Literary Devices In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”, many literary devices are used throughout the book. He uses them to convey deeper meanings of his novel as well as to make the text more interesting. Three of the most commonly used literary devices used are symbolism, allegory, and tone. Throughout the book we see the story unfold with the help of these literary devices.
Symbolism is when an object represents something different than what it actually is. The Great Gatsby is full of symbolism. For example, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, which are painted on a fading billboard in the Valley of Ashes. Fitzgerald was smart by making this a big part of the book, these eyes could be symbolized to mean many things. Analyses quickly draw the conclusion that Eckleburg represents God, and that both are all-seeing. When i all reality Fitzgerald could be trying to say that consumerism was the real god of the era, or that the eyes symbolize the loss of spiritual values in America. The idea that everyone can live the dream is just a dream. For most, life is the nightmare of the Valley of the Ashes which the Eyes frown down on all day long. …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald writes as if he is reciting speech. He uses profound long words to describe and say things in almost every sentence, “Suddenly one of those gypsies,in trembling opal, seizes a cocktail out of the air ,dumps it down for courage and, moving her hands like a Frisch, dances out alone on the canvas platform.” He does this a lot throughout the book, most of the time he turns small simple words into big ones to make it more intense. “He raised his hand to stop my words, looked at me with unforgettable reproach, and, opening the door cautiously, went back into the other