Krista Day Ms. Penn AP English 117 May 2012 Symbols In The Great Gatsby Throughout “The Great Gatsby”, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are many important symbols which help to develop the plot in various ways. These symbols also help to develop a greater understanding of various situations throughout the novel. The numerous symbols throughout the novel also range from concepts that are direct to symbols that can be interpreted in many ways by readers. A few important symbols in “The Great Gatsby” are the green light, The Valley of Ashes, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and Gatsby’s elaborate mansion . Symbols in “The Great Gatsby” play a large role in the theme, characterization, motivation of characters, and setting throughout the novel. The green light in “The Great Gatsby” plays a large role in the characterization of Gatsby. A wealthy, extravagant resident of the West Egg of New York, Jay Gatsby is a man in his early thirties who has participated in illegal activities to gain his wealth. Also, Jay Gatsby is a fictional name created by James Gatz to symbolize his revolutionary plan of action to achieving his dreams of success and a new personality, which he has possessed since childhood. Gatsby is a character who has always been desperate to achieve the successful, wealthy life that is promised in the common American dream. The green light at the end of Mrs. Daisy Buchanan’s dock across the lake, located in the West Egg of New York, represents Gatsby’s motivation to achieve his hopes and dreams. As stated by Nick at the end of the novel, “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. . . .” (Fitzgerald, 189). This quote shows that Gatsby believed that this green light would eventually lead him to achieve his dreams and success by pushing him each day to work even harder. It also shows readers that the green light symbolizes the fact that though Gatsby devoted his life to achieving success, it was never truly in his reach. Another element included in Gatsby’s unreachable dream of complete success is a relationship with his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. The green light at the end of Mrs. Buchanan’s dock also represents the distance between Gatsby and Daisy throughout the novel, and Gatsby’s unfulfilled hopes of repairing their past relationship. Readers can tell that the green light represents this dream when Nick states, “…He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. 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, 25-26). This quote shows that Gatsby is literally reaching out to Daisy and her affection throughout the novel. The Valley of Ashes, located between the West Egg and the inner city of New York, also contributes greatly to the theme of “The Great Gatsby” in the way that it deals with the outcome of striving for the common American Dream. The Valley of Ashes is a dismal, gray stretch of industrial ashes from the city. Readers can tell that characters in the novel see the Valley of Ashes as a dark, lifeless place when Nick Carraway describes the area as a “solemn dumping ground” (Fitzgerald, 28). The Valley of Ashes is symbolic of the life of those who are caught between the excitement and wealth that comes with the American Dream and the desperation of striving to achieve it by its geographic position between the West Egg and New York City. The West Egg, known for its “raw vigor”, symbolizes the outcome of those who have been lucky enough to gain wealth quickly and recently, while New York City represents the endless opportunities and ways to achieve one’s dreams (Fitzgerald, 114). However, the Valley of Ashes, located directly between the two sides of New York, literally represents an area in which those who are caught in between reside. The Valley of Ashes also shows a physical representation of the outcome of the pursuit of the American Dream in the way that the gray, saddening land represents the decline of morals in New York. Throughout the 1920’s, American citizens were in constant search of wealth, and many were willing to achieve it through actions that were not morally sound. The dark sadness of the Valley of Ashes symbolizes the mood of this decline. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are perhaps the most symbolic representation throughout “The Great Gatsby”. Located on a billboard above the Valley of Ashes, the eyes of 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 nonexistent nose”, as stated in the narrative of Nick. (Fitzgerald, 27). These eyes are meant to symbolize the eyes of God watching over the world, especially in this time period of declining morality due to chasing the American Dream. The eyes represent the condemnation of God over the city of New York. Throughout the novel, George Wilson references the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg as the eyes of God a few times. Readers can tell that Wilson finds a deep meaning in and is very much affected by the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg when he speaks to his neighor, Michaelis, regarding the death of his wife, Myrtle. Wilson states, “and I said God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me, but you can't fool God!” (Fitzgerald, 167). This quote shows Wilson’s strong faith and religious beliefs. The narrative of Nick Carraway then states, “Standing behind him, Michaelis saw with a shock that he was looking at the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, which had just emerged, pale and enormous, from the dissolving night” (Fitzgerald, 167). This quote shows that the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are a representation of God to George Wilson. “God sees everything,” Wilson then replies (Fitzgerald, 167). The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg also symbolize the emptiness which is embodied in the life of Gatsby, as well as those who are also chasing after their dreams. After Gatsby has been shot, Nick discusses his ideas of Gatsby’s innermost thoughts about Daisy, the most essential part in his dreams. Nick states, “I have an idea that Gatsby himself didn't believe it would come, and perhaps he no longer cared. If that was true he must have felt that he had lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream. He must have looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is and how raw the sunlight was upon the scarcely created grass. A new world, material without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dreams like air, drifted fortuitously about…like that ashen, fantastic figure gliding toward him through the amorphous trees” (Fitgerald, 169). This quote shows that Gatsby may have believed that his life was empty without Daisy, and may have even given up his dream of trying to win her over. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are present throughout the story to represent a constant, haunting reminder of unfulfilled dreams which come with Gatsby’s way of life, containing no value in anything but the pursuit of his dreams. Gatsby’s elaborate mansion symbolizes the broadest themes and ideas throughout “The Great Gatsby”. Located in the West Egg of New York, Gatsby’s mansion is the true essence of the booming 1920’s. It shows the pursuit of wealth which every American citizen seemed to possess. The mansion also symbolizes the emptiness of Gatsby’s life, in the way that he inhabits the enormous house alone. Regarding his life alone in the mansion, Gatsby justifies his ways in stating, “I keep it always full of interesting people, night and day. People who do interesting things. Celebrated people.” (Fitzgerald, 96). This quotes presents the idea that Gatsby’s life is empty; however, his wealth and dreams keep him going. Gatsby’s dreams are also present in the symbolic nature of his mansion in the way that it is a physical symbol of his love for Daisy, and his dreams to be with her, just as he was years before. Gatsby believes that his mansion in the West Egg of people who have recently gained wealth will make her fall for him by taking her out of the houses of those who had gained wealth long ago, drawing her away from him. In conclusion, there are many important symbols throughout “The Great Gatsby” that contribute to the development of the theme, plot, and characterization of the novel. The green light of the Buchanan’s dock is a very essential symbol to the novel due to its strong characterization of Jay Gatsby. The green light represents Gatsby’s strongest character traits and affects his motivation throughout “The Great Gatsby”. The Valley of Ashes is symbolic of one of the most important themes in the novel. It also aids in the development of readers’ understanding of the setting and time period of the novel. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are also essential in “The Great Gatsby”, for they are symbolic of God’s eyes watching over America in the 1920’s and the loss of morals of many Americans. The eyes also develop the characterization of Gatsby in the way that they are the embodiment of his life throughout the novel. Finally, Gatsby’s mansion broadly symbolizes the pursuit of the American dream in the 1920’s, and Jay Gatsby’s life, dreams, and love for Daisy. Symbols in “The Great Gatsby” allow readers to understand the deeper meanings of concepts throughout the novel.

Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Simon and Schuster New York, 1995.