Major Themes, Motifs, & Major Themes, Motifs, & SymbolsSymbols

ThemeTheme

STATUSSTATUS– classclass– wealthwealth– social standingsocial standing

• It is either desired (Gatsby) or It is either desired (Gatsby) or carelessly abused (Buchanans)carelessly abused (Buchanans)

• ALL symbols/analyses fall under this ALL symbols/analyses fall under this notion of jockeying for position notion of jockeying for position

• plague of American Dream & cultureplague of American Dream & culture

General SymbolsGeneral Symbols

• ASH HEAPASH HEAP– constant plight of the poorconstant plight of the poor– toxicity of capitalism (ash—literally dirtied by industry)toxicity of capitalism (ash—literally dirtied by industry)– oppression by wealthy (Tom & Daisy to the Wilsons)oppression by wealthy (Tom & Daisy to the Wilsons)– people in Valley of the Ashes & ash heap one in the samepeople in Valley of the Ashes & ash heap one in the same

• CLOCKCLOCK– Gatsby’s futile desire to turn back timeGatsby’s futile desire to turn back time– relive life with Daisy relive life with Daisy

• GATSBY’S BOOKSGATSBY’S BOOKS– real, but never read/openedreal, but never read/opened– surface rather than substancesurface rather than substance– represents the superfluous extravagancies of represents the superfluous extravagancies of

the wealthy & Gatsby’s false imagethe wealthy & Gatsby’s false image

• partial images & waterpartial images & water– faded moonlight, stars, single faded moonlight, stars, single

body parts, thin moons, etc.body parts, thin moons, etc.• indicate fragmented world—indicate fragmented world—

composed of parts without composed of parts without connectivityconnectivity

• cannot grasp a purpose (e.g. “Lost cannot grasp a purpose (e.g. “Lost Generation”)Generation”)

– water images plentifulwater images plentiful• indicate uncertainty of life for the indicate uncertainty of life for the

characters & a lack of solid characters & a lack of solid foundation on which to build their foundation on which to build their lives, uncertainty of where fate will lives, uncertainty of where fate will take them take them

• futile attempts for purity—Gatsby futile attempts for purity—Gatsby shot in his pool; cannot cleanse shot in his pool; cannot cleanse himself of Daisy (& Myrtle’s death) himself of Daisy (& Myrtle’s death)

East & West EggEast & West Egg• metaphor: divide between classes & metaphor: divide between classes &

social standings social standings • East Egg = old money, refined & well-East Egg = old money, refined & well-

bredbred• West Egg = new money but don’t have West Egg = new money but don’t have

any real standingany real standing• water as barrier between two worlds; water as barrier between two worlds;

barrier that keeps people apart from barrier that keeps people apart from one another & from what they wantone another & from what they want

• Eastern/Western U.S.Eastern/Western U.S.– East = established, powerEast = established, power– West = new frontier, progress, new West = new frontier, progress, new

ideasideas• Egg symbolism: white (pure) exterior, Egg symbolism: white (pure) exterior,

yellow (corrupt/rotten) centeryellow (corrupt/rotten) center

• Green LightGreen Light– basic: longing for Daisybasic: longing for Daisy– deeper: ”green” envy for deeper: ”green” envy for

everything he can’t have: “green” everything he can’t have: “green” wealth, success, acceptance, & wealth, success, acceptance, & DaisyDaisy

– Gatsby kept his dream of Daisy Gatsby kept his dream of Daisy before his wealth alive & their before his wealth alive & their relationship will always be affected relationship will always be affected by moneyby money

– Wanting/longing for something Wanting/longing for something better that is unreachable (money, better that is unreachable (money, success, acceptance) off in the success, acceptance) off in the distancedistance

– Nick connects the green light Nick connects the green light to the longings of all peopleto the longings of all people

Eyes of Dr. T.J. EckleburgEyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg– On a billboard that looks over the On a billboard that looks over the

