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What Does The Valley Of Ashes Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

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In the book the Great Gatsby there were many symbols about the American Dream representing Gatsby. Three symbols we used in our project was the valley of the ashes, the green light, and the eyes of T.J Eckleberg.We feel that these three symbols help to show how Gatsby feels about life and how other people may see it and what makes it whole. Some people have malice feelings about the american dream and some people think the american dream is aesthetic. Fitzgerald is saying that anybody who tries to pursue the American dream can never be satisfied, because to have the American dream you are always striving for something more than you already have. A symbol to explain this would be the valley of the ashes, a valley between the West Egg and New York City stretching across the desolate land created by dumping of industrial ashes. It represents the society from difference between wealth, and the oppressiveness of the less wealthy. “He was clutching at some last hope, and I couldn’t bear to shake him free” (155). The valley of ashes …show more content…

Gatsby changes his name, and left his family to take on the american dream. Gatsby was taken by Cody, who helped him achieve his dream. One example is the billboard eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. The eyes symbolizes the growing of commercialization in America. The eyes show a way of how America grew into greater things. “Terrible place, isn’t it,’ said Tom, exchanging a frown with Doctor Eckleburg(29).” Gatsby was living the “American dream” by having many sumptuous objects. But was Gatsby actually living the American dream? No, Gatsby isn’t living the American dream because he isn’t striving for the dream. Gatsby would never be apathetically, because he is always throwing parties. “Over the ashheaps the giant eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg kept their vigil but I perceived, after a moment, that other eyes were regarding us with peculiar intensity from less than twenty feet

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Difference Between The Valley Of Ashes In The Great Gatsby

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Fitzgerald creates clear distinctions between the upper and lower classes primarily through the use of the valley of ashes. The valley of ashes is nothing but a grey wasteland where “Ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke” but it is also the home of the poor, “The only building in sight was a small block of yellow brick sitting on the edge of the waste land”. This is very much different to East Egg, where the wealth live which is described that “Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water”. This distinct different between settings shows the differences of the classes but also the hollowness of the upper

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How Does The Valley Of Ashes Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

2771 Words | 12 Pages

I believe the symbolism represents the tougher locations of the world. It is stated "where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke" meaning quite literally that the entire land is covered by ash and soute. Making it a tarnished area as well as a unhealthy

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What Does The Valley Of Ashes Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

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Furthermore, as he finds materialistic success, Gatsby realizes his wealth does not lead to a path of his happiness. Gatsby's remain an illusion-corrupted by the desire of the luxurious lifestyle he possesses; forging an image that does not represent his true self. " ...but the two or three people of whom I asked his whereabouts stared at me in such an amazed way, and denied any knowledge of his movements…(pg.42). " To the audience, Gatsby remains a symbol of success and desolation in the American Dream. He has created a masked image of himself to society- becoming a man with false perceptions of of prosperity.

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What Does The Valley Of Ashes Represent In The Great Gatsby

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