F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Symbols and Symbolism :: Great Gatsby Essays

Symbolism in The Great GatsbySymbolism is what makes a fabrication complete. In The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald cleverly uses symbolismism. close anything in the novel canbe taken as a symbol, from the weather, to the colors of clothing thecharacters wear. at that place are three main symbols used in The Great Gatsby, they are The East and West en, the putting surface light at the end of Daisys dock, and the eyes of Dr.T.J. Eckleburg. One of the most important symbols in the novel is kind and socialstanding. It is like a barrier for almost every character. East and WestEggs act as a symbol of this by its somatogenic makeup. Tom and Daisy live on theEast which is far more refined and consists of people with more money anda higher social status. East Egg also represents the old money. Nick andGatsby are on the West, which is for people who dont have any realstanding, even if they have money. The West Egg represents the new money. Thegreen light shines from the East Egg to the West Egg luring Gatsby towards whathe has always wanted. And Daisy, the woman that Gatsby has always wanted butnever gets, lives on East Egg. There is also a barrier of water betweenthe two cities that keeps people like Daisy and Gatsby apart from one anotherand keeps them from reaching their goals and what they want in life. some other symbol used in the novel was colors. The first was the greenlight. The light was only a light, however to Gatsby it becomes his dreamfor the future. The light symbolizes hope and dream. The dream is Daisy.Gatsby buys the domicile across the bay so he can see the Buchanans light.Later in the story when Gatsby has Daisy the importance of the lightdiminishes. The color yellow in the story often represents death. Myrtledies after being hit by a yellow car. Another example of yellowrepresenting death is the scene just to begin with Gatsby enters the pool, He shook his headand in a moment disappeared among the yellowing trees (Fitzgerald 169). Thisshows that he was about to die just as the leaves in the tree were. The final symbol used in the story is the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg.Until George Wilson decides that they are the eyes of God, they are simplyviewed as an unexplained image, as they stare down on the valley of ashes.The eyes could mean anything to the observer, but they often make them