Symbols In The Great Gatsby

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The author of “The Great Gatsby”, F. Scott Fitzgerald, presents a wide range of themes and symbols that can be interpreted by the reader throughout his book. One of these themes that recurs throughout is the death of what we know as the “American dream”. The American dream is an ideology that every US citizen has an equal opportunity to succeed in America. In his book we are presented with four settings. The East Egg, where the elite and old rich live. The West Egg, where the newly rich live, New York, and The Valley of Ashes, a byproduct of capitalism and a place stricken by poverty. These places are more than just environments, instead places that represent the facade of the American dream. A major theme that pops up many times throughout The Great Gatsby is the separation between poor and rich. The seemingly hopeless views that they poor have, coupled with how they are viewed by some of the crueler East and West eggers, paint a very dark picture of the 1920’s American dream. There is also a divide in how the rich are treated in the Valley of Ashes. For example, during chapter 4 Gatsby and Nick are have to take a …show more content…

The rich see their wealth as social superiority and often do not hesitate to let it be known to the residents of the Valley of Ashes. In a few confrontations, this feeling of social superiority is quite strong. For example, in a meeting between Tom and George, it is obvious that Tom is talking down to George and thinks lesser of him. “‘Hello, Wilson, old man,’ said Tom, slapping him jovially on the shoulder. ‘How’s business?’ ‘I can’t complain,’answered Wilson unconvincingly. ‘When are you going to sell me that car?’ ‘Next week; I’ve got my man working on it now.’ ‘Works pretty slow, don’t he?’ ‘No, he doesn’t,’ said Tom coldly. ‘And if you feel that way about it, maybe I’d better sell it somewhere else after all.’ ’I don’t mean that,’ explained Wilson quickly.” (Fitzgerald,

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