The Great Gatsby

A detailed Summary of The Great Gatsby

Context question on the beginning of chapter 2 of the 'Great Gatsby'

In this passage at the beginning of chapter two, many significant themes need to be

addressed as the passage is important in the development of the novel.

The language used in this passage is very descriptive. The image of 'The valley of

ashes' is that it is a dry, baron wasteland, 'a fantastic farm where ashes grow like

wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens.' This vivid description of the area

between east and west Egg portrays the valley as being sterile and spiritually desolate,

as this is where Myrtle Wilson (Tom Buchanan's mistress) lives with her husband. As

neither Tom or Myrtle feel any remorse about meeting in the presence of George, and

in fact continue as normal, with Tom even doing business with George, is significant to

The introduction to the eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg is also a significant part of the

novel as a whole. It is perhaps the centre of the novel's themes on vision. In relation to

historical background, the advertising is a detail from the commercial American culture

of the 1920's, when such a feature would be comprehensible to newly arrived

mistake of assuming that the eyes are 'all - seeing,' but as they are not really eyes, the

hard working man, striving to make a living for his wife, who is as selfish and

the novel when George Wilson mistakes the eyes for those of God. He makes the

This just shows the contrast between success and failure. George is desperate to

the introduction of Doctor T.J Eckleburg's eyes. This theme reappears at different

When Tom replies, 'Next week; I've got my man working on it now,' George becomes

'When are you going to sell me that car?'

Approximate Word count = 899
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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