Ashes In The Great Gatsby

Envision a perfect world, free from any limitations. Picture a world where joy never ceases, and sorrow is nonexistent. Unfortunately, such a world remains beyond our reach in reality. The Valley of Ashes, in the novel The Great Gatsby, symbolizes societal decay and environmental deterioration. It compares to real-world examples like Owens Valley and Salt Lake City's refineries, highlighting economic disparity, destruction, and the human cost of industrialization. This portrayal by F. Scott Fitzgerald reflects current global challenges. The Valley of Ashes exists in The Great Gatsby because it represents the moral decay caused by extreme wealth inequality. It also shows the decay of the American Dream. When people think of the ideal American Dream, they wouldn't think of The Valley of Ashes or the refineries in Salt Lake City. They wouldn't think of

Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams.” (180). This quotation holds great importance as it conveys the idea that our aspirations may never be completely realized, as there are often obstacles that hinder or undermine them. The statement by Fitzgerald, "It's vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby's house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams," particularly resonated with me. In this passage, Fitzgerald reflects on the Dutch sailors who arrived in America and transformed it into a beautiful land, only for subsequent generations to destroy the fruits of their labor. In the world today, the Valley of Ashes is similar to Salt Lake refineries or the Owens Valley because it symbolizes