1. The Great Gatsby Symbols and Motifs:

2. The Green Light

3. The green light the end of the dock seems to be somewhat of a religious icon to Gatsby, as he is found reaching for it across the water - He worships Daisy and can be regarded as a goddess to him. However the colour green could symbolise his jealousy that Gatsby believes maybe Daisy will never deny her that she ever loved Tom. The inaccessibility of his dream was what turned it into an ‘enchanted object’ in the first place, but upon meeting Daisy, the ‘colossal significance’ seemed to vanish, according to Nick (p.90), as it has nothing to promise him, because he has now grasped his dream – he has her for real.

4. ‘ Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic (orgiastic) future that year by year recedes before us’ Fitzgerald makes the green light a symbol of the American dream by mentioning the ‘fresh green breast of the new world’ which the first Dutch sailors witnessed upon their arrival in America. like the American Dream, the green light is rooted in the past, but forever out of reach. Those who achieve the American dream often became trapped in a moral world which destroyed all hope with happiness.

5. Green Light Gatsby mentions the green light to Daisy, Nick says that “he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever.

7. Symbols and Motifs Images of vision and insight

8. The Eyes of Dr T.J Eckleberg The eyes represent a omniscient god, someone who can see everything and knows everything. Could also represent the loss of spiritual values in America. “But his eyes, dimmed a little by many paintless days, under sun and rain, brood on over the solemn dumping ground.” The old-fashioned values of America are completely absent from the East, God seems to have abandoned America, leaving only Dr. T.J. Eckleburg behind to stare down with his empty eyes on people who have abandoned their spiritual values in the quest to achieve material wealth. “God knows what you’ve been doing…you may fool me but you cant fool god” Wilson is looking at the eyes of Dr T.J Eckleburg and assumes that they see everything but they are blind. Fitzgerald was raised a catholic but left the church in 1917 so could be saying there is no god watching over them and potentially mocking religion.

9. The Owl-Eyed Man The owl in Greek Mythology was made the favourite animal of the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athene. She gave the owl ‘inner sight’ Therefore, the owl eyed man represents someone who sees past the lies. “If one brick was removed the whole library would be liable to collapse”-said when looking at the unread books in his library. Shows that the man with ‘owl-like eyes’ can see through Gatsby’s facade of grandeur. He is the only one of Gatsby’s party guests to attend his funeral. He has the most compassionate line of the novel- the poor son of a bitch, perhaps his ‘inner-sight’ gives him this compassion.

10. Blindness “The little dog was sitting on the table looking with blind eyes through the smoke” Represents the helpless victims of a careless and polluting society, unable to see how they are being exploited. “it occurred to me that this shadow of a garage must be a blind…” Nick assumes that the garage is incapable of providing a living so must be a front for something, he uses the word blind to express this showing his lack of perceptiveness.

11. Nick Carraway “he was conscious of wanting to look squarely at everyone, and yet to avoid all eyes” Nick is an onlooker and we only see what he observes. “the East was haunted for me…distorted beyond my eyes power of correction” This reminds us that we are reading nicks interpretation of events that are filtered through his defective vision.

12. Symbols In Gatsby Cars

13. What do they represent? Cars represent mobility and independence, but in this novel, they become a powerful symbol of the careless of the rich, as a series of reported accidents builds up to the climax of Myrtle’s violent death. They also symbolise the hopelessness of the poor, who can only dream of owning a car going west. They are used as a symbol of wealth and power, but also represent the restlessness of the post war generation.

14. Gatsby For Gatsby, Daisy’s house becomes a centre of romance, mystery and wealth ‘redolent of this year’s shining new motor-cars’ (page 141). For him, cars are symbol of wealth and power, eg he has a Rolls Royce that is used as a ferry his guests from New York, a station wagon that brings guests from the station, an amazing car that Tom refers to derogatorily as a ‘circus wagon’ (page 115).

15. Nick Describes it as ‘’ A rich cream colour, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxed and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns.’’

16. The description fits no real car from the 20s. It is appropriate that Gatsby, the man who reinvented himself at the age of 17, the man who builds his life on a dream, the man who turns his house into an imitation of the world Fair. Should have a car born of the fantastic dreams of a teenager. The car is not merely a symbol of his wealth, it is an outlet for his recklessness. He takes Nick on a reckless detour through the district that housed the film studios.

17. Daisy In her youth, Daisy had a ‘little white roadster’, which gave her the freedom to lead an independent life, meeting young men without her parents supervision(page 73) As a married woman she had a chaffeur who appears critical of her visiting Nick at West Egg, suggesting that she may be under supervision (83)

18. Daisy’s attempt to have a glamorous affair, loosing her nerve at the confrontation, is symbolised by her attempt to drive Gatsby’s car at a speed. When Mytrle rushes out at the car, Daisy turns the car away.

19. Places as symbols New York (Manhattan)

20. New York from Queensboro Bridge pg 67 From a distance, New York seems like a ideal location to reach the American Dream However, Nick’s romantic perception cannot gloss over the fact that New York’s fortune came from immorality. “all built with a wish out of non-olfactory money”- Nick

21. The visit to Tom and Myrtle’s apartment pg 29-40 Because there are so any small apartments in such a huge town, there’s a sense of mystery in what goes in inside them. Tom and Myrtle’s apartment characterises this; rooms filled with illegal alcohol, pretentious furniture, and domestic abuse all disguised behind the dreamland New York “Yet high over the city our line of yellow windows must have contributed their share of human secrecy to the casual watcher in the darkening streets...”

22. Nick’s Evenings pg 57-58 As soon as Nick arrives, his lifestyles and his wants changes as he is sucked into Gatsby’s world. He believes that he is wasting the most poignant moments of his life because he is not apart of New York’s “racy, adventurous feel” There is a large contrast between the wealthy insiders and the lonely outsiders.

23. Wolfshiem’s office Wolfshiem has apparently respectable office on Broadway marketed ‘The Swastika holding company’ The use of Swastika maybe a symbol used to foreshadow events in the second world war. The shape was used originally in ancient cultures as a lucky symbol, it was then used as a Nazi symbol in 1922.

24. The office is situated on Broadway which is strange as Wolfshiem is involved in crime during prohibition, and Broadway is such a popular highly respectable place.

25. The valley of ashes represent the poor and how it illustrates how the American Dream is impossible to achieve. Myrtle dies trying to escape the Valley of Ashes to reach her dream. “she rushed out in the dusk” pg87 Her death leads to the death of both Gatsby and Wilson

26. The valley of ashes “about halfway between West Egg and New York “The valley of ashes is bound on one side by a small foul river” pg16 “Dismal scene” pg16 “Desolate area of land” pg16 “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat”

27. Biblical symbolism “ashes to ashes dust to dust” “they came from dust and they return to dust” the rich peoples wealth started from manufacturing but turn a blind eye from all the ashes and poverty where they originally came from

28. “And if you feel that way about it, maybe I’d better sell it somewhere else after all.” “I don’t mean that,” explained Wilson quickly. pg28 This confrontation of Tom and George shows how the rich look down on the poor because of the difference in their social status.

29. The valley of ashes represent the poor and how it illustrates how the American Dream is impossible to achieve. Myrtle dies trying to escape the Valley of Ashes to reach her dream. “she rushed out in the dusk” pg87 Her death leads to the death of both Gatsby and Wilson

30. Explore Fitzgerald metaphors and similes He draws a direct comparison between a fertile farm where crops are grown and this valley where “ashes grow like wheat”. The whole landscape is created out of ash; even the men who work there look as if they are formed out of ash. The farming metaphor emphasis by contrast the infertility of the valley.

31. Wilsons garage Everything in the valley of ashes is grey even the people. The enormous billboard with the oculists advertisement and the block of shop is the only thing that isn't grey, e.g. the garage (block of shops= yellow) This choice of yellow surrounded by grey makes it seem anaemic like Wilson's.

32. Adjectives Semantic field of disbelief suggests un natural landscapes bey9ond human experience e.g. Grotesque. Most adjectives come from semantic field of sterility e.g. Ash grey and desolate. On one level this is wasteland, it is the grim underside of New York It is not even a destination on the train, it rides right through it Close to line of communication between west and east egg (rich) and the city. Road goes straight past Ironically however this “dumping ground” s the inevitable end of the material possessions of the wealthy.

33. The valley of ashes “about halfway between West Egg and New York “The valley of ashes is bound on one side by a small foul river” pg16 “Dismal scene” pg16 “Desolate area of land” pg16 “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat” A stretch of wasteland that connects Manhattan and the 2 eggs- the valley illustrates that the excesses of wealth can not be achieved without exploiting another part of society

34. WEST AND EAST EGG Both are derived from actual places – an altered version of long island and Manhattan. Great Neck and Manhasset Manhattan- the skyscrapers shows wealth but it is filled with lonely clerks who spend all their time working and gangsters who meet in seedy bars.

35. Fitzgerald changes names and shapes of these peninsulas – drawing a comparison with stories of Columbus ‘discovery’ of America

36. East and West Egg The similar names draw out superficial similarities of the locations while revealing their differences gradually. Similarity of egg shape – both places inhabited by wealthy extravagant people. Nick is accepted in both communities – enabling him to be a detached observer

37. West and East Egg (imagery) Eggs are the start of new life, Nick felt like “life was beginning over again” when he moved to West Egg. Fitzgerald’s choice of image of eggs allows him to point to the superficial similarities of the two communities by concentrating on their shape, revealing their differences slowly. Both are home to the very wealthy, however west egg is less fashionable than east egg because of the different sources of wealth. East Egg represents OLD money – it is graceful and elegant but has a lack of morals (careless with money). People that live in East egg buy there houses and expect to stay, however people in West egg rent their houses short-term(for the season – shows they are less committed). West egg stands for vigour, energy, novelty and escapism in opposition to the moribund east egg – daisy may not approved of the people of west egg but she says ‘at least they are more interesting than the people we know’. The eggs are infertile – neither offers a future despite the fact east egg offers indifference and east egg offers escapism.

38. First nameSignificanceSurnameSignificance Jay (James / Jimmy)Jay – the American version of James ( a biblical name) Jay – a bird -...... Gatsby (Gatz)Changed the name to sound more WASP (White Anglo Saxon Protestant) NickVictory of the people – Links to him being at the centre of characters. CarrawayA seed – At the root of all narration in the novel. DaisyA beautiful, bright flower – significance is on appearance. Fay / BuchananScottish name PammyRefers to a woman as sweet as honey. Very common in 1920s – 1970s. BuchananScottish name TomLinks to Tomcat – He is “Tom- catting” around. BuchananScottish name, Plain, dull and conservative. MyrtleEnglish word for Evergreen Shrub – sacred to Aphrodite (Greek Goddess of Love) George BFarmer and earth worker – English name. WilsonWASP name – being WASP doesn’t make you rich, but have to be WASP to be rich.

39. First nameSignificanceSurnameSignificance ?Mavromichaelis JordanJordan motor-car company. It is the irony of her being a bad driver. Baker (Based on golfer Edith Cummings) Baker motor vehicle – Fast reputation. ?KlipspringerA small, agile antelope – can move/get away quickly. ChesterFortified palaceMcKee LucilleDerived from French patron saint of the blind Mckee MeyerLinks to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film company – Lion Trademark WolfshiemSeems “wolf-like”, links to organised crime. Brands him a ruthless predator. DanMeans “he is judged”CodyIrish by-name ‘helpful’ HELPED GATSBY OMG SO SIGNIFICANT Henry CGerman for “Home ruler”Gatz Various names of Gatsby’s guests on p 39 on (start Chap IV)