Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald uses many symbols in order to emphasize its themes. These themes mostly have to do with the American dream and it's corruption. Many of the characters in this novel are striving towards greater wealth and status. They feel that once they get this everything will be prefect. This is in the classic American tradition except that it has been corrupted by the means they are willing to employ …

…they had. They were willing to do some immoral things to finally reach these goals. Even those who seemed to like they had everything were not happy with it and were just took it for granted and became careless knowing they could always retreat to their money to get out of trouble. It is saying that the American dream is just an illusion because people will always be looking for more than what they have.