Literary Analysis Essay On The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby: Literary Analysis F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby” is a strong portrayal of a common struggle people deal with today: attempting to relive the past. The novel’s protagonist, Jay Gatsby, met a woman in his past life, and got with her. Her name was Daisy, who was now happily married to another man. Gatsby strived to call her his own some day. Even five years later, after his life as a soldier, Gatsby still believed, and dreamed of the possibility of one day being with Daisy for eternity. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses a number of symbols to show readers Gatsby’s attempts to relive the past as being an unattainable goal. Among the symbols in the novel, the green light, resting on Daisy’s dock, represents Gatsby’s struggle to move on from the past. This light, being so close to Gatsby, proves just how close Gatsby got to fulfilling his dream of being with Daisy, but yet he never reaches it. Gatsby reaches out to this light quite often, but he can’t physically reach it, which is how the author shows readers that Gatsby cannot get to his past. Daisy, at one point in the story, is told from Gatsby that she should erase her past with Tom for him (Fitzgerald 133). The green light is a symbol of hope; hope that Gatsby may soon be with Daisy. This hope

Eckleburg, rest on a billboard above The Valley of Ashes. These eyes represent the eyes of God. The eyes are staring down and judging American society as a moral wasteland (Fitzgerald). Not only do these eyes represent the eyes of God, but they also symbolize Gatsby’s own eyes. Gatsby’s eyes are described as “vacant,” often staring out, blankly keeping a vigil (Fitzgerald). Throughout the novel, these eyes, or Gatsby’s eyes, are blinded to what is bound to happen; the end of Gatsby’s dream. With Gatsby constantly attempting to relive his past, and get back together with Daisy after all this time, the eyes are only seeing what Gatsby wants them to