The Great Gatsby: Symbolism in The Valley of Ashes The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald has becom
e a literary classic of the 1900's. This book, set in the 1920's, takes place in Long Island Sound
and New York. the valley of ashes is found between West Egg and New York City, however in contras
t to East and West Egg's rich preeminent society, the valley of ashes is where the poor people live
. Its inhabitants are the casualties of the rich who are dumped on by the rest of the world in the s
ame way ashes are dumped on them. The Valley is literally defined by its dust and ash, this is wher
e the ashes from the city's industries are dumped. The alley of ashes, with its brooding eyes of Dr
. T. J. Eckleburg,, its grey and dreary backdrop and its contrast to East and West Egg, uses various
forms of symbolism. Fitzgerald's use of symbolism, exemplified by the valley of ashes, gives the n
ovel a timeless appeal and saves it from becoming just another period piece. Within the valley of a
shes, above everything else, there stands a billboard with an advertisement for an optometrist. "The
eyes of Doctor T J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic- their retinas are one yard high. They look out
of no face, but instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existant n
ose." ( Fitzgerald 26) In this novel these behemoth eyes are made to represent God, or more accurat
ely a dead God that sits and stares while we destroy everything. They act as a constant reminder of
society's moral decay, but observe silently, offering neither guidance nor comfort. This theme is
still very common today. It seems that fewer and fewer people believe in God, and those who do, see
him as a punisher, not a savior. The idea of a dead God is rampant in our society. There is so much
destruction, wastefulness and corruption , that it almost seems as if God is a lifeless entity whic
h "Broods on over a solemn dumping ground" (Fitzgerald 26). The valley of ashes is described as bei
ng a dark dirty place covered in grey ash. The colour grey has its own symbolism within the book as
it implies the disappearance of hopes and dreams. "transcendent effort of ash-grey men" (Fitzgeral
d 26) refers to the men who work in the valley of ashes. Their existence is hardly living, they hav
e no dreams. In reference to the valley itself, the colour grey is used as a descriptor, " Above th
e grey land and the spasms of black dust" (Fitzgerald 26). In this context grey is meant to describe
the valley itself, and the hopelessness of it's inhabitants. Grey in today's society continues to
be a colour of depression, sadness, misfortune and the poverty-stricken. Fitzgerald uses a lot of c
olour symbolism, but in the valley of ashes the predominant one is grey. The colour symbolism is ea
sy to understand because grey still has a lot of the same associations, it also allows people to rel
ate easily to the material . The valley of ashes is situated right between the places where the wea
lthiest people choose to live and work. East and West Egg are home to the wealthy aristocrats, and N
ew York City is the ritzy metropolis where all the money is made, but right in the middle is the val
ley of ashes. " This is a valley of ashes- a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat 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 powdery air
" (Fitzgerald 26). This is where all the book's death and decay converges, producing a sharp contras
t between it and the ritzy atmosphere of the Eggs. This contrast is also very notable in today's so
ciety. There is still such a gap between our wealthiest and poorest peoples, that the valley of ash
es is as much a symbol of our time, as it is of the 1920's. You can read the vividly depicted scenes
of the valley of ashes and make connections to similar experiences in your own life. The Great Gat
sby can be enjoyed by anyone. It's use of simple symbolism, such as the colour grey, and the eyes of
Doctor T J. Eckleburg, are easy to understand and at the same time easy to relate to one's own life
. The stark contrast between the valley of ashes and the Eggs, or New York is also easily related t
o every day life. Most of the issues addressed in this novel haven't gone anywhere, though they may
have altered slightly. Grey is still associated with death, poverty and depression. God is still tho
ught of by some as a lifeless entity, who watches idly, doing nothing while people are murdered and
our society destroys everything. The thing that has changed the least since the 1920's is the diffe
rence between the rich and the poor. the valley of ashes, if it represents nothing else, represents
the contrast between wealthy and poor. If we can relate so much to a novel that was written so long
ago, then how far has our society really come? Works Cited Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. To
ronto: Penguin Books, 1950 great gatsby symbolism valley ashes great gatsby scott fitzgerald become
literary classic this book takes place long island sound york valley ashes found between west york c
ity however contrast east west rich preeminent society valley ashes where poor people live inhabitan
ts casualties rich dumped rest world same dumped them literally defined dust this where from city in
dustries dumped alley with brooding eyes eckleburg grey dreary backdrop contrast east west uses vari
ous forms symbolism fitzgerald symbolism exemplified gives novel timeless appeal saves from becoming
just another period piece within above everything else there stands billboard with advertisement op
tometrist eyes doctor eckleburg blue gigantic their retinas yard high they look face instead from pa
ir enormous yellow spectacles which pass over existant nose fitzgerald this novel these behemoth eye
s made represent more accurately dead that sits stares while destroy everything they constant remind
er society moral decay observe silently offering neither guidance comfort theme still very common to
day seems that fewer fewer people believe those punisher savior idea dead rampant society there much
destruction wastefulness corruption that almost seems lifeless entity which broods over solemn dump
ing ground described being dark dirty place covered grey colour grey within book implies disappearan
ce hopes dreams transcendent effort refers work their existence hardly living they have dreams refer
ence itself colour used descriptor above land spasms black dust context meant describe itself hopele
ssness inhabitants today continues colour depression sadness misfortune poverty stricken uses predom
inant easy understand because still same associations also allows people relate easily material situ
ated right between places where wealthiest choose live work east home wealthy aristocrats york city
ritzy metropolis money made right middle fantastic farm grow like wheat ridges hills grotesque garde
ns take forms houses chimneys rising smoke finally with transcendent effort move dimly already crumb
ling through powdery book death decay converges producing sharp contrast between ritzy atmosphere eg
gs also very notable today there still such wealthiest poorest peoples much symbol time read vividly
depicted scenes make connections similar experiences your life great gatsby enjoyed anyone simple s
uch doctor eckleburg easy understand same time easy relate life stark eggs also easily related every
life most issues addressed novel haven gone anywhere though have altered slightly associated death
poverty depression thought some lifeless entity watches idly doing nothing while murdered destroys e
verything thing changed least since difference rich poor represents nothing else represents wealthy
poor relate much written long then really come works cited scott toronto penguin booksEssay, essays,
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