1. Theme, Symbolism, and The American Dream
The Great Gatsby
Theme, Symbolism, and
The American Dream

2. Theme
#105: Theme: The fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. Sometimes said to be an underlying “message” of a story.
On the surface, The Great Gatsby is a story about thwarted love between a man and a woman (Gatsby and Daisy)
The central theme encompasses the corruption of the American Dream

3. The American Dream What is the American Dream?
Originally about discovery, individualism and the pursuit of happiness; transformed or corrupted into easy money and the disintegration of morals
The Great Gatsby is a symbolic representation of the disintegration of the American dream in a time of unprecedented prosperity and material excess

4. Symbolism
The parties that Gatsby throws symbolize the reckless prosperity, cynicism, greed and empty pleasure
Newfound materialism is also represented in Gatsby’s actions, house, and manner
Gatsby as symbolic of the rise of criminal activity that is organized and unpunished
Clash (symbolic) between old money and new money (Gatsby=new and Tom = old)
Green Light: Gatsby instills meaning in the green light by associating it with Daisy. He’s trying to obtain her, without understanding that their love is not real.
Explored by The Great Gatsby is also the hollowness of the upper class lifestyle
The upper class (old money) in the novel demonstrate their hard heartedness, lack of care—how they are used to having their money take care of “problems”

5. Motifs MOTIFS: West Egg=newly rich and East Egg= old wealth
Valley of Ashes: Moral and Social decay of America
Weather: Often reflects the mood and meaning of the actions that the characters are making
The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are a pair of fading, bespectacled eyes painted on an old advertising billboard over the valley of ashes—represent a few things: God staring down and judging society—however, they may take on different meanings as associated with each character.
Green Light: Gatsby’s hopes for the future (Daisy) Nick compares the green light to how the first settlers must have seen America when they sighted land for the first time