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

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Symbolism is what makes a story complete.   In "The Great Gatsby" Fitzgerald cleverly uses symbolism.   Virtually anything in the novel can be taken as a symbol, from the weather, to the colors of clothing the characters wear.   There are three main symbols used in The Great Gatsby, they are The East and West Egg, the green light at the end of Daisy's dock, and the eyes of Dr.T.J. Eckleburg.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most important symbols in the novel is class and social   standing. It is like a barrier for almost every character. East and West Eggs act as a symbol of this by its physical makeup. Tom and Daisy live on the   East which is far more refined and consists of people with more money and a higher social status. East Egg also represents the "old money." Nick and   Gatsby are on the West, which is for people who don't have any real standing, even if they have money.   The West Egg represents the "new money."   The green light shines from the East Egg to the West Egg luring Gatsby towards what he has always wanted. And Daisy, the woman that Gatsby has always wanted but   never gets, lives on East Egg. There is also a barrier of water between the two cities that keeps people like Daisy and Gatsby apart from one another and keeps them from reaching their goals and what they want in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another symbol used in the novel was colors.   The first was the green   light.   The light was only a light, however to Gatsby it becomes his dream   for the future.   The light symbolizes hope and dream.   The dream is Daisy.   Gatsby buys the house across the bay so he can see the Buchanan's light.   Later in the story when Gatsby has Daisy the importance of the light   diminishes.   The color yellow in the story often represents death.   Myrtle   dies after being hit by a yellow car.   Another example of yellow representing death is the scene just before Gatsby enters the pool, "He shook his head and in a moment disappeared among the yellowing trees" (Fitzgerald 169).   This   shows that he was about to die just as the leaves in the tree were.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   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 simply   viewed 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