What Are The Symbols In The Great Gatsby

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Each symbol in The Great Gatsby serves a purpose to show how the wealthy of the roaring twenties viewed life and the effects of such views. The 1920s was a decade of prosperity and dissipation and the characters express that throughout the novel and through each bit unravel a symbol. There are 4 specific symbols F. Scott Fitzgerald uses to do such a thing. These symbols are the car accidents, the valley of ashes, the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg and the green light. Each symbol supports the central theme which is a harsh critique of American materialism that explores the emptiness and alienation perceived in American culture.