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The Great Gatsby Valley Of Ashes Analysis

592 Words3 Pages

The 1920’s were a time of great change and revolution. Many immigrants arrived from their foreign lands in search for the same goal as any other immigrant at the time, the American Dream. Stories told of immigrants coming with nothing, eventually to find their dreams come true sparked around every corner, and many too, wanted to be a part of the great influx of dreams come true. At least, that was the ideal situation. The Valley of Ashes describes the hopelessness and poverty that many faced throughout the decade of the 20s. It is described as “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat…where ashes take the forms of houses… of men who move dimly… already crumbling through the powdery air.” The description shows heavy contrast from the mansions …show more content…

Eckleburg. The blue eyes, “dimmed by paint less days of sun and ran”, hang over what is described as a dumping ground. Nick states that the billboard was advertising to increase patients in the borough of Queens, but due to the nature and scenery of the Valley, it’s unlikely that ever happened. Fitzgerald’s inclusion of the valley of ashes is an important inclusion. The major theme of the Great Gatsby is wealth, and in order to truly observe the concept, it must be seen from both sides and angles. To see the story from only the side of the rich would give an ideal and biased look into the roaring twenties, and things are never ideal in the world, for there is always poverty and suffering. His theme of the pursuit of wealth is shown early as to quickly show the reader the corruption that money could have on a person, leading them to take large risks that they wouldn’t otherwise take. When looking at Nick describing the valley of ashes, we can learn that he is not used to the environment. His use of words like “foul”, desolate”, “ghastly”, and “bleak” show that his doesn’t particularly enjoy the place, but doesn’t go out of his way to go forth and tell the reader that the Valley of Ashes is a disgusting place. He’s very careful with his words, showing the reader that he does, indeed, take his father’s advice

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Fitzgerald creates clear distinctions between the upper and lower classes primarily through the use of the valley of ashes. The valley of ashes is nothing but a grey wasteland where “Ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke” but it is also the home of the poor, “The only building in sight was a small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land”. This is very much different to East Egg, where the wealth live which is described that “Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water”. This distinct different between settings shows the differences of the classes but also the hollowness of the upper

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From the quote, “This is a Valley of Ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight” (23), it can be seen how the Valley of Ashes is a depressing place. It represents the moral and social decay that results from the continued search of wealth and acceptance in society. Seen by how the rich provide themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure. The valley of ashes also symbolizes the forcefulness of the poor, like George Wilson, who live among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result.

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