Symbols Flashcards
The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolises what?
Gatsby’s hope and dreams.
It represents the physical and emotional distance between him and Daisy, the gap between the past and the present, the promises of the future, and the powerful lure of money.
What does the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg symbolise to Nick?
The haunting waste of the past, which lingers on though it is irretrievably banished, much like Dr, Eckleburg’s medical practice.
How does Eckleburg’s eyes link to Gatsby?
Gatsby’s own eyes are once described as “vacant”, blankly keeping “vigil” (a word Fitzgerald applies to both Dr. Eckleburg’s eyes and Gatsby’s) over Long Island sound and the green light.
What does George Wilson believe Dr. Eckleburg’s eyes are?
The eyes of God, which he says see everything.
What is the Valley of Ashes?
An area halfway between New York City and West Egg, the Valley of Ashes is an industrial wasteland covered in ash and soot.
What does the Valley of Ashes represent?
The dismal ruin of the people caught in between the “mystery and beauty in the world” (New York City) and the people who’ve gotten rich off the roaring economy (West Egg).
What does Gatsby suggest about making money?
There’s a kind of honour in the hard work of making a fortune and building a life on the frontier.
What does the book say that contradicts Gatsby about people making money?
The quest for money in the East is nothing more than a hollow quest for money.
What themes does Gatsby’s mansion symbolise?
The grandness and emptiness of the 1920s boom, a physical symbol of Gatsby’s love for Daisy.
