Role Of Geography In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a world-renowned novel that is widely based around its powerful symbols and motifs. Through the many motifs prominent throughout the entire novel, geography, and how Fitzgerald relates it to the message of society and class, is presented in a very unique way. Fitzgerald’s use of diction, syntax and figurative language are very enticing and has an enormous impact on his idea of geography throughout the novel. The Valley of Ashes is a dismal area filled with bleakness and poverty. In the novel, Fitzgerald describes, “This is a valley of ashes – a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens”(Fitzgerald 26). This exemplifies how even though the west and east egg seems perfect and beautiful on the outside, they are both just as ugly and dull on the inside as the rest of the valley. Fitzgerald places this in between both of the eggs to show how they are interconnected and relate to each other. The vivid diction he uses such as

Looking deeply into the geography of the setting in relation to society and class will show Fitzgerald’s purpose of the novel, and deep understanding of the characters. Having the two polar opposite settings provides a dispute throughout the novel. Unfortunately Gatsby is too clouded by Daisy’s beauty to realize what she is really in love with. Daisy wants nothing more than Gatsby’s wealth, which leads to his death. This is an appropriate motif to use because it shows that not everyone is who they seem on the outside, and sometimes things can be staring right in front of a person and they wouldn’t even know it. Fitzgerald wants to convey the power of Gatsby’s love towards Daisy and how it acts as a drug to him. Completely affecting the plot and entire structure of the story, geography acts as a vital motif and brings to life Fitzgerald’s message in the class and society of the