Evie M Taylor | 2015
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
English Lit A Level
How does Fitzgerald present setting in The Great Gatsby?
In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses setting to symbolise the 1920’s ‘American Dream’ and
how it has become overwhelmed with materialism and capitalism. The novel could be said to
be a social commentary on the idea of the ‘self-made man’ and how it is an unreachable
desire. This is made even more prominent as many of the characters, like the Wilsons who
live in the bleak valley of ashes, are still under the naivety that they will one day make it to a
higher status and quality of life and the hope that they share with Gatsby is a theme that
runs throughout the novel. The contrast of setting between West and East egg, which
represents West and East America, is shown in the language and imagery, and depicts this
divide between those that are inherently wealthy and those who will never be accepted into
that way of life.
Fitzgerald uses colour when first describing the valley of ashes to symbolise the
decaying mood and atmosphere of the poorer, working class which contrasts to the
descriptions of Gatsby’s parties. The valley is constantly associated with the colour ‘grey’
(‘grey cars’, ‘ash-grey men’ and ‘grey land’) which implies a gloomy setting where there is no
life or happiness. Conversely, when Nick, the narrator, first talks of Gatsby’s parties he
describes the gardens as full of ‘coloured lights’ which indicates a more vibrant, grand and
alive atmosphere, filled with wealthy, upper-class guests. Fitzgerald uses further colour
symbolism through ‘his blue gardens’ as blue can be used to imply a sense of calm which
could connote the idea that the guests are care-free in their attitude which represents the
upper class, East Egg residents, as being unopinionated or blissfully unaware of the realistic
working class. Furthermore, the reader’s initial reaction of Gatsby’s decadent parties is that
they are quick-paced as visitors are said to come and go ‘to and from the city’, which
compares to the inferred slow movement of the ‘motor road’ that passes the valley of ashes.
Additionally, Fitzgerald uses juxtaposition when describing the valley of ashes with
‘grotesque gardens’, as ‘gardens’ is usually used to symbolise beauty and life, like it does
when describing Gatsby’s parties, but ‘grotesque’ implies that the area is almost
unmentionable and sickly for the people who pass it by. As Nick is the narrator, the reader is
being subject to an observer's point of view who is not biased to either the Wilson’s poor
lifestyle nor Daisy and Tom’s wealthy background making the negative opinions of the valley
more authentic and believable. In contrast to Nick’s despairing view of the valley of ashes,
his view of Gatsby’s parties is in admiration of the fashionable atmosphere.
In the first Chapter, East and West Egg are contrastingly described by Nick which
begins the representations of the wealthy, materialistic society compared to the society who
are trapped in the lower class but still naively believe in the American Dream. Gatsby’s
house is described as ‘a factual imitation’ which could imply that Gatsby’s dream of reaching
the wealthy life and of reaching Daisy is fake and will never be a reality through the word
‘imitation’. Gatsby’s hard-working attitude and ‘new money’ will never be able to fulfill his
hopes and dreams of the East Egg lifestyle. In contrast, when Nick visits the ‘white palaces’
of East Egg he notes that they ‘glitter[ed]’ which indicates it’s noble and royal atmosphere.
‘White’ also symbolises purity and cleanliness and ‘palaces’ adds to the royalty and high
status that the East Egg residents are perceived to have. When Gatsby’s ‘mansion’ at West
Egg is shown to be over excessive almost like the area is a reflection of East Egg but will
never be the real thing, East Egg has an original and unique atmosphere of nobility and
individuality which could represent Fitzgerald’s views that the American Dream is a hope for
everyone but is only reality for a lucky few.
To conclude, Fitzgerald uses the setting to express his social commentary on one of
the main themes of the novel which is the perceived and fake view of the good life of the
American Dream. The lower class is shown through the valley of ashes setting, and the
realistic, capitalist society is shown through the uneasy and ‘windy’ East Egg. Characters like
Tom and Daisy are shown very restless and drifting with no purpose or aim to life, which is
an additional harsh truth to the glamorised fantasy that many American citizens living in the
1920’s had faith in.
Evie M Taylor | 2015
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
English Lit A Level