Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
Many symbols are incorporated throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece The Great Gatsby. As the story begins, these symbols are slowly introduced and start to show meaning as the story progresses. The characters Nick, Gatsby, Daisy, Pam, Tom, Jordan, Myrtle, and Wilson all give these symbols meaning by instilling them throughout the novel. In The Great Gatsby, three main symbols are introduced, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg, the clock, and the green light on Daisy's dock which all have very different meanings and are incorporated throughout the story. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg are a pair of fading eyes painted on an old billboard, looking over the Valley of Ashes. These eyes are said to be god's eyes by Mr. Wilson, who claims, "God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me but you cant fool God!" (160) as Wilson stares out the window at the pale eyes of Eckleberg on the ratty billboard. They seem to be looking over the wasteland, comparing the land to American society. Wilson suggests that the eyes and god are connected, though this only comes to mind through his grief- stricken thoughts. The eyes, being very insignificant to the story, show the unsettling nature of their
He enters the house to meet Daisy and the rain outside is getting increasingly worse, which shows the tension in their reunion. Now it was again a green light on a dock" (94). You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock" (94). The green light comes from Daisy's house, which Gatsby seems to obsess over. The green light represents Gatsby's goals and dreams, and how he will do anything for Daisy. Gatsby wants so badly to be with Daisy again, just like it was five years ago. Gatsby and daisy start to talk, when "the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and put it back in place" (87). image, and show the meaninglessness of the world and the way people portray things. This scene is very awkward, and you can feel the tension grow as the weather becomes fierce, and it begins to rain. These symbols, the eyes, the clock, and the green light bring the story alive to give the story a whole new meaning and display the characters feelings more visibly, and continue to give The Great Gatsby that extra little twist which makes it unforgettable. "Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically" (86). He leaned his head back so far that it rested against the face of a defunct mantelpiece clock" (87). This symbol is part of his American Dream, and is the main goal of Gatsby's ultimate success which is to win back Daisy.
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