What Does The Billboard Symbolize in The Great Gatsby?

Table of Contents

• The Physical Presence of the Billboard
• The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg
• The Impact on the Characters
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, has this billboard that stands over the Valley of Ashes. It's pretty important through the whole story. So, what's up with this billboard? Let's talk about why it's such a big deal and what it tells us about money, class, and how the American Dream might be more like an American illusion. We'll dive into its physical look, those weird eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg painted on it, and how it affects the people in the book.

'What Does The Billboard Symbolize in The Great Gatsby?'

The Physical Presence of the Billboard

The billboard in the Valley of Ashes is like a big reminder of how rich folks live large while others are stuck in dust and grime. It’s planted right there between West Egg and New York City, smack dab in an industrial no-man's-land. Every time you see that old, beat-up sign, you're reminded that not everyone gets to chase that fancy American Dream from the 1920s. And as for size? This thing's huge! It's kind of telling us about how money and stuff have this giant hold over society. It overshadows everything else around, especially those folks just trying to get by each day.

The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg

Now let's talk about those eyes on the billboard—Dr. T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes. They're big, blue, and they seem to look right through you, don’t they? They hover over the Valley like some ghostly figure keeping tabs on everyone’s business. These eyes symbolize something bigger—maybe how society's always watching and judging what's going down beneath all that jazz age sparkle.

Dr. T.J., who used to be an eye doctor but now just kind of lingers there forgotten, feels like a godly figure who's seen it all but doesn’t say much anymore. The eyes remind everyone—you can't hide from society or dodge paying up for your bad decisions eventually.

The Impact on the Characters

That billboard? It really messes with people's heads in The Great Gatsby. Take Tom Buchanan: he's got cash and attitude but looks at it like just another ugly thing out there—a bit like he sees working folks' struggles as no biggie.

Then there’s George Wilson with his little garage over in the Valley; he's another story altogether. He thinks those eyes belong to God himself looking down and judging him hard—and guess what? That belief sends him down a desperate path he can’t come back from.

Conclusion

All said and done; this billboard isn’t just paint on wood—it screams about wealth vs poverty loud enough for anyone listening closely enough: Hey! Look at societal rot creeping behind closed doors while everyone chases their so-called dreams across America’s glittery surface!

You wanna know what Fitzerald was trying to tell us through these symbols scattered throughout his pages? That dream we keep chasing sometimes leaves nothing but hollow echoes behind when morals crumble away amid material greediness...

Bibliography

1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott (1925). The Great Gatsby. Scribner.
2. Piper, Henry Dan (1965). "Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby'." In Bloom's Guides: Comprehensive Research & Study Guide.
3. Mizener, Arthur (1951). "The Far Side of Paradise: A Biography of F.Scott Fitzgerald."
4. Bruccoli, Matthew J (2003). "Some Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life Of F.Scott Fitzgerald."
5. Tanner Jr., J.T (1971), "Critique Of Morality Within Classic Literature."