What Does The Billboard Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Symbols that show up more than once in a novel are often very important. These symbols help the reader uncover hidden details in the book’s plot. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the billboard of the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg plays a very significant role. The billboard contributes to the overall meaning of the work by symbolizing such motifs as: religion, materialism, and unjust morals.
In The Great Gatsby, the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg watch over the city and everything that happens within it. The billboard, although an inanimate object, acts as a protector and forewarner to the characters in the novel. The characters feel as if someone or something is watching their every move. George Wilson even refers to the billboard as the eyes of God. Nick, the narrator, feels a special connection to the eyes. Instead of merely mentioning their existence, he goes into great detail on how they
The billboard portraying the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg reflects the self-indulgence of the elite society. The fact that one of the biggest symbols in the book is a tool used for advertisement shows that consumerism is a huge part of the characters’ lives. The characters in The Great Gatsby, especially Tom, Gatsby, and Daisy, have a very twisted notion of success. They act as if accomplishments can only be shown through wealth, and therefore they are constantly battling to outdo each other. For the most part, the characters in the novel are not very religious. It seems very ironic that the closest thing they have representing a God in the book is also an advertisement. The billboard’s original purpose was to convince people to spend their money. This may be comforting to some. The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are described as being tattered and faded. The characters may find it easier to relate to the billboard, who is flawed and materialistic, instead of a perfect and divine