The Use Of Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

1281 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: false hope within the great gatsby

A Deeper Meaning Symbolism adds meaning and requires readers to think deeper about the story. It gives objects more than just their physical meaning. The Great Gatsby utilizes the use of symbolism extremely well. Without this use of symbolism, the story would have no meaning at all. The symbols are what help move this story. Symbols in The Great Gatsby such as the eyes of Doctor, T.J. Eckleburg, the green light, the Valley of Ashes, Gatsby’s Mansion, and Owl Eyes all play important roles in the novel. The billboard of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg symbolizes God watching over everyone. The characters in the novel feel this way, because they believe that the eyes on the billboard are always watching them the same way God watches over everyone. When Gatsby throws huge, extravagant parties nearly everyday all because he hopes that Daisy will attend one of them. The mansion symbolizes hope that he will get Daisy back, just as the green light does. Gatsby uses the mansion to draw Daisy closer to him and he hopes that one day she will find him. “It is the emblem of a successful businessman and the symbol of what he hopes to recover in Daisy and her love.” The American Dream means to be successful by doing what makes one happy. Being successful however does not always mean being rich. Gatsby’s American Dream is to be happy with Daisy. Since he does not have her, Gatsby uses his material items as a substitute American Dream until he gets Daisy back. “The mansion is also a representation of a shortsighted American Dream: that material success, in and of itself, will bring one status and happiness.” Gatsby buys expensive things, hoping to find comfort and happiness in them to fill the void where Daisy is Another time this adjective is used is when describing Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes of the billboard. This could be a contrast between Owl Eyes or Doctor Eckleburg or good and evil, because some say that the valley of ashes is a symbolic hell. This would not only ensure that the Eckleburg billboard is representing a false god, but also that Owl eyes himself is also a symbol of godly wisdom and kindness. Owls symbolize wisdom. Owl Eyes was full of wisdom. In the book, Owl Eyes states that he was brought to Gatsby’s party by a woman named Roosevelt. This statement could mean that Owl Eyes is somehow associated with Theodore Roosevelt. He started many national parks and favored conservation, actions which summon up greenness and growth in direct contrast to Doctor Eckleburg and the Valley of Ashes. This does not mean that Owl Eyes was Roosevelt. It just means that the men had similar

Show More
Related

  • Power and Betrayal in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    1803 Words  | 4 Pages

    We encounter the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in the valley of ashes, the desolated land between West Egg and New York. The vulgar eyes of Dr. Eckleburg have become something to intertwine with the Valley of Ashes to many critics and readers. The setting of where the billboard is located makes it seem as if it is not significant. However it is also the location of the billboard that explains how the eyes overlook both New York and West Egg since it is between it. The valley of ashes is exactly what its name sounds like. Scott Fitzgerald described it as:

    Read More

  • F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Symbols and Symbolism

    588 Words  | 2 Pages

    Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Symbolism is what makes a story complete. In "The Great Gatsby" Fitzgerald cleverly uses symbolism. Virtually anything in the novel can be taken as a symbol, from the weather, to the colors of clothing. characters wear. There are three main symbols used in The Great Gatsby, they are The East and West Egg, the green light at the end of Daisy's dock, and the eyes of Dr.T.J. Eckleburg.

    Read More

  • Eyes In The Great Gatsby Analysis

    849 Words  | 2 Pages

    Eckleburg, the use of eyes pertaining to Owl Eyes is used in the same context. Owl Eyes is a symbol of eyes in that his huge eyes and glasses see that the books in Gatsby’s library are real, “It 's a bona-fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me. This fella 's a regular Belasco. It 's a triumph. What thoroughness! What realism!” (Fitzgerald 45-46). This may seem pointless, but what the books truly symbolize are Gatsby’s true self. “ This minor character illuminates the character of Jay Gatsby. He finds that the books in Gatsby 's library are real, even though the pages were uncut. Like the books, Gatsby is the real thing, but unformed, unlettered, and for all his financial cunning, ignorant.Furthermore, the ocular imagery in the book is enhanced by this character 's role since various acquaintances of the mysterious Gatsby lend their truth to his real story” (Telgen). Owl Eyes is a very minor character, who plays a hidden role, but he is one of the only characters who is able to see Gatsby all the way

    Read More

  • Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

    1149 Words  | 3 Pages

    out towards a green light. At the time it is not revealed to us that this

    Read More

  • the great gatsby

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    that he always observed Daisy from his house but all that he could see was the green light. He could only hope and dream about having Daisy by his side. This is before Gatsby finally met Daisy. When, at last, he met Daisy in Nick’s house, it seems that “the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever” (Fitzgerald 90). He had Daisy next by his side therefore “his count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” (Fitzgerald 90). Not only does the green light represent Gatsby...

    Read More

  • Color Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    Color symbolism is popular in novels written during the 1920’s. One such example is Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. There is much color symbolism in this novel, but there are two main colors that stand out more than the others. The colors green and white influence the story greatly. Green shows many thoughts, ideas, attitudes, and choices that Gatsby has throughout the story. White represents the stereotypical façade that every character is hiding behind.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    1052 Words  | 3 Pages

    “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 then one fine morning— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (180). Situated at the end of Daisy’s East Egg dock and barely visible from Gatsby’s West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and in Chapter 1 he reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal. Fitzgerald illustrates Daisy as a symbol of wealth, success, dreams, beauty, marriage, motherhood, and she ultimately encompasses the idealistic American Dream. However, t...

