The Great Gatsby

The Great GatsbyЎЇs Symbols Essay

Symbols often appear in books. Betty Smith portrays the Ailanthus tree as a symbol representing the poor community as a whole, ÐŽoIt likes poor peopleÐŽ± (6). The Ailanthus tree remains known as the Tree of Heaven. It struggles to reach the sky no matter where its seed falls, like the Nolan children. Born in an impoverished state without means but like the Tree of Heaven, the children struggle throughout their lives and become stronger. Similarly, F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby reveals three symbols: the green light, the valley of ashes, and Doctor T.J. EckleburgЎЇs eyes to comment on morals in the American society in the 1920s.

First of all, the green light represents Jay GatsbyЎЇs dream of Daisy and her money. Ultimately the poor boy finally gets the rich girl extraordinary capacity for hope to bridge for jealousy. Gatsby desires once again woo Daisy after many years of separation. ÐŽoHe stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious wayÐŽ­and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far awayÐŽ­ÐŽ± (p. 25-26). The green light, from DaisyЎЇs house at the end of a dock, Gatsby associates it with Daisy; he imagines that he can reach Daisy by stretching out his arms to the green light. Green embodies money and envy. Gatsby describes DaisyЎЇs voice as full of wealth. Jay Gatsby envies Daisy. He does not only desire DaisyЎЇs love but also DaisyЎЇs fancy life and richness. Wealth extravagantly wastes on things that people do not even need. However, GatsbyЎЇs social status can never compare with DaisyЎЇs. ÐŽoRich girl donЎЇt marry poor boysÐŽ± (124) Fitzgerald thus shows how in America Society in the 1920s; people marry for superficial reason. Gatsby also relates Daisy to the American dream. Once Gatsby is dead, his desire of winning Daisy dies as well as the American dream. ÐŽoSo we drove on toward death through the cooling twilightÐŽ± (143). This signifies that American dream decays.

Secondly, the valley of ashes symbolizes the poor society. The residences live in a dirty, morally degenerate environment. ÐŽoA fantastic farm where ashes grow like