Symbolism
English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A, topic 6.2.2
Symbols and Motifs
Many of the symbols and motifs in The Great Gatsby are tragic ones. Here are a few of them:
The colour yellow
- Decadence and decay.
Green light at the end of the dock
- A symbol of hope and reuniting with Daisy.
Eyes of Dr T. J. Eckleburg
- That a God-like figure is watching and making moral judgements.
East and West Egg
- The word Egg seems to symbolise new life and growth.
‘Valley of the Ashes’
- A representation of humanity’s fall from Eden.
Symbols and Motifs
Many of the symbols and motifs in The Great Gatsby are tragic ones. Here are a few of them:
Gatsby’s mansion
- A symbol of ‘new money’.
The Plaza Hotel
- Luxury and high fashion in New York City.
The Mid-West
- An ideal, but also a reality check.
Pammy
- A symbol of the unbreakable nature of Tom and Daisy’s relationship.
Test yourself on Symbolism
What does the ‘Valley of the Ashes’ symbolise?
What does the colour yellow symbolise?
Who or what is a symbol of the unbreakable nature of Tom and Daisy’s relationship?
Which of these is a symbol of 'new money'?