Symbols play an important role in any story, as they create a sense of depth and meaning that couldn’t be achieved otherwise. This especially holds true in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. There are a multitude of symbols utilized throughout the novel; some with meanings that are obvious, while others are more obscure. These symbols and their interpretations are a hugely important part of the plot, but arguably the most important symbol of all is the Valley of Ashes. The Valley of Ashes symbolically represents the dissimilarities between the rich and poor, the despair of its dwellers, and the destructiveness of the main characters within the novel.
The foremost interpretation of the Valley of Ashes, is that it represents the dissimilarities
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This is introduced through character descriptions of George Wilson, a resident of the Valley. The novel states,” He was a blond, spiritless man, anæmic, and faintly handsome”(Fitzgerald). This evidence displays the soullessness and despair of the lives of its residents. George is described as a spiritless man, which displays his life as one that lacks certain elements of enjoyment or hope. In other words, he leads an empty life of despair. Another situation that supports this interpretation is the way Michaelis thinks of George. The book explains,”Generally he was one of these worn-out men: when he wasn’t working, he sat on a chair in the doorway and stared at the people and the cars that passed along the road. When anyone spoke to him he invariably laughed in an agreeable, colorless way. He was his wife’s man and not his own”(Fitzgerald). This evidence exhibits how the Valley of Ashes symbolizes despair. He is characterized as being worn-out, and when he isn’t working he just sits by and watches as life goes on around him. He is also described as being his wife’s man and not his own, providing further depth to his despair. Thus, the despair of people like George living in the Valley of Ashes is represented by the Valley itself.