The Great Gatsby is a novel full of symbolism. Symbolism is when something seems to stand for itself but really it represents something more. Three main symbols from the novel are the billboard, the green light, and The Valley of Ashes.
Particularly, the eyes on the Dr. T.J. Eckleburg billboard represent the eyes of God and how God sees everything. The eyes are painted on a billboard in The Valley of Ashes to advertise an eye doctor. Nick takes a few lines to describe the eyes before saying that they are on a billboard. This gives the reader an opportunity to picture real creepy eyes that see everything before they learn that they are not real eyes. The eyes representing God watching over the characters is referenced when George tells Myrtle that she cannot fool God. At that moment, they are standing in front of a window overlooking the billboard. Nick also notes that he feels that the eyes are always watching him. These eyes bring God into a novel that otherwise lacks religion. On the other hand, the eyes can also represent the lack of God in the novel. The eyes can show that Americans have such terrible values that God has abandoned them and eyes on a billboard are the only thing left
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It is significant that the green light is next to Daisy’s house because Daisy is Gatsby’s dream. He has money and cars and all he wants now is Daisy. Just like daisy, the green light is physically close to Gatsby, but it is across water and not so simple to approach. Just like the green light can look hazy, the future is not always clear cut. The green light can be seen from Gatsby’s window and he enjoys gazing at it, showing that he does not live in the present, but he is always looking forward to the future. When Nick sees the green light for the first time it is also the first time he sees Gatsby. This shows that they are closely connected throughout the