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A reading report for the great gatsby
A reading report for the great gatsby
American social classes in the 1920s
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The Great Gatsby is full of blatant symbolism designed to give the story deeper meaning through mediums such as color and objects. The most important part about the symbology in the story is how it connects to the many themes displayed within the novel. Symbolistic objects such as The Green Light or The Eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are key elements that connect to themes including dissatisfaction and morality.
One key example of symbolism in the novel is The Green Light. The Green Light has an association with Gatsby’s dissatisfaction, a theme that is important when talking about Gatsby’s character. He displays to others in the story, most importantly Nick, that it is futile to attempt to appease his dissatisfaction. He mainly channels this disapproval on Daisy, who was truly Gatsby’s green light. And they are connected in this way, in that after finally meeting Daisy once again, he shows discontentment towards her after he learns that she is not exactly he wanted her to be. Nick explains
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Gatsby’s dissatisfaction with his non-perfect world when he says “He did not know that (The Green Light) was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.” (Page 180). Next, while the Eyes of T.J.
Eckleburg display god only in the grief-stricken mind of George Wilson, the mysterious eyes display a source of power and that is flagrantly ignored by the upper class. The eyes represent the theme of morality and how is it absent with the characters’ actions. The eyes also represent the meretriciousness of the world the class lives in as well as the people within this class. Gatsby is a character that lives a feigned existence, an existence that is contrary to morality and therefore compares to the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg, which seem to represent the meaningless of the world the characters live in. This feigned, moral-free existence is represented by Nick who explains that “The truth was that Gatsby was of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of god---a phrase which, if it means anything, means just---and he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty.” (Page
98) The Valley of Ashes represents the hopelessness and emptiness in the lives of the characters. It is the opposite environment to the decadence of the lives of Gatsby and The Buchanans. And while this is a fact, The Valley of Ashes clearly interposes itself into the meretricious lives of Nick, Gatsby, Jordan, Tom, and Daisy. The Valley of Ashes is Fractious, indeed, as it contains much death and corruption as well as The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg, making it an area that portrays the vacuous lives of many of the upper class. The emptiness of The Valley of Ashes is explained in this quote: “This is a valley of ashes – a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-grey men, who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of grey cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-grey men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight. … The valley of ashes is bounded on one side by a small fowl river, and, when the drawbridge is up to let barges through, the passengers on waiting trains can stare at the dismal scene for as long as half an hour.” (Pg. 26) In conclusion, the themes displayed in the novel and the symbology connected gives more depth to the story as well as a deeper explanation of human nature. The apparent symbolistic morality is a common factor in the real world, and it can be said that morality is often ignored especially when a lot of money is involved. This is portrayed in the novel quite well especially within The Buchanan’s lives. In addition, the discontent of Gatsby and many others is a constant factor in today’s world, it is just human nature to be that way for many. The novel captures this factor amazingly, with Gatsby’s dissatisfaction with Daisy. Overall, I believe this novel has become a great piece of American literature because of it’s deeper psychological symbology and it’s connection to human nature, and the real world.
Colors are very important in novels because they help the reader understand the deeper meaning of the topic. The Great Gatsby novel is one of the most well-known books ever to be written. In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator, Nick Carraway, describes a tragic story of a rich man, Jay Gatsby, in search for his true love, Daisy Buchanen. Daisy and Gatsby were previously in love, but Gatsby left for war and Daisy left him for more money. Jay Gatsby constantly throws extravagant parties hoping that his true love will visit one night and they will fall in love again. Instead, Nick Carraway invites Daisy and Gatsby to his house in hope that the old couple will connect again. Daisy and Gatsby finally fall in love again after several years of loneliness. Eventually, their love ends in disaster. In the novel, color symbolism plays an essential role in the novel.
The Green Light in The Great Gatsby The image of the green light in the novel Great Gatsby, by F. Scott. Fitzgerald, is a significant symbol which reflects Gatsby's dream and other aspects beyond Gatsby's longing. Throughout the novel Fitzgerald uses many other images or symbols. At first, it may seem very basic, but when the. symbol is closely studied, one may see the deeper meaning found within it.
The green light symbolizes a dream just out of his grasp. Both the light and Daisy are located across the bay and he can see both within eyeshot. Interpreting this symbol can correlate with the plot because by the first chapter, readers get a glimpse into Gatsby’s situation with Daisy without any dialogue except narration. Nick Carraway, the narrator, notices Gatsby hang behind and look out into the bay cryptically: “... he stretched his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, … Involuntarily I glanced seaward - and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock.” (Fitzgerald 26). This quote can also symbolize Jay Gatsby’s devotion for Daisy, as Nick says he sees “nothing except” the light, perhaps as Gatsby sees her as well. Color is a recurring device Fitzgerald uses, so the color represents a green light “go” The distance represents a theme of unattainability in pursuing Daisy, as she is preoccupied with marriage. So, the green light symbolizes elusiveness, introduces the contention between Gatsby and Daisy, and intertwines a theme of longing for a dream just out of
Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Symbolism is what makes a story complete. In "The Great Gatsby" Fitzgerald cleverly uses symbolism. Virtually anything in the novel can be taken as a symbol, from the weather, to the colors of clothing. characters wear. There are three main symbols used in The Great Gatsby, they are The East and West Egg, the green light at the end of Daisy's dock, and the eyes of Dr.T.J. Eckleburg.
