DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLISM IT’S MANY APPEARANCES IN THE GREAT GATSBY

WHAT IS SYMBOLISM? EXAMPLE: THE USE OF DEFINING AN OBJECT AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN ITS LITERAL MEANING. THE COLOR BLUE IS JUST A COLOR, RIGHT? WELL, OFTEN TIMES, IT IS USED TO DEFINE/DESCRIBE SADNESS OR DEPRESSION. “ARE YOU FEELING BLUE?”

TEXTUAL EVIDENCE SYMBOLS IN THE TEXT (SOME OF MANY) WHAT DO TOM’S TEARS SYMBOLIZE? TOM SHEDS TEARS FOR MYRTLE WHEN HE DRIVES AWAY FROM HER BODY. HIS FEELINGS FOR MYRTLE (UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM). FRUSTRATION/ANGER AT GATSBY. “TOM WAS FEELING THE HOT WHIPS OF PANIC. HIS WIFE AND HIS MISTRESS, UNTIL AN HOUR AGO SECURE AND INVIOLATE, WERE SLIPPING PRECIPITATELY FROM HIS CONTROL” (111).

YELLOW CAR VS. BLUE CAR GATSBY’S YELLOW CAR = FRIENDSHIP, HAPPINESS, SUNSHINE, SPEED, INNOCENCE

Tom’s blue car= his somber mood, the after effects of the accident (the speed of the yellow car caused his sadness following it)

DR. T.J. ECKELBURG’S BILLBOARD EXAMPLE: THIS SYMBOLIZES THE LOSS OF SPIRITUAL VALUES IN AMERICA AND AMERICA’S GROWING COMMERCIALISM. IT ALSO SYMBOLIZES THE CORRUPTION OF AMERICA. THE EYES PEER DOWN ON THOSE WHO ARE DOING BADLY. “HE” SEES TOM DRIVING TO NEW YORK TO HAVE HIS AFFAIR WITH MYRTLE. THE EYES SEE THE VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER OF MYRTLE WILSON—DOES “HE” THEN SEE “KARMA” TAKING PLACE. TOM’S LIFE IS FALLING APART AS HIS WIFE KILLS HIS MISTRESS, ALTHOUGH DAISY DOES NOT KNOW THAT IS WHO SHE IS.

WHAT IS A MODERN DAY SYMBOL? AND WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR? BADGES-- DIPLOMA PAPER-- FLAGS-- ANIMALS--

DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE

WHAT IS DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE? WHAT MAKES THIS SCENE DESCRIPTIVE? THE USE OF EXTREME DETAIL OR COMPARISON TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING (A PERSON, SCENERY, EMOTIONS, REACTIONS, ETC.)