The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a novel based on Gatsby's dream and hope. In order to enrich the story, symbols are used to emphasize what the author is saying and they create a curiosity in the reader as they are frequently used throughout the story. These three symbols - green light, valley of ashes and the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg are not connected to each other but each of them represents important things in the story.

The green light which is situated at the end of Daisy's dock symbolizes Gatsby's hope to be together with Daisy. Nick noticed how Gatsby often stared at "a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock" (Fitzgerald 25).

Furthermore, during the meeting between both of them in Nick's house, Gatsby told her that "if it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay. You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock" (Fitzgerald 90). It is clear

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's hope but it also symbolizes the American Dream. Nick deems that "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us" (Fitzgerald 171) which means the harder you chase it, the further away it goes. By looking at these facts, it is very obvious that the green light symbolizes Gatsby's hope and the American Dream.

Lifeless and hopeless - those two words very well describe The Valley of Ashes - a desolated area between West Egg and New York. Fitzgerald describes the Valley of Ashes as "a certain desolate area of land" (Fitzgerald 26). Furthermore, the words 'ash-grey men', 'grey cars', 'invisible track', 'grey land' and 'bleak dust' give you an idea about how hopeless and lifeless The Valley of Ashes is. In addition, George Wilson, "a blond, spiritless man, anemic, and faintly handsome" (Fitzgerald 27, 28) lives in The Valley of Ashes as well and "when he saw us a damp gleam of hope sprang into his light blue eyes" (Fitzgerald 27, 28). This is as if the author is bombarding the readers with the hopelessness

...