The Great Gatsby
On the superficial level, The Great Gatsby tells the story of a young middle class man who happens to get mixed up in the chaotic affairs of his wealthy cousin and neighbor. F. Scott Fitzgerald's story of life in the 1920s is much more than it appears to be, though. Even such things as the colors used in description play a crucial part in the "big picture" of the entire novel. Symbolism adds a whole other level of comprehension to the story. Even from the smallest pieces of the puzzle, this symbolism broadens the view of what the "big picture" of the novel actually is. These pieces of the puzzle come even from the characters themselves when viewed merely as symbols and the setting when analyzed more closely. The character of Jay Gatsby himself is a symbol of the "American dream." His entire life, Gatsby strives to convert himself and his life into what all Americans wish to attain. Only through hard work and an adventurous nature, though, can these goals usually be accomplished. An object that helps support the idea that Gatsby represents the "American dream" is his childhood "schedule" kept on a blank page in a copy of The Adventures of Hopalong Cassidy. Hopalong Cassidy is a typical
By going to Daisy, he also becomes mixed in with everybody else involved with Daisy directly and indirectly. The idea of God is still there, but there is no real depth to the thought. The billboard was obviously created by an ambitious doctor just out to make money. He would rather get what he wants than take the moral path. Green is the color of promise, hope, and renewal. Perhaps this dream is not exactly a dream at all, but a nightmare. His dream is of one day meeting again with Daisy. The obvious lack of morals creates the "smoky air" Nick describes at the party in Myrtle's apartment. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. The valley, basically, represents what destroys Gatsby and his dream. Gatsby's program for self-improvement written in the back of this book reflects Gatsby's struggle to acquire the two basic qualities of the American Hero: hard-working ambition and a robust desire for adventure. ly romantic American figure of heroism and adventure. The valley of ashes represents the American society poisoned by the wastes created by the "factories" of wealth.
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Acceptance Essays
