Definitely the lack of work in this time of economic downturn—Devon embodies the thousands who are stuck in low positions for which they are overqualified simply because they can’t find work. There’s also the question of status—the division between different levels of income, the values they hold dear compared to other levels. It’s interesting to see how they relate or don’t relate to what another and what are the things that resonate with all levels and force them to see eye to eye.…
-to show how there is an area of poverty, even though there are two luxurious cities surrounding this area called the Valley of Ashes…
The novel and the film heavily rely on setting, both to stage the events of the story and as a method of symbolism. The setting of the novel is historically accurate. Many families living in New Orleans and similar cities would retreat to small coastal islands for the summer to escape the heat of the city. On a higher level, the two main elements of the setting, the city and the island, or civilization and the wilderness, serve as symbols. The city, or civilization, symbolizes oppression by societal demands, while the island, or wilderness, symbolizes freedom from society's watch. When Edna is residing in the city, she is weighed down by society's expectations of her. She must be home on certain calling days, she must be subservient to her husband, she must put her children before all else, and she must be the person that conformed society encourages her to be. On the other hand, when she is on the island for the summer, Edna is freed from many of her duties. Her husband is often away with business, her children spend the days…
The differences in the settings of the novel is that it changes from a violent setting, on to a peaceful setting as the novel progresses. for example, in the beginning of the text, It starts off with Ponyboy getting mugged by the Socs, but then progresses on to understanding a theme that lies beneath the text. It then ends with Pony writing in his english class about his past experiences.…
The settings of the stories “Greasy Lake”, “Araby”, and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” are extremely important to the plot and why the stories followed the paths that they did. The settings of the stories affected how the character responded to situations. The settings also changed the tone, mood, and symbolism in the story. The grim settings in each of these stories propels the plot.…
People on the East Egg are rich but they do not compare to those of the West Egg as they have ‘new money’, which is less respected money. Some on the West Egg like Gatsby desired to live/get something from the East Egg, but they couldn't get it because they are not respected as those of the East Egg are hence why Gatsby would never get the green light. With the sun setting on the East Egg it shows the good ends there as if its dwellers have gotten there through doing illegal…
Society has, indeed, a great part to play in shaping the identities of individuals. East vs west Egg made the separation between the social classes. “By comparison, West Egg is the locale of the American dream in miniature and East Egg is the home of those who are longtime captains of industry”. This was one of the reasons that shaped of each of the characters behavior. For example, Jay Gatsby didn’t have lots of money, but suddenly he was the most prestigious when compared to all of the characters. He thought that with all of his money the world could be the way he wanted to be and that he could get…
In the Great Gatsby, the valley of ashes is the dark side of the American Dream. The…
The East Egg depicts the established aristocratic families with their inherited money while the West Egg depicts those characters that strive to become rich and obtain money in “get-rich-quick schemes” as shown by Gatsby’s bootlegging. Having large amounts of money for a long period of time is prejudicial as it causes corruption and makes the owners become desensitized, shallow, selfish and hypocritical. F. Scott Fitzgerald shows his distaste towards the deceitful aristocratic class through Tom and Daisy, the two East Eggers. Both Tom and Daisy have been blessed with their luxurious lifestyle, but they become superficial through the hypocrisy within their relationships; frivolity for materialism and wealth; and lack of sympathy and moral values.…
The valley of ashes is a town between West Egg and New York City where “ashes grow” and the citizens “move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” (27). Fitzgerald describes the citizens as a lower class who is alienated from the wealthy class. The valley of ashes is a town that was created by the garbage and wastes from East Egg and represents filth. George Wilson lives in the Valley of Ashes and is described as a “blond, spiritless man” (29). His garage business is very slow and is covered in dust. His wife, Myrtle is first introduced in a brown dress and is having an affair with another man. The poor also throw parties but are inclusive, meaning that random people show up, get drunk and leave. Unlike East Egg, a town known for its high status and low tolerance for chaotic behavior, The Valley of Ashes consists of the working class and their wild…
