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VALLEY OF ASHES/NEW YORK

CONCLUSION

Places in Gatsby were important. They helped not only to set the scene, but also to symbolically portray the characters before they even opened their mouths. The Great Gatsby is known for its vast amounts of symbolism, and it is by no doubt that the places in which the book takes place naturally have a huge impact on the characters and symbols shown throughout.

EYES OF T.J ECKLEBURG

In the novel "The Great Gatsby" the eyes of T.K Eckleburg located in the valley of ashes symbolizes the loss of spiritual value in America. The billboard shows that the spiritual value of America has been neglected. This has been shown through the character of Tom. Back in the days people were judged on the type of people they were and not the amount of wealth they had. The eyes being in the valley of ashes symbolizes that god has abandoned America and leaving doctor T.J Ecklerburg to look down at people with his empty eyes on people like Tom that have abandoned their spiritual values in order to achieve material wealth. Overall the eyes of T.J Eckleburg can symbolize lots of things and the loss of spiritual values in America is one of them.

ANGELA DENG

COLOUR/CONTRAST

The colour grey is used in the Great Gatsby as a contrast to the green, lush, rich, atmosphere of the West and East Eggs. The Valley of Ashes, which is fully grey, is used to symbolize misery and depression. We can see this where the ash heaps are used as almost a parallel universe to the East and West Egg, where grey ashes are being compared to the money and ultra rich East/West Eggs. Colour is used to show this, as a common colour used for symbolism in the Eggs is green- symbolizing wealth, hope, and lust (Gatsby for Daisy.) On the other hand, grey is the complete opposite. Fitzgerald alludes that the lower class who live in the Valley of Ashes are depressed and live a horrible life, while the rich are happy and lead better lives than these lower classed citizens. This is a juxtaposition which we discover later on in the book is not true.

-Aglaia

INTRODUCTION

CIRCUMSTANCES/CLASSES

Throughout Gatsby, the places in which the story takes place are highly symbolic of the nature of the people that inhabit the areas. These places were used to represent the people as well as interactions that would take place inside the estates.

The Valley of Ashes represents the moral and social crumbling of society due to the blind pursuit of money. It symbolises the struggles of the poor, such as George Wilson. He is considered by those with wealth to be irrelevant and useless, so lives with the disposed ash which is also dirty and badly looked upon. Fitzgerald used contrast between the West and East Eggs and the Valley of Ashes to show the large inequality between levels in society. Tom Buchanan and George Wilson are examples of this. Tom has everything he needs but is constantly moving and buying more because of his never-ending wants. A quote from the book that supports this is that Tom is "One of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax." Tom became bored with his life of luxury so began searching for other things to entertain him. He is the epitome of the wealthy people living in East and West Eggs. His environment symbolises the people living there. Wilson has little money or possessions and has no hope. The Valley of Ashes is a grey, hopeless place that micmics the social standing of the people that live there. Tom blatantly disrespects Wilson when he asks when the car will be ready to sell. "No, he doesn’t,” said Tom coldly. “And if you feel that way about it, maybe I’d better sell it somewhere else after all.” The way that Tom speaks to Wilson shows that he feels as if he is more important. Fitzgerald is representing the relationships of the upperclass and their mistreatment of labourers. Tom represents the population of the Eggs and the rich, and Tom the poor workers. The Valley shows the decay of the American society and their country-wide dream of fortune and happiness. With every generation, the ashes pile higher, further distorting the American Dream away from the original.

- Juliet

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