Imagine a student who spends countless hours studying, sacrificing friendships and hobbies, in pursuit of a perfect GPA, believing it will guarantee success and happiness. However, as the stress builds up and relationships begin to deteriorate, they find themselves on the edge of failure. Anxiety grows, friendships are gone, and their once unbreakable determination starts to crumble under the weight of their relentless ambition. This scenario mirrors an important theme of Fitzgerald’s famous novel “The Great Gatsby,” which talks about human nature and the consequences of uncontrolled desires. Through symbols like Gatsby’s mansion, the Valley of Ashes, and the green light, Fitzgerald shows how blind pursuit of dreams can be destructive. First, the green light placed at the end of Daisy’s dock, which can be seen across the water from Gatsby’s mansion, represents the incapability of Gatsby to claim Daisy back like in the past. Nick observed Gatsby for the first time on his dock stating, “he was content to be alone—he stretched out his …show more content…
Nick describes it in a way that shows its harshness and unwelcoming nature when he first describes it as, “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens." (p. 23) Characters like George and Myrtle Wilson are closely linked to the valley, reflecting the challenges of the working class and the harmful effects of relentless ambition. Myrtle's affair with Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man from East Egg, demonstrates her desperate effort to escape the poverty of the valley, ultimately leading to her tragic end. Through the symbol of the valley of ashes, Fitzgerald criticizes the social inequalities of the Jazz Age and cautions against the damaging outcomes of pursuing wealth without considering ethical