Grey, a color considered to be a shade, often represents the loss of emotion and the dullness in people and objects. Yet, this color exhibits the true misconception of how the characters perceive reality. “About half way between West Egg and New York.. is a valley of shadows” upon “the grey land” with “ash-grey men” and “lines of grey cars” (Fitzgerald 23). Shadows often evoke the unknown and create a sense of mystery which is true for the people of West Egg. In their “reality”, colors such as white, blue and gold are used to illustrate their exuberant homes and lives while the rest of the world in covered in this grey area. The “Valley of Shadows” connects to grey since it is between the two areas: one being the dream and fantasy while the other is the nightmare. This balance between the light and dark is what one would experience in daily life involving issues including stress, family and love. The “West Eggers” don’t experience much of true life since they are blanketed with materialistic items and unrealistic views. The “reality shade” is around them however they never experience it due to the veil that covers their eyes. Like a bride on her wedding day, only then when the groom removes the veil can she see the reality that she is getting married. Until then, only the dream of being married encompasses her thoughts. Kathleen Parkinson acknowledges “he…
Halfway between West Egg and New York City sprawls a desolate plain, a gray valley where New York’s ashes are dumped. The men who live here work at shovelling up the ashes. The commuter train that runs between West Egg and New York passes through the valley, making several stops along the way. One day, as Nick and Tom are riding the train into the city, Tom forces Nick to follow him out of the train at one of these stops. Tom leads Nick to George Wilson’s garage, which sits on the edge of the valley of ashes. Tom’s lover Myrtle is Wilson’s wife. Wilson is a lifeless yet handsome man, coloured gray by the ashes in the air. In contrast, Myrtle has a kind of desperate vitality; she strikes Nick as sensuous despite her stocky figure. Tom taunts Wilson and then orders Myrtle to follow him to the train. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to New York City, to the Morningside Heights apartment he keeps for his affair. Here they have an impromptu party with Myrtle’s sister, Catherine, and a couple named McKee. Catherine has bright red hair, wears a great deal of makeup. The group proceeds to drink excessively. Nick claims that he got drunk for only the second time in his life at this party.The ostentatious behaviour and conversation of the others at the party repulse Nick, and he tries to leave. At the same time, he finds himself fascinated by the lurid spectacle of the group. Myrtle grows louder and more obnoxious the more she drinks, and shortly after Tom gives her a new puppy as a gift, she begins to talk about Daisy. Tom sternly warns her never to mention his wife. Myrtle angrily says that she will talk about whatever she chooses and begins chanting Daisy’s name. Tom responds by breaking her nose, bringing the party to an abrupt halt. Nick leaves, drunkenly, with Mr. McKee, and ends up taking the 4 a.m. train back to Long Island.…
"The Great Gatsby" reflects the social attitudes of the time and positions its characters as symbols of the 1920s social trends. It includes comments on the underlying motives of the American dream, the excesses enjoyed purely for the sake of hedonistic fulfillment and the acceptance of corruption in society. The American Dream, in this novel is presented throughout as a materialistic dream focused only on acquiring wealth and possession. Fitzgerald successfully uses contrast between East Egg and West Egg to represent these values. The West Egg represents the "new money", portrayed as being vulgar and lacking in social taste. On the other hand, the East egg represents the old money and possesses grace, taste and elegance. The lives of the Buchanan's, in East Egg, are filled with material comforts and luxuries, yet are empty of purpose. Even though Tom…
This theme of old money versus new money can be found in the setting itself. The story takes place in Long Island which Fitzgerald describes as having two egg- like islands separated by the bay. These islands are known as the East Egg and the West Egg. The East Egg is comprised of the old- monied, aristocratic families in their luxurious mansions, while the West Egg is made up of the “nouveau riche” in their gaudy ostentatious mansions. This physical divide symbolizes the apparent division of the classes.…
The geographical differences of each location in the novel contributed to the social class of the characters. All of the regions in the Great Gatsby had their own unique components which divided them in a social perspective. West Egg is the home of the new money, people who have recently made their money through business. These people usually import assets to create a luxurious and imposing atmosphere. The residents of East Egg come from traditional and wealthy families and have often inherited their millions. They appear to readers as well-mannered and elegant people, but they look down in a condescending way on the people of West Egg. They believe that their family backgrounds are ‘inferior’ and that they spend their money in distasteful ways. The Valley of Ashes is an ugly wasteland, home to the poorer citizens of the area. It provides a contrast to the rich and dense exteriors of the two Eggs and the brightness and noisiness of New York. Nick determines that the region is “unprosperous and bare”, and attempts to ignore the harsh reality of the wasteland, just like the other Egg residents. Therefore, the regions inhabited by the characters in the novel predominantly conclude their social class.…