Things to Watch for in The Great Gatsby Symbols . . .

The Green Light What might it symbolize? Pay attention to this !

Green . . . the color green pops up everywhere in The Great Gatsby.

Eyes An abandoned billboard, advertising Dr. T. J. Eckleburg's long-gone optometry business also takes on multiple levels of symbolism as it overlooks a trash dump Fitzgerald describes as "the valley of ashes."

Cars Automobiles represent the carefree irresponsibility displayed by the characters in The Great Gatsby. Whenever they wish to escape something, or amuse themselves pointlessly, they take off in a car.

Gatsby’s Library Gatsby's library is an inside view of the background of his intellect and the people who attend his parties. Watch for this!

Parties/Alchohol Parties are where a great deal of action takes place in The Great Gatsby. Everyone at these parties participates in the revelry, drinking profusely. Fitzgerald uses this consumption of alcohol to reflect the impaired judgment and morals of the generation of the Twenties. He is trying to say that everyone tied to the flapper culture and the sexual revolution was in a drunken state of stupor that results in the overall degradation of man.

Valley of Ashes The eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg look over a vast decaying wasteland known as The Valley of Ashes. This trash heap has come to symbolize the death of the American Dream through moral degradation.

Gatsby’s house Fitzgerald describes Gatsby's house in great detail, creating another potent symbol. The house represents the "external structure of Gatsby's life . . .

Setting: West Egg vs. East Egg Old Wealth vs. New Wealth Valley of the Ashes

Characters Tom- Daisy Nick Jordan Gatsby Myrtle’