Green Light In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a novel about the “Roaring Twenties” and how people wanted to achieve the “American Dream.” Fitzgerald uses many different elements to describe the destruction of the American Dream. Symbolism is used as a key element throughout the novel to add complexity and suspense, requiring the reader to decipher what is meant and put the symbolism into context. Fitzgerald’s major uses of symbolism are the green light, the Valley of Ashes, and the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckelburg. The green light inspires Gatsby and Nick throughout the novel to achieve their American Dream, for Gatsby it’s the love he lost, for Nick it’s a better future. The green light is at the end of Daisy’s dock and symbolizes Gatsby’s desire for the love he lost. Gatsby purposefully bought the house on the other side of the bay with Daisy’s proximity in mind. Gatsby wants to give Daisy everything since he could not give to her when they first met and …show more content…
T.J. Eckelburg is a billboard that is a prominent symbol throughout The Great Gatsby. “They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose.” (Page 23). The billboard is an old and boring advertisement that symbolizes many things to different people. The eyes symbolize the loss of values, growing commercialism, corruption, and the hollowness of the American Dream. The loss of values is expressed when old-fashioned values are abandoned for wealth. The growing commercialism represents that life is all about money. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckelburg show the corruption of people such as Tom and Myrtle’s affair. The eyes look down on the Valley of Ashes as if to say that the American Dream is a big lie. It is hollow goal because even if you achieve your dream you still end up alone. The complexity to the eyes is that everyone has their own interpretation to what they stand for and they have to interpret what they stand for throughout the