What Does The Valley Of Ashes Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby: Symbolism in The Valley of Ashes

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald has become a literary classic of the 1900 's. This book, set in the 1920 's, takes place in Long Island Sound and New York. the valley of ashes is found between West Egg and New York City, however in contrast to East and West Egg 's rich preeminent society, the valley of ashes is where the poor people live. Its inhabitants are the casualties of the rich who are dumped on by the rest of the world in the same way ashes are dumped on them. The Valley is literally defined by its dust and ash, this is where the ashes from the city 's industries are dumped. The alley of ashes, with its brooding eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg,, its grey and dreary backdrop and
"The eyes of Doctor T J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic- their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existant nose." ( Fitzgerald 26) In this novel these behemoth eyes are made to represent God, or more accurately a dead God that sits and stares while we destroy everything. They act as a constant reminder of society 's moral decay, but observe silently, offering neither guidance nor comfort. This theme is still very common today. It seems that fewer and fewer people believe in God, and those who do, see him as a punisher, not a savior. The idea of a dead God is rampant in our society. There is so much destruction, wastefulness and corruption , that it almost seems as if God is a lifeless entity which "Broods on over a solemn dumping ground" (Fitzgerald
The colour grey has its own symbolism within the book as it implies the disappearance of hopes and dreams. "transcendent effort of ash-grey men" (Fitzgerald 26) refers to the men who work in the valley of ashes. Their existence is hardly living, they have no dreams. In reference to the valley itself, the colour grey is used as a descriptor, " Above the grey land and the spasms of black dust" (Fitzgerald 26). In this context grey is meant to describe the valley itself, and the hopelessness of it 's inhabitants. Grey in today 's society continues to be a colour of depression, sadness, misfortune and the poverty-stricken. Fitzgerald uses a lot of colour symbolism, but in the valley of ashes the predominant one is grey. The colour symbolism is easy to understand because grey still has a lot of the same associations, it also allows people to relate easily to the material