Symbolism
In the Great Gatsby Fitzgerald uses symbols to help the reader understand the novel. He uses symbols such as the Valley of Ashes, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, the green light, East Egg, and West Egg. Fitzgerald uses these symbols to support the meaning and message of the story. Fitzgerald uses the characters in the book to emphasize the ideas.
In the beginning of the novel we have Fitzgerald introduce us to Gatsby who the reader can visualize reaching for a green light. The Green light is at the end of Daisy’s dock from the West Egg side. The light represents Gatsby and his dream that he is trying to reach. The dream that Gatsby is trying to reach is Daisy. This is the first time that the green light is presented in the novel
…show more content…
as well as the first time that the character Nick sees Gatsby. Fitzgerald writes “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling...far away” (Fitzgerald 25-26). This green light is not only Gatsby’s dream, but it is something that he has been wanting ever since he fell in love with Daisy. Fitzgerald uses The Valley of Ashes as a symbolic location in the novel.
The Valley of Ashes is introduced in the second chapter, where Tom takes Nick to meet Myrtle. The Valley of Ashes is located about halfway between New York and West Egg. In the novel it is described as a “desolate area of land.” The Valley of Ashes was created because of the dumping of industrial ashes. Fitzgerald writes “This is a Valley of Ashes...crumbling through the powdery… from your sight” (Fitzgerald 26). The Valley of Ashes symbolizes poverty and lack of hope as well as a social decay that is caused by quest for wealth without any concern about the others. The main purpose of this symbol in the novel is to understand the poor that are banished to live in these ashes. Overlooking the Valley of Ashes is another symbol, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. This is simply a billboard that is advertising and eye doctor. In the novel it states that “The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic — their irises are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose” (Fitzgerald 26). This billboard is looking over the dumping ground. Fitzgerald tries to have the characters suggest that the meaning of the eyes is connected to the eyes of God. This can also symbolize all those who are corrupt in the Valley of Ashes and that they are wrongly
judged. Other symbolic places in the novel include the two “eggs”. Gatsby, Nick, Tom, and Daisy Buchanan live on the “eggs”. In the novel the East and West Egg are two places situated on Long
Fitzgerald has an in-depth writing style. He uses symbols through out the text, which highlight key ideas, some are more obvious than others although all are effective. He has added detail to the smallest of things and every component of this text has a meaning. Fitzgerald has used many symbols thought this text some which include a green light, representing what Gatsby dreams of having and what he can’t reach, the Valley of Ashes, where people like George and Myrtle Wilson live - people who are not very wealthy - . the eyes of T.J Eckleburg, who is represented very alike to God who is known to see everything that happens, the clock, which is knocked over by Gatsby symbolising that Gatsby and Daisy have caught up in time and the weather which symbolises the atmosphere between
“But his eyes, dimmed a little by many paint less days” Represents a certain motif, consisting of the words Great and Bright, However it is stated that his eyes are dimmed. This exemplifies that even though people can see, they are not seeing clearly due to the ash covering everything.
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.
The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a novel based on Gatsby’s dream and hope. In order to enrich the story, symbols are used to emphasize what the author is saying and they create a curiosity in the reader as they are frequently used throughout the story. These three symbols – green light, valley of ashes and the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg are not connected to each other but each of them represents important things in the story.
By exploring the physical site of the valley, followed by the inhabitants of the valley – George and Myrtle, George representing the working class and Myrtle the exception, extending this to the references of the valley to Gatsby’s humble origins, the Valley of the Ashes represents the low social mobility and the failure of the American Dream.
“The valley of ashes is bounded on one side by a small foul 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,” (23) In The Great Gatsby, between the East Egg and the West Egg, lay the valley of ashes. Though not literally consisting of ashes, the area gets its nickname because of the industrialization of the area as well as the smog from the smokestacks decorating nearby factories that thickens the air. The valley of ashes is an effective symbol of the uselessness of succeeding in achieving The American Dream.
