This novel occurs in the 1920’s, specifically 1922-1924, set in New York. There are four major places where Gatsby’s tale is played out: West Egg, East Egg, New York City, and the Valley of Ashes. Fitzgerald chose New York to be where the novel is set because in the 1920’s, New York was the cultural center of the United States, reflecting the attitudes, values, and lifestyles of the time, such as wealth, big corporations, and high social status. Fitzgerald contrasted the foundations of West Egg and East Egg to depict a clear separation between the old ways and the emerging new ways, dichotomizing western America and eastern America. West Egg and East Egg are two peninsulas shaped like “eggs”, similar in wealth, only separated by a thin body
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This is where the characters act without any concern for consequences. Meyer Wolfsheim resides here in an alcohol bootlegging business, representing the corrupt, shady side in contrast to all the glamour on the outside. Daisy finds out that Gatsby made his name with criminal earnings in the city and Tom learns about Daisy and Gatsby’s affair. The Valley of Ashes is where the poor and working class reside, located halfway between New York City and East Egg, literally described as a “desolate area of land…where ashes take the form of houses”. By having to drive through the valley to reach New York City, the characters have to take themselves to a lower, trashier level. Fitzgerald creates a dreary atmosphere that is devoid of hope, as the inhabitants are treated like trash and earn no respect from the upper class. Tom visits this land when he wants to be with Myrtle, his mistress, representing the moral implications and corruption hidden by the glamourous, careless upperclass society. These rich people believe that they have no restrictions due to their vast wealth and therefore fool around with moral principles such as fidelity. The area is overseen by T.J. Eckleberg, the man on the billboard that is by the entrance to town. Eckleberg has a pair of “blue and gigantic” eyes that essentially judge all of the rich who drive by, looking down upon their immoral
This is where the characters act without any concern for consequences. Meyer Wolfsheim resides here in an alcohol bootlegging business, representing the corrupt, shady side in contrast to all the glamour on the outside. Daisy finds out that Gatsby made his name with criminal earnings in the city and Tom learns about Daisy and Gatsby’s affair. The Valley of Ashes is where the poor and working class reside, located halfway between New York City and East Egg, literally described as a “desolate area of land…where ashes take the form of houses”. By having to drive through the valley to reach New York City, the characters have to take themselves to a lower, trashier level. Fitzgerald creates a dreary atmosphere that is devoid of hope, as the inhabitants are treated like trash and earn no respect from the upper class. Tom visits this land when he wants to be with Myrtle, his mistress, representing the moral implications and corruption hidden by the glamourous, careless upperclass society. These rich people believe that they have no restrictions due to their vast wealth and therefore fool around with moral principles such as fidelity. The area is overseen by T.J. Eckleberg, the man on the billboard that is by the entrance to town. Eckleberg has a pair of “blue and gigantic” eyes that essentially judge all of the rich who drive by, looking down upon their immoral