Metaphors in The Great Gatsby
Metaphors abound in "The Great Gatsby," and they all come together inthe tragic ending of a life and a lifestyle that is long gone. TheAmerican dream of happiness had been corrupted into the American quest formoney, and Fitzgerald uses a variety of literary techniques to get histheme across to the reader. One of the metaphors prevalent throughout thebook is the green light perched on Buchanan's dock. Fitzgerald writes,"Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of thatlight had now vanished forever.... Now it was again a green light on adock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one" (Fitzgerald98). The light appears repeatedly throughout the novel, and as the novelreaches its apex, the light appears again, as a beacon promising a brighterfuture. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future thatyear by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter -to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . and onefine morning..." (Fitzgerald 212). Ultimately, the green light is a metaphorfor Daisy, and Gatsby's understanding of her, rather than idealizing her.
There have been many speculations towhat the great eyes mean, from "Big Brother" watching over the residents ofWest Egg to an all-knowing and all-seeing being - God if you will. The residents shouldunderstand God is watching them as they pass through the valley, and theyshould understand he knows everything about them and their opulentlifestyle. Ultimately, God sees thatman has turned what used to be his paradise into nothing but ash-heaps anddesolation, and he will judge them on that, too. Obviously, their lifestyle will ultimately destroythem, and the valley is a metaphor for the destruction and fall they mustface in the end. Gatsby's house is a metaphor for thegreed and aspiration that marked this generation of newly rich youngpeople. He cries, "God knows what you've beendoing, everything you've been doing. The book symbolizesthe greed and capitalism that represented the "roaring 20s," and it hasremained popular because of Fitzgerald's vivid writing and imagery, and hisintriguing themes. aphor in the book is the "valley of ashes" thatthe residents must cross each day on their journey into the city and thenback to West Egg. The people, in their greed andopulence, have abandoned God and his teachings, but he will not forget,because he is always there watching. Infact, George Wilson showed the eyes to Myrtle just before she dies andrefers to the billboard as God.
Common topics in this essay:
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West Egg,
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George Wilson,
Ultimately God,
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Myrtle Tom,
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god watching,
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