The Great Gatsby 12

In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, symbolism adds depth to the story, without introducing confusion. Fitzgerald's symbols are large, concrete and obvious. Examples of this symbolism are the valley of ashes, T. J. Eckleburg's huge blue eyes, and the green light on the Buchanan dock which Jay Gatsby idolizes. The valley of ashes is "a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes …

…last, Gatsby believes that Daisy is his, he no longer idolizes her, and the green light has no more symbolic meaning to him. Is like the saying, "You always want what you can't have." The symbolism in The Great Gatsby is a big part of what makes the novel so great. It is simply stated, so it does not confuse the reader as symbolism tends to do, but it merely adds depth to the story.