The Great Gatsby: Decoding Symbolism in Fitzgerald's Classic

If there ever was a definitive time when the American Dream seemed possible it was the 1920s. In Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald explores the disappointing reality of the American Dream exploring the moral cost of the phenomenon. In the novel, the dark side of the American Dream is personified by the overwhelming sign of doctor T.J. Eckleburg symbolizing society's materialistic ambiguity and destruction of righteousness. In the novel, the vile corruption and negative by-product of the American dream are represented by the valley of the ashes. Finally, the green light symbolizes immoral actions and how it undermines the American dream. Through these symbols, Fitzgerald shows how the deterioration of morals through an obsession with materialistic wealth makes the American Dream impossible. Let`s research this topic in the work 'The Great Gatsby Symbolism Essay'.

Throughout the novel, the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg symbolize society’s loss of morals at the hands of materialistic corruption. The big billboard sits watching over the famed valley of ashes. The eyes on the sign are an image a wealthy doctor looking over the hardship and moral ambiguity found in the industrial wasteland. “But above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg”. The eyes of a wealthy optometrist ironically sit over a poverty-stricken area taunting those who live there. The advertisement in itself is the American Dream, to attain wealth and become successful. However, its location shows that the temptation of the American Dream is just a dream for many and only left exclusive for an elite few. The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg can also be perceived to symbolize the ever-watching eyes of god. In the text George Wilson alludes to the billboard representing god “I told her she might fool me but she couldn’t fool God…God knows what you’ve been doing, everything you’ve been doing. You may fool me, but you can’t fool God!”. This line represents how traditional American values have become corrupt in the pursuit of the American dream. The allusion emphasizes the loss of spiritual values in America in replacement of lust and pursuit of money. Furthermore, the significance of religion and morals in society is lessened as it has been limited to a deteriorating image of a doctor in the middle of a corrupted wasteland. Throughout the plot, the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg represent the loss of morals in replacement of wealth that destroy the American Dream.

In the novel, the valley of ashes embodies the darkness and negative by-product of materialistic obsession in The Great Gatsby. The valley is a polluted desolate stretch of road that is situated between New York and West egg. It is an industrial wasteland and is a by-product of the wealthy in society that have destroyed the American Dream. “This is a valley of ashes … where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and … of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest…the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight”. Fitzgerald makes a clear distinction between the valley of ashes and East egg West egg in the novel. Those in the valley of ashes are impoverished “ash-gray men” who struggle to make enough money to support their families. While wealthy Americans are only obsessed with material items and indulge in immoral activities for their own pleasure. This difference can be shown through the difficult life of Mr. Wilson as well. Wilson has worked himself to near death in his auto shop in the pursuit of him and his wife accomplishing the American dream for him and his wife.”I need money pretty bad, and I was wondering what you were going to do with your old car… My wife and I want to go west… She’s been talking about it for ten years … and now she’s going whether she wants to or not. I’m going to get her away”. In this quote, Wilson reaches out to Tom, a member of the upper class to appeal for money. Wilson attempts to appeal to Tom’s generosity so he can get money for his American dream. This illustrates the divide between the two men and the difference in finances. Wilson struggles to financially support his family, while Tom is swimming in wealth. Living in the valley of ashes Wilson’s American dream is unattainable and Tom’s dream is only made possible by living in east egg. The abundant money of the upper class has corrupted society and made the American Dream impossible for those living in the valley of ashes seen through George Wilson. The struggle of those in the valley can be seen as a necessary byproduct of the American Dream proving that it is impossible for all.

The green light that rests on the point of the Buchanan dock represents symbolizes society's lust and immoral values, that corrupt the American dream. This concept is first shown at the beginning of the novel“. He stretched out 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.” The passage illustrates Gatsby looking across the bay at the east egg which represents the distant ariticrosity in America. In this instance, the green light shows how wealthy and materialistic tendencies have destroyed the American Dream. The author says the green light is “a minute and far away” and describes the water as “dark water”. This language makes the green light seem both corrupted and impossible for Gatsby to obtain. The way the author describes the green light makes it seem that it is impossible for Gatsby to reach as well as its location on the Buchanan dock represents those who have tainted it, the rich and wealthy. The light as well represents Gatsby’s own dream of stealing Daisy away from Tom, doing so would complete his own American dream. “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic 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…” Gatsby is a man who holds onto his past. Still, he believes in his outdated dream which is to be together with Daisy. The green light symbolizes renewal as well as Gatsby’s old love for Daisy, which is his dream. Gatsby sets out to obtain wealth in order to attract Daisy’s attention. However, Gatsby obtains his money illegally and corrupts the American Dream by going down an immoral path. His dream is further corrupted when Daisy kills Myrtle and Gatsby lies to take responsibility for the accident. The color green which once represented the renewal of an old love now represents corruption at the end of the novel. Furthermore, the green light comes to symbolize the immoral values of American society that in turn make the American dream impossible.

In conclusion in The Great Gatsby symbol essay, in the great Gatsby, symbolism proves that the American Dream is completely unattainable. The eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg show the moral detection and destruction in the 1920’s.The valley of ashes is the byproduct of materialism and how it has corrupted the american dream. Finally the green light symbolizes Gatsby’s moral destruction by materialistic wealth and lust and how it has made the american dream unattainable. The American Dream is an ideal which means that anyone in society can reach their goal. However in The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald shows that the American Dream is only a dream, and cannot become a reality.