    Read More

  • Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

    454 Words  | 1 Pages

    What is unknown is often talked about as being mysterious, perhaps even ominous. Naturally, many people become curious and want to find out what lurks about in the dark and be able to say that they know what others do not. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, the main character, Jay Gatsby is quite enigmatic. Seclusion and isolation are well known to Gatsby, especially when it comes to his personal life and his history. Throughout the novel, except when with Nick or Daisy, Gatsby asserts himself as an observer, who would rather watch others than to join in with the crowd.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in the Great Gatsby

    816 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Canadian musician Rick Danko once said” As time goes on we get closer to that American Dream of there being a pie cut up and shared. Usually greed and selfishness prevent that and there is always one bad apple in every barrel”. This is true in the Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzergerald. This is story mainly about a self-made man named Jay Gatsby and the decay of his American dream, which is to get Daisy Buchannan back after five years of being apart from her. But because of how Daisy is too selfish and infatuated with Tom’s social status and “old money” that she doesn’t realize how hard Gatsby has fought to get her back. The valley of ashes, the green light, and Gatsby’s death are all important symbols in the novel that have a deeper meaning.

    Read More

  • Two Meanings To Everything

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    Symbolism can mean and represent a wide variety of ideas, moments and memories in everyone's lives. In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, colors, names and objects symbolize different personalities, and ideas of the characters. Some of the symbols are more obvious and easier to pick up on than others.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    Signs, billboards, and advertisements entice people to buy new products. Some of these signs are projected to stand as mirrors and reflect the choices and actions that people make. Throughout the 1920s, people gradually took charge and spent beyond their means, not taking a second glance to perceive what the purpose of these signs were. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald distinguishes the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg on a billboard to convey remorse for the loss of spiritual values within the people in their quest to achieve wealth, signifying the meaninglessness of the world and how their blindness overtakes them.

    Read More

  • The Eyes of God

    690 Words  | 2 Pages

    The setting in the novel is described as a very dark and dismal place. As the eyes appear over the horizon, you notice the bright blue color of the billboard and the large eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, giving a sense of the sky and he...

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night

    1618 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel, first sees Gatsby standing outside of his mansion, “standing with his hands in his pockets regarding the silver pepper of the stars” (20). He is standing with his arms outstretched towards a green light. Nick says “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling” (20). Gatsby is staring at the light on the end of Daisy’s dock as it is later revealed. Gatsby is standing there, with his arms stretched out, to welcome the love of Daisy and to give his love to her. He is reaching toward her, trembling because of the power of his love and the pain from their years of separation. The light represents how close Daisy is to him, but still so far away, in separate worlds. It could also be thought of in the sense that his love is still burning bright for Daisy. “Green is the color of hope” (Einem), and can represent “Gatsby’s hope to meet Daisy again and a chance to win her back” (Einem). Gatsby has been separated from Daisy for many years, but he still loves her deeply. When Daisy and Gatsby later reunite, they are standing in Gatsby’s bedroom, looking out across the bay. Gatsby points out the green light and says “If it wasn’t for the mist w...

    Read More

  • What Is Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

    970 Words  | 2 Pages

    His love for Daisy is driven by an idea he has of her, not the reality of her. When Gatsby and Daisy rekindled their love, he realized that “his count of enchanted objects had diminished by one” (93). In this quote, Fitzgerald candidly addresses Daisy as an object to Gatsby. Before Gatsby and Daisy meet reconnect, the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolizes her and his dreams for the future. The green light is Gatsby’s motivation to win Daisy over but once he has done that, the green light is no longer symbolic of hope or Daisy. It’s deeper meaning to Gatsby goes away. Through this, Fitzgerald is making a social commentary on the idea of “you only want something you can not have” and Gatsby is exhibiting this idea perfectly because once Gatsby achieves Daisy, she is no longer enchanted to him. A big conception Gatsby has of Daisy is that she is money. She represents all that he wants in life and he believes that by achieving Daisy, he will have achieved his ambitious life goals. Gatsby is aware that “her voice is full of money” (120) and this captivates him and keeps him coming back to her. The thought of Daisy being money makes Gatsby think that once he’s obtained Daisy, he’s attained it all. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s need for Daisy to epitomize the materialistic culture of the 1920s and society’s need for excess materials. Gatsby’s American Dream is to obtain wealth and status and because Daisy is “the golden girl” (120), Gatsby views her as access to the top 1% of America. Although it may seem like Gatsby loves Daisy and wants what is best for her, his motivation to get her is driven by his need to achieve his dreams. Fitzgerald enhances Daisy’s symbolism of the upper class by describing her in a whimsical manner. In the scene before Gatsby, Tom, Nick, Daisy, and Jordan drive up to the city, she is described as having

    Read More

  • Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby - Symbolism and the Truth

    3885 Words  | 8 Pages

    Symbolism is a very important device in Fitzgerald's 1926 masterpiece, The Great Gatsby. Different objects, words or actions symbolize different character traits for each person depicted in his novel. Through symbolism, Fitzgerald manages to describe three completely different aspects of the human life. He conveys the glittery, magnificent life of the rich, the gray, ugly and desperate life of the poor, and the mundane struggles of those in between.

    Read More

More about The Use Of Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

Open Document