately to reclaim the passion of their love (68). This quest for Daisy also represents the American dream of the Jazz Age, which is to become wealthy and famous. This effect is shown in Chapter 9 when Nick compares the green light to how America, rising out of the ocean, must have looked to early settlers of the new nation: “And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island ... ... middle of paper ... ...The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald does not interrupt or come out to say anything. He uses indirect characterization to both define his characters and attribute qualities and specific meanings to his symbols. However, sometimes he does not even go that far. As seen through the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, he lets the reader infuse their own opinion into the story. It is this genius usage of symbols that make this novel as influential and widely studied as it is today. Work Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2013. Print.

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