“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. And then one fine morning— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (180). 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 1 he reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal. Fitzgerald illustrates Daisy as a symbol of wealth, success, dreams, beauty, marriage, motherhood, and she ultimately encompasses the idealistic American Dream. However, t...
Imagine everyday waking up going to the same old boring job living a meaningless life because it is impossible to achieve the same life as the those living in the upper class. Gray suffocates the surroundings, except for a dingy billboard with blue eyes and yellow spectacles. This is a reality for Myrtle and George Wilson living in the Valley of Ashes because they are the lower class in The Great Gatsby. In this novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he conveys the importance of the colors: gray, blue and yellow in relating the setting and social class in the Valley of Ashes. The description of the Valley of Ashes gray is constantly repeated,“Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up in an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations
There are three big symbols throughout the novel The Great Gatsby. The Valley of Ashes, an old, run, beat down town. The green light at the end of Daisy's dock. and The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg plastered on a billboard located in the Valley of Ashes. All having much significance throughout the novel. But at the same time all symbolizing death in the end without anyone even realizing it.
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then where does the door lie? F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a very dense book laden with symbolism. He uses eyes and facial features often in combination with colour to convey symbolism. This has a unique and powerful effect because the eyes and facial features are the first things that one uses in determining another’s character. One important thing to note would also be the lack of facial description in determining a character’s importance. By excluding a detailed facial description and thus a description of a character’s eyes, Fitzgerald suggests the lack of a soul. Eyes also have a very spiritual impact in the book, particularly the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg, that watch over the “valley
Throughout the novel Fitzgerald has incorporated numerous symbols that are meant to challenge our ideas of the 20’s as well as strengthen the book as a whole. A major symbol in the novel is the Valley of Ashes. The Valley is a wasteland home to many poor people covered in ash and coal, between New York City and West Egg. The Valley of Ashes is important to the book, because it represents the people who were lost between the riches of West Egg and the adventure and promise of New York City. The Valley of Ashes represents a greater theme of society and class, and emphasizes the drop off between the rich and poor. Another symbol both represented in the book and the movie is the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg. The eyes of Eckleburg represent a greater
In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald incorporates a multitude of symbols. The most important are the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, the green light, parties, the Valley of the Ashes, and money. The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are described as, “The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose” (23). These represent society as this time, it was incredibly
Although in the novel the reader has to decipher and figure out the importance of these symbols, in the movie these symbols are enhanced and are shown more clearly to the viewer. They show Gatsby out on the dock reaching for the green light. When Gatsby is close to finally reaching his dream the light is shown brighter. Then, later on in the movie, they show light flicker and slowly go out after Gatsby’s death, showing how he had failed to gain the one thing he desired most, Daisy. Another example is the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleberg, the movie makes it more apparent that they represent the eyes of God looking over the corruption and loss of morality in the Valley of Ashes. While reading the book is more in depth, the movie can help the reader to further understand the meanings of these
Symbols: There are multiple symbols apparent in the novel, such as the green light and the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. Gatsby “stretched out his arms toward the dark water…he was trembling”(25-26) as he reached towards green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. The green light that Gatsby purposely made visible from his house represents Gatsby’s hunger for Daisy and her approval. He builds his entire fortune on the hope that it will one day be enough to win over Daisy. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg symbolize God watching over us as he judges the decay of society’s morals and success. The eyes are looking a The Valley of Ashes, which may represent America as a wasteland.
Much of it comes from industry: factories that pollute the area around them into a “grotesque” and “ghastly” version of a beautiful countryside. Fitzgerald gives no life to the valley making everything in the valley to be covered by ashes literally and figuratively. The Valley of Ashes turning regular humans into “ash-grey men” who “swarm” like insects around the factories and cargo trains. The ash and dust, is not only a reflection of the corruption of the American dream, but of the negative consequences of the pursuit of the American dream. The Valley of Ashes also embodies the decline of spiritual life and the degradation of values associated with the vulgar pursuit of wealth.