Symbolism in the Great Gatsby 2

A detailed Summary of Symbolism in the Great Gatsby 2

Several great authors have used symbolism to enrich their works. As a literary device, symbolism has the power to add depth to a piece of writing. It forces the reader to think and make connections and succeeds in adding a whole new meaning to the experience of reading. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald has used symbolism in the form of characters, to develop the theme, the corruption of the American Dream.

All of the characters in The Great Gatsby are symbolic of different classes in American society, from the rich to the poor. As a group, they portray the dissatisfaction of the people living in their time period - the Jazz Age. In them, the author characterises all the hopes and dreams of the people living at that time. As is typical of human beings, none of the characters is satisfied with what he has. Each one wants more than what he is getting out of life.

Tom and Daisy are both representatives of "old money". They seem to have it all: wealth and all the trappings that come with being wealthy. They are the embodiment of the American Dream and yet they are both dissatisfied with themselves. They are the classic example of the corruption of the Dream because in spite of all they have, they are s

F. Scott Fitzgerald has successfully used the characters as symbols to emphasise and develop the theme of the novel. Individually, the characters are symbolic of different classes in American society. As a group, they represent the dissatisfaction and general indifference of the people living in their time period. Each class defines the dream differently but they are all concerned only with the material aspects of the Dream. As the days go by, and the American Dream becomes increasingly corrupt, it is harder to find individuals who realise its true meaning. Those like Gatsby who have unselfish, pure dreams are exceedingly rare. But it seems as if Fitzgerald is asking that even if one's dreams are pure, are they necessarily attainable?

Unlike the others, Nick is the one character with whom the reader can identify. His dreams are those of a common middle-class man. He seeks wealth, the opportunity to prove himself and a comfortable life. His goals are a reflection of those of every average individual. But Nick, like almost everyone else, is caught up in the materialistic aspects of the dream. At the beginning of the story, he automatically links money to happiness and success. Only towards the end does Nick begin to realise that the choices he made earlier in life were for all the wrong reasons. It is here that he really begins to appreciate Gatsby and the purity of his dream. In his opinion, Gatsby is "worth the whole damn bunch put together"(146). Nick offers the reader insight into a world in which the true American Dre

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Approximate Word count = 1044
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels