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What Does Money Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

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During the 1920s, women defied tradition and became flappers. Ceasing being housewives, these flappers began flaunting their independence by attending speakeasies, therefore, illustrating their newly attained risqué attitudes. Along with this deviation in conduct, they became symbols of the unorthodox time period. Symbols represent many themes and messages. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald effectively uses symbolism to support the novel's theme stating money cannot buy happiness. Readers detect Fitzgerald's most prominent use of symbolism when analyzing the advertisement of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg. Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel, deliberately makes the presence of the billboard known, thereby revealing the eyes hold a deeper meaning. …show more content…

Each is able to see through the false images created by society. Since the oculist's sign acts as the eyes of God, they emphasize instances where wealthy individuals remain unhappy. Tom clearly proves this message. Even though Tom has inherited an enormous amount of wealth, he feels incomplete. In order to fill this void, Tom entices multiple women with his money. Fitzgerald's other example of symbolism, the owl eyed man, specifically targets Gatsby's unfulfilled life. Gatsby devotes everything he has, including money, to reconnecting with Daisy, the woman of his dreams. In hopes of reuniting their previous love, Gatsby throws elaborate parties at his home across the bay. However, even though he momentarily recaptures their love and has numerous guests at his events, Gatsby remains unhappy and alone in the end. Doctor T. J. Eckleburg's billboard and the owl eyed man support the underlying message in Fitzgerald's novel. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the literary element of symbolism in The Great Gatsby to prove wealth does not ensure happiness. Creating both the billboard and the man found in Gatsby's library, Fitzgerald indicates the wealthy are not always as society makes them out to be. Society claims money buys happiness, yet the symbols look into the lives of wealthy characters from the novel and show their sorrow and loneliness. The Great Gatsby demonstrates how people

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185 Words | 1 Pages

One of Fitzgerald’s hidden yet salient symbols is T.J. Eckleburg's billboard. Initially recognizable as the second pair of eyes in the novel, where owl-eyes is the first, the billboard is in actuality an advertisement for an optometrist that in which case is displaying a stupendous pair of monumental blue eyes seemingly not painted to scale that are vaguely shielded by shabby yellow spectacles. For all that, it is particularly filthy and blanch with the weather considerably left to blame abandoning it with a ragged overlook. This billboard is alluded to on numerous occasions for the entire duration of the story, but each time, obtaining further magnitude and snatching attention from the reader to suppose representation of a much deeper idea.

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465 Words | 2 Pages

The 1920s was a time of flamboyance and wealth in the upper class. Jay Gatsby, a man of old money, threw over the top parties, in which he would spend his money very nonchalantly. The ambiance of his parties greatly illustrated the upper class of the time. The author uses symbolism and characterization to support the central idea that the upper class was very careless, wealthy, and extravagant. Gatsby’s parties are luxurious, glamorous, and over the top.

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666 Words | 3 Pages

As Fitzgerald unveils Gatsby’s secret past and story, he uses various examples of this illicit metaphor. From the green light to the weather, to the characters themselves, there is no doubt that symbolism is used to illustrate a more complex idea. To start off, a clear example of symbolism would be the green light. It appears at the end of Daisy Buchanan’s dock,

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516 Words | 3 Pages

The first them addressed is symbolism. In chapter 7 it is addressed “like silver items washing down their white dresses”. Here it is seen how Fitzgerald compares two characters to idols, making them synomous with a symbol of materialism. This addresses his audience, and the time period of the Roaring 20’s.

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1211 Words | 5 Pages

American society has been backwards for years on end but in the 1920s these contradictions stuck out like a sore thumb. In the story “The Great Gatsby” written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it took place in the 1920s where many contradictions were present in society. Gatsby was a very rich man that owned a house in West egg where people with “new money” reside and the love of his life Daisy Buchanan lived across the body of water in east egg where people with “old money” resided. In the story “The Great Gatbsy” they do a great job using imagery such as the Valley of Ashes and they use symbolism such as TJ Eckleberg and the green light to represent the contradiction of wealth in the 1920s. When looking at how imagery represents contradictions in

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923 Words | 4 Pages

He comes back from the war looking to gain his ex-girlfriend’s heart again but creates an illusive dream of Daisy that no girl could ever fulfill. Gatsby comes back from the war and gets involved in underground work to get himself to the same class as Daisy even though he knew that Daisy could not be with a man who did such work since it would ruin her social reputation. Fitzgerald originally portrays Gatsby as being an intelligent man with a lot of money in which he can throw major parties and everyone will know him as a mysterious and intelligent man. As the novel draws closer to the edge, Gatsby is driven closer to the edge of insanity. Fitzgerald portrays the truth of Gatsby by exploiting him for not being happy or satisfied but shows that he was missing love the whole time.

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1169 Words | 5 Pages

Gatsby is essentially heartbroken. The house that once symbolized so much opulence is now symbolic of the wealth Gatsby cannot obtain. The matter betrays him that Daisy chose her rich expenditures over Gatsby and his desires for the same wealth. Fitzgerald exercises symbolism to show the shift in Gatsby’s feelings from love to betrayal. Subsequently, the author uses vigorous metaphors to explain his eagerness to attain

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410 Words | 2 Pages

Fitzgerald uses symbols of Green Light and The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. The symbols mean that they are a loss of morals values and the American dream. So how does Fitzgerald use symbolism to convey the theme? Fitzgerald uses symbolism in the Green Light of Daisy’s dock. It represents Gatsby’s chasing of her and his pursuit of the American Dream.

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447 Words | 2 Pages

Those who solely focus on wealth may have completely empty lives. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald highlights the fact that wealthy people have meaningless lives. He does this by using rhetoric that shows the carelessness, materialism, and ironies in their lives. In order to show this, Fitzgerald implements rhetoric and stylistic devices that show the emptiness of the characters throughout his novel that reinforces his theme that if materialism, not God, drives one, one’s dreams and hopes will eventually implode. To support his theme of emptiness, Fitzgerald facilitates ironic rhetoric to show the characters’ emptiness, weakness, and eventual destruction.

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1439 Words | 6 Pages

When Gatsby loses everything, we see that wealth not only fails as a means of fulfillment but actively participates in the destruction of this goal. Fitzgerald suggests that wealth cannot lead to happiness, rather it undermines the existing and potential good in life. It should therefore should not be used as means of attaining fulfillment. The first mentions of Gatsby’s character reveal a personality who has sacrificed morality to achieve a

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867 Words | 4 Pages

In the text, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses a wide range of literary techniques to convey a lack of spirituality, and immorality. Techniques such as characterisation, symbolism, and metaphors help to cement the ideas Fitzgerald explores. However, there are some features to this world that redeem it. Which are displayed through expert execution of techniques like characterisation, contrast, and repetition. The world of The Great Gatsby is home to many morally corrupt and spiritually empty characters however, the world itself is not a spiritual and moral wasteland.

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809 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout many brilliant works of literature, a common item is placed amongst them: symbols. Symbols are often a key to further understanding a point the author is trying to convey to their readers. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby, he utilizes the literary tool of symbols to illustrate a larger picture for his themes and characters within the novel. For example, the color green plays a prominent role in The Great Gatsby throughout the duration of the novel. However, the color has can have various interpretations.

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747 Words | 3 Pages

In the story by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby symbolism is shown all throughout the story with Gatsby as he was in the war shows how he goes insane at times with other people. Another symbol used in the book is how the author uses “east and west eggs” to show two different villages where gatsby and daisy live. The most important symbol of the story was the green light at the end of daisy’s dock not only can symbolize the money that gatsby gained for Daisy but also shows Gatsby’s dream to change what happened, it gives Gatsby something to hope for. All in all Symbolism is shown all throughout the story with all the main characters but Gatsby stood out the most in the story; even being insane.

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773 Words | 4 Pages

The Great Gatsby Greed can ruin a person’s life. F. Scott Fitzgerald shows this in his classic novel, The Great Gatsby, a sad love story about the rich title character, Jay Gatsby, and his obsession to win back the love of the now married Daisy Buchanan, his former girlfriend. The extravagant lifestyles of Gatsby and the wealthy socialites who attend his parties lead to lost dreams and wasted lives. These men and women are absorbed by material pursuits. In Jay Gatsby’s case, all the money in the world could not replace what he truly desires, Daisy.

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292 Words | 2 Pages

I am interested in their mission, which is to educate families about personal finance and help families to build a solid financial future. Being a financial advisor, I would be given the opportunity to learn how to manage money and help families to choose the right financial products out of a broad range of solutions that would maximize their return on those investments. I would be given an opportunity to work closely with the Marketing Communications Manager and team to assist in the implementation of marketing activities. This would help me in terms of gaining experience in marketing industry, developing relevant skills, making connections, and strengthening my resume.

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