Great Gatsby Symbolism Essay

Table of Contents

• The Green Light
• The Valley of Ashes
• The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg
• Conclusion

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a big deal in American literature. It tackles themes like decadence, idealism, and all the chaos that comes with social change. One thing that really stands out in the novel is its use of symbolism, which gives everything an extra layer of meaning. In this essay, let's dive into some of the main symbols in the story—the green light, the Valley of Ashes, and those creepy eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg—and see what they say about the book's bigger themes.

'Great Gatsby Symbolism Essay'

The Green Light

So, what's up with that green light at Daisy Buchanan's dock? It's probably the most famous symbol in The Great Gatsby. For Gatsby, it's not just a light; it's a symbol of his wild dreams and hopes for the future. He’s chasing after Daisy and trying to relive his past. Fitzgerald writes about it like this: "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us..." (Fitzgerald, 1925). It speaks to how slippery the American Dream can be. The green light shows how people are always reaching for something they can't quite grab—reflecting our broader human struggles and highlighting flaws in the American Dream.

The Valley of Ashes

Then there's the Valley of Ashes—it's a pretty grim place between West Egg and NYC. This area symbolizes moral decay and despair that's left behind from all that mad money chasing. It's such a contrast to those fancy East Egg mansions! In fact, Fitzgerald paints it as "a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat..." (Fitzgerald, 1925), showing how hopelessness lurks beneath wealth's shiny surface. This spot critiques materialism big time.

The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg

Oh, those eyes on a billboard looking over the Valley of Ashes—they’re kinda eerie! They’ve got this vibe like they're judging everything. Some folks say they represent God's judgment or maybe a moral compass for characters running wild in the book. George Wilson even says stuff like "God knows what you've been doing..." (Fitzgerald, 1925), making it clear he feels watched by something bigger than himself.

Conclusion

To wrap it all up, these symbols add so much depth to The Great Gatsby, helping readers get what’s really going on beneath all that glitz and glamour. The green light talks about dreams slipping away; the Valley shows decay beneath wealth; and those eyes remind characters they can't dodge moral judgments forever. Fitzgerald uses these symbols to dig deep into materialism issues during the Roaring Twenties while pointing out flaws within America's dream itself.

References

1. Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The Great Gatsby. Scribner.
2. Tredell, N., & Bloom, H. (2007). The Great Gatsby: York Notes Advanced Series. Pearson Education Limited.
3. Bicknell, J., & Taylor-Batty, M. (2006). The Great Gatsby: A Reader's Companion to Essential Criticism. Palgrave Macmillan.
4. Mizener, A., & Bruccoli, M.P. (1984). The Far Side of Paradise: A Biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
5. Taylor-Stonehouse, E., & Curnutt, K.G.(2018). “The Imaginative Synergy Between The Jazz Age And Modernity In ‘The Great Gatsby’”. F.Scott Fitzgerald Review Journal.