The Valley of Ashes
Starter: what ideas do you have about the
symbolic significance of the Valley of the Ashes?
Structure
• Why is the Valley of the Ashes introduced at
this point (the start of the second chapter)?
• Why is it introduced immediately after the
setting of West Egg?
Cultural Context
Read this extract from T S Eliot’s The Wasteland
(published 1922)
What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow
Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,
You cannot say, or guess, for you know only
A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water.
How does T S Eliot use setting as a metaphor for a
state of mind or set of values?
Opening Paragraph
What do you notice about Fitzgerald’s use of:
• Imagery
• Repetition
• Adjectives
• Verbs
• Sentence structure
The eyes of Dr T J Eckleburg
Are the eyes:
• A symbol of a godless nation?
• A symbol of neglect and decay?
• A symbol of consumerism?
• A symbol of the meaninglessness of the world?
• A symbol of moral or spiritual blindness?
• Why does Wilson “exchange a frown” with Dr T J
Eckleburg?
The Wilson Garage
• The Ford was the first car marketed
to the masses. What is the
significance of the wrecked Ford in
the garage?
• How does Fitzgerald present George
Wilson?
• What techniques does he use to link
Wilson to his surroundings?
• How does Fitzgerald show the
power imbalance between Wilson
and Tom Buchanan?
Remember
to think of
more than
one idea for
each point!
Myrtle Wilson
• How does Fitzgerald introduce Myrtle’s
character?
• In what ways does she contrast with her
surroundings?
• In what ways does she epitomise the
dissatisfaction of many ordinary Americans?
• In what ways does she represent the theme of
moral corruption?
• How does Fitzgerald use Myrtle to show that the
“little man” was unable to thrive in 1920’s
America?
Read the two analytical paragraphs
carefully
Annotate them carefully to show where you
think they belong on the mark scheme.
For each extract, bullet point any strengths and
weaknesses that you notice.
Remember that you are only assessed for AO1
and AO2 on this task.
And finally…
Write down five features of the Valley of the
Ashes that you would be confident writing
about in an analytical essay.
Homework
Write 3 PQA paragraphs explaining the symbolic
significance of another setting of your choice in
The Great Gatsby (not the valley of ashes).