Scott Fitzgerald's Use Of Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald’s use of Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Symbolism is an important part of literature that helps show a deeper meaning to what is written on the pages. In the book, The Great Gatsby by author F. Scott Fitzgerald, symbolism is used throughout each chapter which gives the reader greater insight of what the author is trying to disclose, and the meaning of key components to the story. Some of the symbols used throughout the novel are as simple as the colors the characters wear or the colors of their surroundings, others include the famous eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg on a billboard looking over the Valley of Ashes, and the light in which Gatsby reaches towards in the night. These three symbols play a very important role in the book, and

J. Eckleburg looking down on the Valley of Ashes. "The eyes of Doctor T. J. 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." (124) The symbolism here is that as the eyes keep a "watchful vigil" (124) over the poor and dirty people in the valley they see corruption and unfaithfulness of the characters, as does God (124). Everyone in the story is sinning yet they pay no attention to their religion. The appearance of the sign is worn down, just as the faith and spirituality of the people have over time. As the story goes on, progressively the characters become more twisted and inevitably two people die. Towards the end of the book when George finds out about the affair he takes Myrtle to the window (which the billboard is visible) and says she “can’t fool God” which again reiterates that the eyes represent the eyes of God because they both look down upon them (159). This symbol is one of the most important in the book because Fitzgerald’s use of linking religion to the adultery and illegal behavior of the characters shows how much the behavior affects them and that if possibly they are more religious or faithful, the events could have been

Although it is not noticeable at first, after reading farther into the book you learn that the green light is at the end of Daisy and Tom’s dock, and that Gatsby was reaching towards Daisy. Daisy is all Gatsby strives for, he is in love with her and him reaching towards the light represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. And the distance of the green light to Gatsby, represents the distance he is from Daisy and it is not until he is with her that he is not seen reaching towards the light. In the last chapter Nick says “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then...tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther” (180). What he means by this is that like the green light, we all have something that we strive for in which drives us but “orgastic future” means that we try to reach a certain point but not always get there. If at first we do not reach our goal, we will try our best until we do, such as Gatsby did. By Gatsby having something to strive for, it gave him meaning, at first he strove for wealth, and once he met Daisy he found a new purpose. And the light began to be an unrealistic goal, he was living in the past and wanted the old Daisy when in reality people change over