Wilsons’ garage, where iniquities, Wilsons’ garage, where iniquities, elfish acts, & unpunished crimes elfish acts, & unpunished crimes occur, such as Tom’s affair, occur, such as Tom’s affair, Myrtle’s deathMyrtle’s death

– always watching: reminder of always watching: reminder of guilt of unpunished crimes that guilt of unpunished crimes that characters forget to have for what characters forget to have for what they have donethey have done

– Characters have no fear of Characters have no fear of judgment or consequences; the judgment or consequences; the eyes offer a judgment on the eyes offer a judgment on the characters and their actionscharacters and their actions

– Color symbolism: blue eyes, Color symbolism: blue eyes, yellow spectacles yellow spectacles

Flower Symbolism: DaisyFlower Symbolism: Daisy

– ““day’s eye”day’s eye”– ““common” Daisycommon” Daisy

• indicates Daisy as archetypeindicates Daisy as archetype– weed in lawnsweed in lawns

• Gatsby fixated on lawns…hmm…Gatsby fixated on lawns…hmm…– Western plant native to Europe & America Western plant native to Europe & America

(Western plant)(Western plant)– COLOR: white outside (façade of COLOR: white outside (façade of

innocence), yellow center (internal innocence), yellow center (internal corruption)corruption)

– closes at night, opens in morningcloses at night, opens in morning– fed to babies in medieval times, as fed to babies in medieval times, as

mass consumption in infancy can mass consumption in infancy can cause miniaturization. (Daisy as cause miniaturization. (Daisy as eternal child)eternal child)

Flower Symbolism: MyrtleFlower Symbolism: Myrtle– ““true” Myrtletrue” Myrtle– white color white color – most cultivated flower in world: used as most cultivated flower in world: used as

perfume/scented oil (and perfume is perfume/scented oil (and perfume is sign of wealth)sign of wealth)

– decorative hedge clipped into desired decorative hedge clipped into desired shapeshape

– known for tolerance: will endure any known for tolerance: will endure any conditioncondition

– sacred to Aphrodite & Demetersacred to Aphrodite & Demeter– in America (only) sometimes called in America (only) sometimes called

“creeping myrtle” and “flower of death”“creeping myrtle” and “flower of death”– valued for tolerance of hot dry valued for tolerance of hot dry

summers (grows in areas such as summers (grows in areas such as Arizona & New Mexico, even Arizona & New Mexico, even Africa)Africa)

Names/EtymologiesNames/Etymologies• Nick (Nicholas)Nick (Nicholas)

– victory of the peoplevictory of the people– represents common, educated, middle class—everyman represents common, educated, middle class—everyman

(reader)(reader)• JayJay

– Ignorant, naïve person (archaic def)Ignorant, naïve person (archaic def)– bird in the crow family, known for flashy, handsome bird in the crow family, known for flashy, handsome

appearance appearance • James James

– one who supplants (supplant means to replace or oust one who supplants (supplant means to replace or oust somebody)somebody)

– Gat = slang for pistolGat = slang for pistol• Tom (Thomas)Tom (Thomas)

– a twina twin– Tom as archetypeTom as archetype

• JordanJordan– descending, descendantdescending, descendant– inherited vs. earned wealthinherited vs. earned wealth– Jordan Baker- descending, descendant, carJordan Baker- descending, descendant, car

• GeorgeGeorge– tiller of soil/farmertiller of soil/farmer– represents working/labor class oppressed by wealthy (Tom)represents working/labor class oppressed by wealthy (Tom)

• Daisy/Myrtle: see flower slides (Myrtle also means tree & Daisy/Myrtle: see flower slides (Myrtle also means tree & victory)victory)

Colors!!Colors!!• YellowYellow– dirtied whitedirtied white– Color of corruption and greed (gold of Color of corruption and greed (gold of

wealth & extravagance of rich —true wealth & extravagance of rich —true wealth, the gold that backs the paper wealth, the gold that backs the paper dollar…); snobbery of money, carelessness dollar…); snobbery of money, carelessness of wealthy people who are considered high of wealthy people who are considered high classclass

