What Does An Egg Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Symbolism provides an imagery that helps facilitate a deeper understanding. Taking place in the 1920’s, The Great Gatsby, is set during a time when society, put up facades while also striving to achieve wealth and elite social status. This classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald uses subtle multiple symbols throughout the novel to expose the controversial issues that existed with society at that time. His ultimate goal with this novel is to emphasize the class struggles and reveal the objectives needed to achieve the American dream. In The Great Gatsby, the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, uses the infamous green light, the metaphor of an egg, and pearls to demonstrate and support the overall theme of the American Dream.

A simple analogy of an egg brings

deeper significance to this novel. Not only does the shape and composition of an egg have philosophical meaning, but it is also used in the name of the towns in the novel. The outer covering of an egg is much different that its soft yellow interior. Similarly, people sometimes appear externally to be quite different from whom they really are inside. The outer shell is determined by where you live and how you are perceived rather than what internally makes you up. Obviously the hard outer shell is what people initially see. Because people often must live in specific areas, they pretend to be someone they really are not. Additionally the interior yellow can symbolize gold and lavish objects. Moreover, an egg is used as the division of the town East Egg and West Egg. Gold, a precious metal means more social status and signifies wealth. The division of these two competing areas separates the newly rich from the historically wealthy families. The narrator Nick, comments that he lives in West Egg, being “the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them” (Gatsby 5). Nick expresses the idea of his egg (West Egg) being less prestigious and desirable than the other more prominent side (East Egg). However, even though some might not live in the exclusive part of town, they still can achieve the American Dream. Nick and the West Egg residents represent those that have actually worked hard to earn their new status. In this side of town where Nick and Gatsby reside, they demonstrate that with perseverance and hard work you can achieve success.. In the “New Money” area where Nick lives, he takes pride in himself and his neighborhood He states, “That’s my Middle West . . . The street lamps and sleigh bells in the frosty dark . . . I see now that this has been a story of the West, after all—Tom and Gatsby, Daisy and Jordan and I, were all Westerners, and perhaps we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly unadoptable to Eastern life” (Gatsby 172). These individuals all flaunt their pride in ascending the social ladder. Furthermore the protagonist Gatsby achieves his goal as he finally resides in the prized West Egg. The concept of a layered egg represents a dream that inspires hope, goals, and achievements.
As the novel progresses, the audience gets a true sense of the characters, their lives, and more importantly, their priorities in trying to achieve the American Dream.

The author uses the relationship of Tom and Daisy to show the idea of how gifts help escalate the social status as; “the day before the wedding, he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars”(Gatsby 85). The pearls worth thousands of dollars, a ghastly sum during that time period, shows that Tom has wealth and a symbol of the American dream. Additionally, this gift that Tom bestows upon Daisy is not only declaring his love, but also more importantly winning control over her. Initially, she was in love with Gatsby, a meager man at the beginning of the novel, whom she communicates with by letters. However, prior to her wedding with Tom he provides Daisy with this necklace, thus forcing her to choose between love and money. By choosing the expensive necklace over the letter, Daisy desires a life of money and status over what Gatsby could possibly give her. These pearls represent the ability of money or valuable objects to sway individuals away from love and marriage with the hopes of achieving the American

aspirations.
The significance and symbolic meaning of a simple green light, located on Daisy’s dock on East Egg, helps to further develop the idea of the American Dream. The significance of this object is distinguished as Gatsby says “If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay, you always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock" (Gatsby ???).
This light holds symbolism not only through its color but also by its location. The color green represents wealth, which was a recurring obsession with Gatsby. The body of water between them both represents the rift between Gatsby and Daisy’s different lives and backgrounds. Additionally, this is the first instance when Gatsby is reaching out to his hopes and dreams. Gatsby’s dream involves wealth and future marriage with Daisy. It is duly noted that at the end of the first chapter, Nick saw Gatsby and, “could have sworn he was trembling…Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light”(Gatsby 20-21). This personal action represents the longing for economic and material success, almost becoming and obsession. However the readers are able to understand that individuals constantly believe that there is always something better in the world. This green light is also symbolic as Nick’s observation at the end of the novel “tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther”(Gatsby 171), showing that this dream is all encompassing. Gatsby looking across the water to see the green light drives himself to high status and astonishing success. The green light not only represents wealth, but also the model of the American Dream.
The notorious green light, the image of an egg, and pearls are used The Great Gatsby to validate the idea American Dream or in this case money itself. Symbolism in this novel is used greatly to show how money is connected greatly to Fitzgerald’s perception of the American Dream. The author is able to use this reverie through the symbols that are expressed in his novel but ultimately is able to show his true opinion on this matter. Yes many have tangible objects, but does all of this money make every character in the novel happy.