The next major symbols in The Great Gatsby are the East and West Egg, and the differences between them. Nick and Gatsby live in West Egg. It is not as luxurious as East Egg, Nick describes it as, “the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not little sinister contrast between them” (14). West Egg seems as though it is for the families and people who are newly wealthy, Gatsby for example, or young, as Nick has moved into a small house, with the “consoling proximity of millionaires - all for eighty dollars a month” (14). When comparing West Egg to East Egg, the reader is able to see what each island symbolizes, which helps to create depth in the novel. East Egg symbolizes the classy, upscale, always-had-money type of families. The Buchanan’s are an example of this, they …show more content…
Nick looks across the bay and sees “the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water” (14). This obviously shows the differences between East and West Egg. By comparing the two, it brings out the symbolism and really generates depth in the story.
The final symbol that adds depth and meaning to the novel is The Valley of Ashes, which is located between New York City and West Egg. It symbolizes poverty, and the population of Manhattan that is not rich and self indulged in their personal lives. The Valley of Ashes is described as a dumping ground, Nick even explains how it’s “bounded on one side by a small foul river, and, when the drawbridge is up to let barges through, the passengers on waiting trains can stare at the dismal scene for as long as half an hour” (27). This is completely opposite to places like West Egg, where most of the novel is taken place. Everything is luxurious and fast paced, comparing these two places opens up many symbols in the reader's mind, like poverty and the fact that not every American at that time could live as Gatsby can, for instance.
This differs in respect to Tom Buchanan who was perceived as a ‘golden man’ who was posh and upmarket because he came from the opposite end, East Egg. This suggests that the importance of social values lies in the appearance of one’s geographical
It is basically a trash dump. The valley of ashes represents and symbolizes the rotting of the American dream because of the rotting of the valley. To is a very violent character. He attacked Myrtle because she mentioned his wife daisy. He even ended up breaking her nose because of
I believe the symbolism represents the tougher locations of the world. It is stated "where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke" meaning quite literally that the entire land is covered by ash and soute. Making it a tarnished area as well as a unhealthy
After Gatsby’s death, Nick’s search for his American Dream came to a halt, as West Egg was no longer a new and exciting place for him. Gatsby’s parties represented a new, unseen life to Nick, therefore progressing his dream of striving towards a newer and better future. Once Gatsby is gone, and therefore the progression of Nick’s dream, life on West Egg goes back to a normal and Nick strives for new opportunities and experiences
Beginning with one of the most recurring symbols in the text, the Valley of Ashes shows a stark contrast of poverty and dull lifestyles compared to the lavish and posh lives in East and West Egg. The Valley of Ashes is like the ghost to a failed American Dream. Instead of a beautiful landscape, the setting is made up of dark and depressing figures: “ashes take the forms of houses. . . men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. . .
Myrtle and Gatsby both exemplify this plummet back down to earth. Their bodies return to the ashes, truly becoming a part of the valley to help enforce what the valley represents: lost dreams of gold. The valley of ashes illustrates the hopelessness of achieving these dreams of gold, as they will eventually all end in ashes. By symbolizing the hopelessness of the Dream, the valley of ashes proves its
From the quote, “This is a Valley of Ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight” (23), it can be seen how the Valley of Ashes is a depressing place. It represents the moral and social decay that results from the continued search of wealth and acceptance in society. Seen by how the rich provide themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure. The valley of ashes also symbolizes the forcefulness of the poor, like George Wilson, who live among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result.
Shyanna Alspaugh Mrs. Smith English 11 13 May 2015 Great Gatsby An island outside of New York were two sides, East and West Egg . In the island, were characters that shared different morals and did things a lot different from one another. These characters were known as Nick, Daisy, Gatsby, and Tom. In this story different themes were displayed some of these themes include the following lies and betrayal, social class and money, and love and marriage.
For example, he describes its gloominess as a “fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat,” which demonstrates a dismal feel in an ironic fashion through the contrasting imagery associated with growth and freshness. This tone is further expressed by the “ashes grow[ing] like wheat into ridges… and grotesque gardens,” which adds to the dreariness of
His garage, along with the rest of The Valley of Ashes symbolizes the hidden moral depravity of the East Egg society. The Valley of Ashes
By serving as symbols, locations play a major role into deepening the meaning to the novel. The symbolism of location is significant because it connects the other ideas and overall themes that are depicted in the novel. The valley of ashes is where much of the central action takes place (Religious Language and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby’s Valley of Ashes 200). It represents the damage of the upper class, those from East Egg and West Egg, because of what they are able to inflict on the society. It is located between West Egg and New York, and it is the home of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg and the Wilson family.
Appearing multiple times in the novel, the “valley of ashes” represents the acrimony and poverty of New York in the 1920’s. Carraway describes this barren wasteland with words such as “grotesque” and “fantastic” (PAGE). By using the word grotesque, Fitzgerald portrays an ugly and distorted image of the contrasting world of lavish West Egg, and his tone is most prominently seen through this example. Shying from the masterful subtlety with which Fitzgerald employs his negative diction throughout the novel, “the valley of ashes” is given a simple yet effective description that harshly shows what Fitzgerald intends for the reader to understand. It is in Fitzgerald’s description of the “valley of ashes” that many differing opinions arise on Fitzgerald’s intentions.
This is accomplished through the use of symbols such as the Valley of Ashes, The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and The Green Light. These 3 symbols play a huge roll in the novel for each of them are massively important in their own ways. Mid-way between New York City and West Egg, lies the Valley of Ashes. The Valley of Ashes is a dreary place symbolizing the moral descent of society. As described in the novel it is, “A fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens, where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.”
Nick Carraway and Gatsby live in “West Egg, the -- well, the less fashionable of the two” (Fitzgerald 5). West Egg is the area where the self-made men and women,
Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and in Chapter 1 he reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal. Because Gatsby’s quest for Daisy is broadly associated with the American dream, the green light also symbolizes that more generalized ideal. In Chapter 9, Nick compares the green light to how America, rising out of the ocean, must have looked to early settlers of the new nation. THE VALLEY OF ASHES First introduced in Chapter 2, the valley of ashes between West Egg and New York City consists of a long stretch of desolate land created by the dumping of industrial ashes. It represents the moral and social decay that results from the dissolute pursuit of wealth, as the rich indulge themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure.