Fitzgerald's Use Of Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby was a phenomenal novel overflowing with symbolism. The rags to riches tale of Gatsby taught us more that any reader can imagine. From it’s front to it’s back it has a deeper meaning with its words and makes the reader question the truth behind the text and to not just look at the façade. Whether it be looking deeper in the novel or into the characters themselves, F. Scott Fitzgerald grabs the reader's attention with its deeper meanings. The novel has many symbols but the three strongest symbols by far were the valley of ashes, Gatsby’s books, and Owl Eyes.

First off, the valley of ashes symbolizes the economy of the US in the time period the novel was written in. This so happens to be the 1920’s. The valley is illustrated

Even with his only aspect being in the library and Gatsby's funeral, Owl Eyes has an intricate connotation. His first appearance in the publication he is described as “a stout middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed spectacle”(Fitzgerald 45). Owl Eyes in implication could represent a godly figure, though his mien says otherwise. He is one of the initial to see through Gatsby’s façade and takes no shame disclosing this to Nick and Jordan. “...What thoroughness! What realism! Knew to stop too-didn’t cut the pages……”He uses sarcasm to exhibit how Gatsby was not the man he was cut out to be. He glimpse into the books like a God would see into Gatsby like all other humans, because to God humans are as see through as glass or crystal. To further substantiate why he is a godly figure, his showing at the funeral could represent how God scrutinizes all those who die. Nick descries his appearance at the funeral and announces, “I’d never seen him since then. I don’t know how he knew about the funeral, or even his name”(Fitzgerald 174). God is not known to evince himself often and few know it is even him when he comes into people’s lives, but somehow he knows. He recognizes when we are desolate and when have passed on into another life. A arbitrary stranger then goes into a prayer, “Blessed are the dead that the rain falls on.” and Owl Eye proudly declares “Amen to that.”(Fitzgerald 174-175). Owl Eyes may seem like a loon but in reality he gazes over Gatsby in life and in