Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

The Eyes of Dr. T.J. EckleburgLocated in the Valley of AshesMay represent god looking down on and judging American society as a moral wastelandConnection between god and the eyes exists solely in George Wilsons mindAlso represent the essential meaninglessness of the world and the arbitrariness of the mental process by which people invest objects with meaning.Nick explores these ideas in Chapter 8, when he imagines Gatsbys final thoughts as a depressed consideration of the emptiness of symbols and dreamsDoctor T. J. Eckleburgs glasses have yellow rims, which symbolize corruptness.This may mean that he either sees corruptness everywhere, or sees through the eyes of someone who is corrupt.

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The Green LightThe Eyes of Dr. T. J. EckleburgThe Color WhiteThe Valley of AshesYellow and GoldEast and West EggOwl Eyes and Gatsbys BooksHeat

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Symbolism inThe Great GatsbyAubrey WydockAmerican Literature11th Grade

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East and West EggAn egg is white on the outside and yellow on the inside.Symbolizes a false show of purity on the outside, but rotten and corrupt on the inside.East AND West EggThere is deception of both sides.East: Symbolizes Old MoneyMoney that has been passed down through the generationsWest: Symbolizes New MoneyMoney that you earned yourselfThink of the United States during this time. If you lived in the eastern part, chances are your family came from that part of the country and earned their living their. If you were from the west, people were moving out towards California to try their luck at making their own living in a new way of life.

Click on the car to return to the main menu.The Green LightLocated at the end of Daisys East Egg dockBarely visible from Gatsbys West Egg lawnRepresents Gatsbys hopes and dreams for the futureIn Chapter 1, Gatsby reaches for the light in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal (Daisy)Also symbolizes the generalized ideal of the American DreamIn Chapter 9, Nick compares the green light to how American must have looked to early setters of the new nation as it was rising out of the ocean

Click on the car to return to the main menu.Owl Eyes and Gatsbys BooksOwl being symbolic of:WisdomAn omen of deathHis large glasses imply that he is more perceptive than the rest of the characters.Only guest who is suspicious of GatsbyTakes the time to investigate furtherInvolved in the car accident outside of Gatsbys houseReveals that someone else was driving the carOnly guest to come to Gatsbys funeralOwl Eyes is amazed that Gatsbys bookshelves are filled with real booksMany upper-class people during that time would keep cardboard books on their shelves to take up room and make it appear as if they were more educated.The unopened, unread books may represent Gatsby himself.Throughout the novel, the rumors about him only seem to build up, and the facts remain unexamined and unopened.The faade of the books only being there and not being read may symbolize Gatsbys habit of acting the fraud.He often referred to himself as an Oxford man when in reality he only attended there for a few months at the most.

Click on the car to return to the main menu.Yellow and GoldSymbolizes money and destructionExamples:yellow cocktail musicbewitched to dark goldtwo girls in yellowthe pale gold odor of kiss-me-at-the-gatethe golden girl (Gatsby describing Daisy)Gatsbys yellow carGatsbys gold tieDoctor T. J. Eckleburgs glasses

Click on the car to return to the main menu.HeatThe section of the story takes place during the summer, implying that it is hot out to begin with.The heat symbolizes the foreshadowing of coming events.When the drama begins to heighten, so does the temperature.The hottest point in the story coincides with the climax.The heat also presents contradictions within the characters.Example: Gatsbys feelings for DaisyThe heat may be symbolic of Gatsbys nemesis or his retribution.

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