Francis Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, is full of symbolism, which is portrayed by the houses and cars in an array of ways. One of the more important qualities of symbolism within The Great Gatsby is the way in which it is so completely incorporated into the plot and structure. Symbols, such as Gatsby's house and car, symbolize material wealth.
The thrill of the chase, the excitement in the dream, the sadness of the reality is all represented in the green light that encompasses Jay Gatsby’s attention in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The meaning contained in the green light consumed Gatsby in ways that demonstrated an unhealthy obsession in which five years of his life was spent attempting to get Daisy. The moment that dream became attainable to him, she fell right into his reach only to crush his heart. Five years were wasted on a dream that he really could not see. His life was spent changing himself to achieve “the dream.” Everyone needs to be able to say they lived their life to the fullest and have no regrets when it becomes their time. Do not waste it on an unrealistic
that he always observed Daisy from his house but all that he could see was the green light. He could only hope and dream about having Daisy by his side. This is before Gatsby finally met Daisy. When, at last, he met Daisy in Nick’s house, it seems that “the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever” (Fitzgerald 90). He had Daisy next by his side therefore “his count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” (Fitzgerald 90). Not only does the green light represent Gatsby...
Throughout “The Great Gatsby” novel there are many symbols and representations about various things. These symbols can be many different things. Three of these symbols seem very important and are most prominent. The first is the color yellow, which represents death and/or corruption. This is portrayed mainly through Gatsby’s yellow Rolls Royce, and how it directly kills Myrtle. The second symbol is the Green Light, which represents the American Dream. It is represented that way because once Gatsby has the green light (Daisy), his American Dream will be complete. The example of symbolism is the watchful eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, who sees everything that goes on in the novel. In the end, these various symbols represent many things, and make the book more interesting to read, and have a deeper meaning.
There are many types of symbolism in the novel The Great Gatsby. Probably the easiest to recognize were the colors and what they symbolized. The most obvious colors to point out would have to be green and white. Green supported feelings of many thoughts, ideas, and changes that Gatsby experienced throughout the story. It also represented peace and determination. White represented innocence and serenity. Another example of symbolism is when Gatsby broke the clock in Nick's house. This symbolized the factor that time played throughout the characters' lives.
The color green, as it is used in the novel, symbolizes different choices the character, Gatsby, can make during his life. The green element in this novel is taken from the green light at the end of the dock near Daisy’s house. The color itself represents serenity, as in everything is perfect. This warns Gatsby that he should not pursue his dream for getting Daisy back, because his chance has passed and everything is as it should be. This is shown with Nick’s insight, “…His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him…(Pg.189)”
Throughout The Great Gatsby symbolism represents color, the existence of eyes and money. The color symbolism is repetitive throughout the novel. The colors represent the different characters, personalities and their actions. An important symbolic color in The Great Gatsby is the green light. The color green is associated with spring, money, hope and youth.
In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, uses colors to symbolize a character’s inner thoughts and feelings or an objects deeper meaning. He uses colors to symbolize the many different ideas in the book. The colors are used very often as symbols, and the hues create atmosphere in different scenes of the book. Color symbolism is used to convey a deeper message to the readers and help them understand the characters. The novel shows the major themes through the use and explanation of many different colors.
Symbolism can mean and represent a wide variety of ideas, moments and memories in everyone's lives. In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, colors, names and objects symbolize different personalities, and ideas of the characters. Some of the symbols are more obvious and easier to pick up on than others.
First of all, symbols are an example of a literary technique. There are many symbols located through-out The Great Gatsby. For example, situated at the end of Daisy's East Egg dock and barely visible from Gatsby's West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby's hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and in Chapter One reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal. Because Gatsby's quest for Daisy is largely associated with the American dream, the green light stands also as a symbol of the American dream.
The Great Gatsby is full of symbolism, colors, for example. Throughout the book the author uses them to represent different themes of the novel. Some of these colors are white, yellow, grey, green, pink, red and blue. However, I picked white and green for my commentary because I think these colors have a special meaning different from the others. White is mainly used to describe the character’s innocence, fakeness, and corruption. While green represents Gatsby’s hopes, ambitions, and dreams. In addition, sometimes green symbolizes the jealousy of certain characters.