What Does The Great Gatsby Symbolize

"The Great Gatsby" is a book full of symbolism. On a large, political scope the book itself is a symbol of the materialism of the twenties. Many of the symbols in the book are given their meaning by the characters - who are symbols in and of themselves. To make this last point, it is only necessary to look at Gatsby himself. Gatsby is, in a nutshell, the American Dream corrupted. He has worked hard to obtain everything he owns, often using illegal means to do so, but can enjoy none of it because he is so busy chasing something he will never be able to have. Daisy, the thing he is chasing, represents the American Dream as it to the lower classes of society during the twenties. She is chasable and appears to be obtainable, but is