– Gatsby’s car: cream to yellowGatsby’s car: cream to yellow– Daisy: “Golden Girl”Daisy: “Golden Girl”– Jordan’s hair: “autumn leaf yellow”Jordan’s hair: “autumn leaf yellow”– Gatsby’s gold tieGatsby’s gold tie– twin’s dress at partytwin’s dress at party– ““yellow cocktail music”yellow cocktail music”White: purity/innocenceWhite: purity/innocence– Main color in Nick & Gatsby’s Main color in Nick & Gatsby’s

wardrobes: wardrobes: Gatsby never loses his Gatsby never loses his childlike faith in his relationship childlike faith in his relationship with Daisy, and Nick claims he never with Daisy, and Nick claims he never lies and that he is one of the few lies and that he is one of the few honest people he knowshonest people he knows

- VEIL of innocence: - VEIL of innocence: Buchanans’ house, Buchanans’ house, Daisy, Daisy/Jordan’s dress when we 1Daisy, Daisy/Jordan’s dress when we 1stst meet them, eggs…meet them, eggs…

More Colors!More Colors!• Blue (debatable…) Blue (debatable…)

– Illusions/romantic dreams/fantasy; dreams & Illusions/romantic dreams/fantasy; dreams & otherworldliness otherworldliness

– heavily associated w/Gatsby (e.g.- “blue lawn,” “blue heavily associated w/Gatsby (e.g.- “blue lawn,” “blue smoke of brittle leaves” (in his garden), “blue coat” from smoke of brittle leaves” (in his garden), “blue coat” from Dan Cody, “blue gardens (an essential part of Gatsby’s Dan Cody, “blue gardens (an essential part of Gatsby’s life where people could escape from the world and be life where people could escape from the world and be out of touch with reality)out of touch with reality)• Gatsby’s whole world is a fantasy…Gatsby’s whole world is a fantasy…

– melancholy?melancholy?• Green: envy, vitality/life, new wealth…Green: envy, vitality/life, new wealth…

– Mix of yellow/blue: corrupted/tangled dreams, dreams & Mix of yellow/blue: corrupted/tangled dreams, dreams & wealth tangled (Gatsby) wealth tangled (Gatsby)

– color of spring/new beginnings: green light as Gatsby’s color of spring/new beginnings: green light as Gatsby’s hope for a new future/relationship with Daisyhope for a new future/relationship with Daisy

– ““green breast of new land” likens green light & Gatsby’s green breast of new land” likens green light & Gatsby’s dream to American Dream dream to American Dream

And More Colors!

• Purple/LavenderPurple/Lavender– long associated w/royalty, luxury, wealth,& long associated w/royalty, luxury, wealth,& indulgenceindulgence – rooms in Gatsby’s mansion & Gatsby’s shirtsrooms in Gatsby’s mansion & Gatsby’s shirts– accessories of wealthy characters; hats, necklaces, etc.accessories of wealthy characters; hats, necklaces, etc.– things which were done that were not necessary, things which were done that were not necessary,

things that the rich characteristically dothings that the rich characteristically do• GrayGray

– absence of blue = absence/disappearance of dreams/hopeabsence of blue = absence/disappearance of dreams/hope– everything in Valley of Ashes (cars, people, buildings, etc.): everything in Valley of Ashes (cars, people, buildings, etc.):

people there lead lives without dreams that consist mainly people there lead lives without dreams that consist mainly of work with no hope for escapeof work with no hope for escape

– Things from which one cannot escape Things from which one cannot escape – Jordan’s eyes : spiritual emptiness & superficiality; she Jordan’s eyes : spiritual emptiness & superficiality; she

does not love anything, no plan for her life nor dreams for does not love anything, no plan for her life nor dreams for the future the future