Valley Of Ashes Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

As fireworks light up the sky and jazz fills the air, Americans celebrate their victory in World War I. The economy is thriving, and flappers are enjoying the freedom to drink and dance. This era is famously known as the Roaring 20s. The upper class became richer and the lower class became poorer leaving them in poverty and disillusionment. The American dream was popularly sought to achieve in the 20s, but it was not as possible as it seemed. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby illustrates and represents life during the Roaring 20s, a time marked by America’s mass consumerism. The Great Gatsby, narrated by Nick Carroway, revolves around Jay Gatsby, the protagonist, and his desire to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. The novel takes

The Valley of Ashes is the area between West Egg and Manhattan where the working class live. This is also where the married couple, George and Myrtle Wilson lived. “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" (23). The use of the words “fantastic farm” displays irony as it sounds like a farm of growth and fertility, but really all it grows is ash. This symbolizes the demolition and the carelessness of the pursuit of wealth. It shows how the wealthy need the poor to remain poor for the wealthy to remain rich. Additionally, the narrator says, “men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” which implies that those who live within the valley of ashes have already lost and live in complete hopelessness. This reveals the theme of the moral decay of the wealthy elite and the corruption within. In addition, another symbol of The Great Gatsby lies within the town of East

Gatsby has dedicated his life to gaining wealth and social status with the intention to win back his former love, Daisy Buchanan, who is an already married woman married to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby has thrown multiple extravagant parties in hopes that one day she may appear. After finally reuniting and falling back in love, an unfortunate turn occurs when Daisy ultimately chooses Tom over Gatsby. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning—— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." (180). Gatsby’s belief in the green light symbolizes his belief that the American dream is attainable. The narrator uses the word “orgastic” to emphasize Gatsby’s desires for the American dream and how he strives to achieve that pleasure. The American dream to Gatsby is the luxury lifestyle with all the money in the world but most importantly, with Daisy. The future is compared to “boats against the current” as it is unpredictable and likely to go backward which represents Gatsby’s dedication to reuniting with Daisy only for Gatsby to be left unchosen. This reveals the theme that the American dream is desirable yet