The Great Gatsby Significance
Truth of the Eye
In chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Owl Eyes discovers the legitimacy of Gatsby’s books symbolizing the constancy of the watchful eye and illustrating the ironic clash between reality and deception. Fitzgerald uses eyes as a fundamental symbol throughout the novel to demonstrate that all actions are observed by others. Owl Eyes is a character who immediately realizes that Gatsby is “a regular Belasco” (Fitzgerald 45) putting on a show. Just like Belasco, a theatrical producer, Gatsby uses flamboyant illusions to fool the public eyes. Owl Eyes is described as, “[a] stout, middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed spectacles...” (Fitzgerald 45), who unveils a bit of knowledge regarding Gatsby. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle leads Owl Eyes to ascertain that Gatsby is a fake. In Owl Eyes efforts to confirm his hypothesis, he snoops through Gatsby’s library. Not only does Owl Eyes’ discovery of Gatsby’s façade show that the public is aware of his phony life, but his name also symbolizes this truth. It is also important to note that an owl represents wisdom and knowledge, implying that Fitzgerald’s naming of this character was not accidental. Owl Eyes uncovers a major fact about Gatsby proving that his watchers are not as ignorant as he believes.
Owl Eyes was convinced the books would be fictitious, but to his astonishment, “they [were] real” (Fitzgerald 45). He has always perceived Gatsby as an artificial being, but he was astounded by Gatsby’s realism and thoroughness of his fabricated life. Ironically, Owl Eyes, a character who is portrayed as a man with thick, large glasses and awful eyesight, is able to clearly see the reality of Gatsby. Gatsby didn’t just want wealth and power, but he “wanted to recover something, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered” (Fitzgerald 110). Gatsby’s had exorbitant parties only to gain attention of his past lover Daisy. Gatsby’s lifestyle reveals the
In chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Owl Eyes discovers the legitimacy of Gatsby’s books symbolizing the constancy of the watchful eye and illustrating the ironic clash between reality and deception. Fitzgerald uses eyes as a fundamental symbol throughout the novel to demonstrate that all actions are observed by others. Owl Eyes is a character who immediately realizes that Gatsby is “a regular Belasco” (Fitzgerald 45) putting on a show. Just like Belasco, a theatrical producer, Gatsby uses flamboyant illusions to fool the public eyes. Owl Eyes is described as, “[a] stout, middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed spectacles...” (Fitzgerald 45), who unveils a bit of knowledge regarding Gatsby. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle leads Owl Eyes to ascertain that Gatsby is a fake. In Owl Eyes efforts to confirm his hypothesis, he snoops through Gatsby’s library. Not only does Owl Eyes’ discovery of Gatsby’s façade show that the public is aware of his phony life, but his name also symbolizes this truth. It is also important to note that an owl represents wisdom and knowledge, implying that Fitzgerald’s naming of this character was not accidental. Owl Eyes uncovers a major fact about Gatsby proving that his watchers are not as ignorant as he believes.
Owl Eyes was convinced the books would be fictitious, but to his astonishment, “they [were] real” (Fitzgerald 45). He has always perceived Gatsby as an artificial being, but he was astounded by Gatsby’s realism and thoroughness of his fabricated life. Ironically, Owl Eyes, a character who is portrayed as a man with thick, large glasses and awful eyesight, is able to clearly see the reality of Gatsby. Gatsby didn’t just want wealth and power, but he “wanted to recover something, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered” (Fitzgerald 110). Gatsby’s had exorbitant parties only to gain attention of his past lover Daisy. Gatsby’s lifestyle reveals the