What Does The Valley Of Ashes Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

The struggles Gatsby faces in The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald parallels Fitzgerald´s apparent ideas of the struggle of all Americans. One important symbol in this novel is the billboard of Doctor T.J Eckleburg. The billboard represents the eyes of God staring down on all the sinful Americans. Throughout the novel, the green light at the end of Daisy's dock symbolizes Gatsby's hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby reaches for this light which represents his dream to reunite with Daisy, however, he can never fully grasp it. Another important symbol Fitzgerald thoroughly portrays throughout his novel is the valley of ashes. The valley of ashes symbolizes the plight of the poor, who live along the dirty ashes. Fitzgerald deftly uses the

George Wilson believes that Eckleburg's eyes on the billboard are God’s eyes. When he finds out about Myrtles affair he looks at Eckleburg's eyes and tells her that “she might fool me, but she could not fool God…”(Fitzgerald 167). This allows readers to interpret that God is always watching over them, and the billboard represents God’s eyes staring down on the sinful American society. It appeals to readers sense of fear that whenever they make a bad decision God will know. Throughout the story, God witnesses Tom's affair with Myrtle, George locking Myrtle in her room, and Daisy driving the car that kills Myrtle. Fitzgerald’s integration of the billboard allows him to thoroughly express the idea that God sees everything and this advances his plot as well as enhances the quality of the

It is a valley in which the ashes of the rich are dumped upon. For example, Tom Buchanan is a rich man in the novel who has regard for nothing, but his own pleasure. He secretly has an affair with Myrtle Wilson, who is George Wilson’s wife. Once Wilson finds out about Myrtle’s affair he becomes weak and sick and locks her in her room. This shows that due to Tom Buchanan’s actions George Wilson, who lives among the dirty ashes of the rich, loses his vitality as a result. The valley of ashes is a representation of the moral and social decay that results from an individual’s quest for wealth. Throughout the novel, the rich people of East and West Egg indulge themselves with nothing but selfish pursuits. The valley of ashes successfully symbolizes the plight of the poor for people like George Wilson. Fitzgerald’s integration of the valley of ashes allows him to portray the effects social classes can have on society. This allows him to successfully enhance the quality of his