How does Fitzgerald use symbols and motifs in PDF

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This explains some of the core symbols and motifs used in The Great Gatsby....

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How does Fitzgerald use symbols and motifs in “The Great Gatsby”? Although Fitzgerald uses symbols and motifs to convey various messages throughout the novel, one of the most renowned points made using symbolism is the criticism of the American Dream and the Jazz age in the 1920’s. Fitzgerald stated that the novel was about a “loss of illusions that give colour to the world that you don’t care whether things are true or false.” It shows how the American Dream was an “illusion” as it began with the idea of equal opportunity and pursuit of happiness and yet it was corrupted by the “foul dust”, a metaphor which describes the lack of morals and values of people. The writer summarises this point in the entire novel. The eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg are representative of the “eyes of God”. Contextually, the metaphor shows how people have turned away from their traditional religious views, yet the “eyes of...Eckleburg” continue to watch all that is going on. Within the novel, Wilson is the only one who establishes this spiritual connection with the “God[-like] eyes”, yet he still winds up committing the biggest sin by murdering Gatsby. At first glance, this suggests that Wilson’s belief, much like the American Dream, is an illusion and he only uses “Doctor T.J. Eckleburg” as a God-like figure to add “colour” to his “ashy” world. Once again, the readers see that Wilson only holds onto his belief because he has nothing else left, this is what his American Dream has done to him. However, Fitzgerald also shows how Wilson’s belief in Eckleburg being “God” could be true, yet this comes to a crescendo after Myrtle’s death when Michealis dispels Wilson’s illusion and describes the billboard for what it is, a materialistic “advertisement.” The concrete noun takes away the spiritual barrier, therefore removing any morals and values and allowing Wilson to act on his revenge plot as there is no authority left to watch him. Fitzgerald also uses colours as a motif to represent various concepts as the green light is indicative of the American Dream. In chapter one he uses a noun phrase, describing the “single, green light, minute and far away.” The fact that it is so “far away” shows how the possibility of anyone actually achieving their dream is so “minute” that it can be considered humorous that they even attempted to make their dreams come true. It is comic relief. Gatsby’s American Dream is Daisy and he “stretche[s] his arms” towards this green light as though he worships it. Through the verb Fitzgerald shows the significance of the green light, and ultimately the American Dream, and how it enslaves the people who are trying to attain it. However, later on in Chapter five, when Gatsby finally attains his American Dream with Daisy being beside him, the light simply becomes a “green light on a dock” to Gatsby. It is a noun phrase that holds no significance anymore now that dream is complete. The readers understand that once Gatsby has achieved his dream, he no longer has a purpose as he had only tried to attain this wealth to get Daisy. Fitzgerald criticises the American Dream using this motif as it shows how there was nothing to life once the dream had been achieved....