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What Does The Valley Of Ashes Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

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“Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear” (President Snow, Hunger Games) The Great Gatsby uses symbolism to explore the effect of hope, however in this case, for the worse. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby proves the corruption of the American Dream by alluding to the green light, the Valley of Ashes, and the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg. Firstly, The Great Gatsby proves the corruption of the American Dream through the green light. The green light symbolizes the American Dream; specifically society’s desire for wealth. The fact that the green light ‘coincidentally’ “burns ... at the end of [Daisy’s] dock” (Fitzgerald 92), suggests that Daisy really is only the face behind Gatsby’s pursuit of wealth. Gatsby knows that in order to win Daisy, he must be rich. So, when deciding on whether to take illegal action and make quick money, he looks over for Daisy’s advice. He only sees a green light, convincing him to go ahead with his bootlegging. Even after Gatsby becomes very rich, the green light does not get any closer; in fact, “year by year [it] recedes” (180), proving the American …show more content…

The valley of ashes is quite simply put the “dumping ground” (24) of the rich. Therefore, the valley symbolizes the disregard for others by the few people that have actually accomplished the Dream. For most people, the Dream may seem plausible, however it is just a fantasy. Fate abruptly pulls anyone trying to climb out back into the valley, or worse. Myrtle and Gatsby both exemplify this plummet back down to earth. Their bodies return to the ashes, truly becoming a part of the valley to help enforce what the valley represents: lost dreams of gold. The valley of ashes illustrates the hopelessness of achieving these dreams of gold, as they will eventually all end in ashes. By symbolizing the hopelessness of the Dream, the valley of ashes proves its

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Despite the promising opportunities that the green light symbolizes, it eventually transforms from a beacon of hope into a symbol of disillusionment and disappointment for those who fail to achieve their dreams. Once the green light loses its meaning to Gatsby, he realizes that “he [pays] a high price for living too long with a single dream… [and looks] up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves,” showing the false prospect of America’s promise and the disappointment of reality (Fitzgerald 161). Despite the false promise of achievement and progress, the green light also represents the endless toil that Americans still invest in

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The green light is a symbol for hope that Daisy will be his and that his life will be complete. The green light also demonstrates our constant search to reach the American Dream. Gatsby’s ambition to be a successful, true American sets him apart from the rest of the upper class. His constant chase of being with Daisy is present from the moment at the dock to his final days on Earth, even thought she has already moved on.

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It symbolizes poverty, and the population of Manhattan that is not rich and self indulged in their personal lives. The Valley of Ashes is described as a dumping ground, Nick even explains how it’s “bounded on one side by a small foul river, and, when the drawbridge is up to let barges through, the passengers on waiting trains can stare at the dismal scene for as long as half an hour” (27). This is completely opposite to places like West Egg, where most of the novel is taken place. Everything is luxurious and fast paced, comparing these two places opens up many symbols in the reader's mind, like poverty and the fact that not every American at that time could live as Gatsby can, for instance.

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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.

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The novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, displays the ultimate impossibility of achieving the “American Dream.” The “American Dream” is the idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. This novel clearly demonstrates the impossibility of achieving the American Dream through symbolism and characterization including the green light and the valley of ashes and Tom and Daisy Buchanan. The green light is an example of symbolism used to show the impossibility of achieving the American dream because the green light symbolizes Jay Gatsby’s American dream of getting Daisy to be his lover.

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Symbolism is used by Fitzgerald to represent moral abandonment in key characters in the novel. The Valley of Ashes is a stop-off point between New York City and West Egg, where the reader is first introduced to Tom Buchannan’s mistress Myrtle Wilson. As well as being the place where Myrtle and Tom’s affair takes place the valley of ashes is also where Myrtle Wilson is killed when hit by Gatsby’s car and where George Wilson has the idea to murder Gatsby, the valley of ashes symbolizes a moral waste land or as Nick describes as a place where dirty deeds are done and then covered up “… and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight.” (Fitzgerald,

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The ideal of the American dream is shot down when the connection between hard work and lack of success are represented in the novel. Moreover, Gatsby’s hope to relive the past make him devote to the possibility that Daisy will tell Tom she never loved him. In a sense, Daisy represents Gatsby’s dream and Gatsby represents to the reader, a person striving for the American Dream. Gatsby’s hope is described by the green light across his house, “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water...nothing except a single green light” (Fitzgerald 21). The green light symbolizes his desire and closeness to his dream but fails to grasp it because of his history and social status.

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Tatiana Martinez 10/15/15 English 4 (period 8) ISA #3 Writing Some of the symbols in the novel “The Great Gatsby” connect with the valley of ashes that is introduced in chapter 2. The valley of ashes symbolize poverty, hopelessness and the lost hopes and dreams of people who have failed to live up to the American Dream.

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In chapter nine, Nick said, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . and one fine morning - so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Fitzgerald 189). This supports Fitzgerald’s message to the reader about the American Dream because the green light stands for everyone’s hopes and dreams and desires, however, it is unattainable.

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Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald continuously references a green light that Gatsby keeps on reaching for. The green light was significant by representing the theme of greed, being a symbol of Gatsby’s desire for Daisy, and serves as a motif for the American Dream. The color green in itself already illustrates the idea of greed and money. Gatsby already has everything anyone could dream for counting a house in West Egg, fame, and fortune, but still he is chasing after this light or in other words, chasing after the love of his life, Daisy. The light is a literary metaphor for Daisy since during the novel, once Gatsby reunites with Daisy the light begins to fade and reframes from reaching out for it.

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The valley of ashes also symbolizes the difficulties of the poor, like George Wilson, who live among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result. THE EYES OF DOCTOR T. J. ECKLEBURG Another dominant symbol within this novel is the billboard eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg which is in the middle of the valley of ashes, right next to Wilson’s garage staring at the waste that careless capitalism has

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1034 Words | 5 Pages

John A. Pidgeon says that, “The theme of Gatsby is the withering of the American Dream”(Pidgeon 179). The prime example of this is Gatsby, who “believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther” (Fitzgerald 180). The green light symbolizes Gatsby’s dream to be upper class with Daisy, but he can never reach it. Furthermore, it is frustrating for him that when he does attain wealth, Daisy is still out of his reach.

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Authors often integrate symbols and motifs to their writing to foreshadow later events. In one of the most famous pieces of American literature, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald drops hints to forecast terrible outcomes. The novel occurs during the roaring twenties and accentuates the wild and extravagant lifestyle of Long Island’s enclaves. In between East and West Egg’s opulence, there is the Valley of Ashes, a dark, grey wasteland. Even though their opulent lifestyle seems magnificent, one couple, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, faces marriage troubles because of their loss of love.

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The American dream states that any individual can achieve success regardless of family history, race, and/or religion simply by working hard. The 1920’s were a time of corruption and demise of moral values in society. The first World War had passed, and people were reveling in the materialism that came at the end of it, such as advanced technology and innovative inventions. The novel The Great Gatsby exploits the theme of the American Dream as it takes place in a corrupt period in history. Although the American Dream seemed more attainable than ever in the 1920’s, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby demonstrates how materialism and the demise of moral values in society leads to the corruption and impossibility of the American Dream.

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"The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream." In this quote, by Azar Nafisi, it explains how dreaming can be tainted by reality, and that if a person doesn’t compromise they may suffer. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is one the many themes present. The American Dream that most people in this book hope to have involves wealth, status, a fun social life, and someone to lust after. It is the life they all strive to have until they obtain it and see its meaningless composure.

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