However, fittingly, they also add to the notion of this ‘solemn dumping ground’ neglected and dimmed by many paint less days’.
The Irony of the symbol Is that the eyes are In fact a billboard, an advertisement ‘set heir by some wild wag of an oculist set there to fatten his practice In the borough of queens’.Although they seem to objectively observe the exploits and actions of the characters as they pass through, they are also a fundamental reminder of the materialism and pursuit of wealth that is to blame for this impoverishment and neglect, as they indeed an advertisement.
The anonymity of the eyes – they ‘look out of no face’- further compounds the symbolism of the Valley of Ashes, as a desolate land, brought about due to the lack of morals, and vision of the consequences the results of their lifestyle. These eyes are fading and dimmed, and look over the solemn dumping ground that is the Valley of Ashes. J.Ĭocklebur a set of blue, gigantic eyes whose retinas are one yard high. Contained within the Valley, however, is nee of the most well recognized symbols within the novel.This is of course the eyes of Doctor T. George is covered by a White ashen dust’, a description which invokes the perception of him as a defeated man, with neither the respect of his wife, nor his colleagues, due to his lack of wealth. His life appears to be meaningless and empty, as he Is Intimidated by Tom Buchanan, who rudely adopts a hostile tone multiple times throughout the novel, exemplifying the perception that the poor are Inferior In this society, with the rich prospering. Even the road is described to shrink away from It, highlighting the neglect that the location is a product of.įurthermore, the Valley also highlights the plight of the poor, an example of which Is George Wilson. The Valley of Ashes as a symbol represents the poverty and plight of the poor, who are left to survive in the shadow of wealth and prosperity, forced to endure a ‘bleak’ outlook on life. This ‘desolate area land’, where ‘ashes grow like wheat into ridges’ represents the destruction, moral and social decay that is resultant for America’s uninhibited pursuit for wealth and material possession. Furthermore, other notable symbols Include the use of cars, recently Invented, throughout the novel, as well as the brief inclusion of the clock during Gatsby long awaited reunion with Daisy.A prominent symbol throughout the novel, which holds great significance, is The Valley Of Ashes’. Examples of this include his Inclusion of the Valley of Ashes, a desolate wasteland between West Egg and New York, as well as the depiction of the green light, which symbolizes Gatsby hope and dreams for the future. Throughout the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald employs great, effective use of symbols to compound the compliment the major themes throughout the novel.