The Symbolic Meaning of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg's Eyes
Many writers use symbols in their works in order to show different aspects of life. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbols in his most famous book, The Great Gatsby. There is a green light that represents Jay Gatsby's hope for a future with Daisy Buchanan. He sees the light from across the bay and believes that it a sign that he should try to win back Daisy's affection. However, the most important symbol in the entire book is probably the enormous eyes painted on an advertisement billboard. First introduced on page 27, the billboard is an old advertisement for an oculist. The eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleberg, as they were named, are described as "...blue and gigantic - their retinas (pupils or irises) are one yard high" (p. 27) and "...dimmed a little by many paintless days under the sun and rain, brood over the solemn dumping ground" (p. 28). The billboard overlooks the Valley of Ashes, a wasteland where "ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills, and grotesque gardens" (p.27). People have long polluted this area with dumped ashes, garbage, and manure. The eyes are representative of the eyes of God. They look
Looking further into the symbolic message behind the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleberg, it could be argued that the appearance of the eyes has a completely meaning than their actual position in the Valley of Ashes. While they can still be thought of as the eyes of God, it may be more correct to assume that the fact that they are fading means that the God that judges morality has been abandoned and replaced by the evils of money and status. Since its very creator has abandoned the sign, it could be concluded that the power of this God to look over the people who pass through the ruined paradise that is the Valley of Ashes has also been forgotten. It is only when George Wilson explains to his wife that "God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me but you can't fool God!" (p. 167) that Myrtle is reminded that her misdeeds have been seen, remembered, and judged. The actual meaning behind the enormous eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg that are painted on the billboard may simply be that they are a very old advertisement for an oculist. Many times, elements are read too much into and given
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Approximate Word count = 756
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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