The importance of Themes & Symbols in The Great Gatsby
The Valley of Ashes
The American Dream
The Colour Green / The Green Light
The Green light is visible from Gatsby's lawn and situated at the end of Daisy's dock - When Gatsby sees the green light he automatically associates it with Daisy because his pursuit of Daisy is largely symbolic of his pursuit of the American Dream
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The Valley of Ashes is symbolic of moral and social decay that is a harsh consequence of the pursuit of wealth - rich indulgence results in the ruin of the poor who are forced to live among the ashes. E.g George Wilson
We are first introduced to the Valley of Ashes in Chpt. 2; "This is a Valley of Ashes - a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens"
The imagery used to depict the Valley of Ashes depicts how blind wealthy Americans were to the squalor they imposed on those suffering from poverty - they depict the Ashes to have created an "impenetrable cloud" that shields the wealthy from being forced to look at the effects of their exploits
the nouns used in this extract juxtapose the reality of the environment - "wheat", "ridges", "gardens", "hills" - they seem to describe a natural landscape that cannot exist in this place of smog and debris.
The Roaring Twenties
Fitzgerald characterises Daisy to show how women where confined during the Roaring 20s; Daisy Speaks of her daughter in chapter 1, saying, "And I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."
Ultimately, The Valley of Ashes is a significant symbol for Fitzgerald to employ in an effort to showcase how the roaring twenties (this period of prosperity) failed to benefit everybody - the wealthy could only succeed by taking advantage of the plight of others.
Chpt 1(Nick Carraway speaking of Gatsby): "He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward - and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock"
This extract captures Fitzgeralds most significant symbol from this novel - the green light is open to interpretation for those who read The Great Gatsby however i believe it is undeniable that the green light represents some element of Gatsby's ambition. Perhaps the light is significant because if it represents his goal, then the water beyond the dock represents the obstacles which separate him from it.
Ultimately, the Green Light is representative of an unattainable dream such as Gatsby's love for Daisy and his ambition in other branches of life - in this sense,The Great Gatsby reflects the universal struggles of those who have to overcome obstacles to get what they want but are so guided by ambition (or the green light) that they will do what needs to be done to get there.
Daisy is thus shown to be the perfect woman and wife - women were expected to be no more than a "beautiful little fool" with no ambition other than to be the best women they can be
"We went upstairs, through period bedrooms swathed in rose and lavender silk and vivid with new flowers, through dressing rooms and poolrooms, and bathrooms with sunken baths - intruding into one chamber where a dishevelled man in pyjamas was doing liver exercises on the floor" - Chpt 5
The description of Gatsby's mansion solidifies is as a symbol of wealth and prosperity in the novel - its opulence is characteristic of the time period. Gatsby's mansion follows the stereotypical impression of the 20s as being exciting, with lavish lifestyles and booming consumerism.
HOWEVER, Fitzgerald also seems to reveal a secret in this passage - the "dishevelled man in pyjamas" is a symbol of Gatsby's loneliness despite his lavish life. The man is revealed to be Ewing Klipspringer, a man who leaches off Gatsby for his money but who Gatsby keeps around for company when he isn't hosting parties.
The Great Gatsby is the embodiment of the American Dream
The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of their wealth or social status, can achieve any amount of success and wealth - it is the American ideal that no obstacle is too big to stop you from obtaining your goals
For Gatsby, Daisy is the American Dream
Chpt 5: "They were sitting at either end of the couch looking at each other as if some question had been asked or was in the air , and every vestige of embarrassment was gone. Daisy's face was smeared with tears and when [Nick] came in she jumped up and began wiping at it with her handkerchief before a mirror. But there was a change in Gatsby that was simply confounding. He literally glowed"
In this extract we get a real sense of Gatsby and Daisy's feelings for one another.
Gatsby and Daisy's reunion after so many years and with her married to another wealthy man reveals to the reader the root of Gatsby's ambition - Gatsby seeks wealth in the hopes that some day Daisy will choose his new wealth over the Old wealth of her husband Tom.
Ultimately, The American Dream can mean different things for different people, and perhaps Gatsby's desire for the unattainable Daisy is symbolic of how unattainable the American dream really is for most people.