F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a classic American novel that can be read on many levels. One of the things that makes it so interesting is the way Fitzgerald uses allegory to explore deeper issues and themes.
Allegory is a figure of speech in which an author uses characters or events to represent larger ideas or concepts. In The Great Gatsby, there are several examples of allegory at work.
For instance, the character Jay Gatsby represents the idea of the American Dream. Gatsby is a self-made man who comes from humble beginnings but manages to achieve great wealth and success. The fact that he is ultimately unsuccessful in winning over Daisy Buchanan, and that his dream ends in tragedy, suggests that the American Dream is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Another example of allegory in The Great Gatsby is the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. The green light symbolizes Gatsby’s hope and longing for a life that he can never have. It also represents his futile attempts to recapture the past and recapture Daisy’s love.
The Valley of Ashes, where George Wilson lives, is another example of allegory in The Great Gatsby. The valley represents the moral decay and emptiness of the upper class lifestyle. It is a place where people go to forget about their problems and escape reality.
All of these examples show how Fitzgerald uses allegory to explore deeper themes in The Great Gatsby. By looking at the novel on this level, we can better understand the characters and the issues that they are facing.
The dictionary defines allegory as “an extended metaphor in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself.” The movie – The Great Gatsby is full of examples of allegories. The following are some examples of allegories in the movie The Great Gatsby.
An example of an allegory in The Great Gatsby is when Jay Gatsby is looking out over the water towards the green light. The green light is an allegory for hope. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald writes, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.
It eluded us then, but that’s no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out further… And one fine morning” The green light is also an allegory for the American dream. The American dream is something that many Americans strive to achieve. The green light is a symbol of hope because it represents the possibility of achieving the American dream.
Another example of an allegory in The Great Gatsby is the Valley of Ashes. The Valley of Ashes is an allegory for the moral and spiritual decay of America. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald writes, “And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock.
He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.” The Valley of Ashes is a symbol of the moral and spiritual decay of America because it represents the loss of hope and possibility that comes with achieving the American dream.
Metaphors are a type of figurative language that use words or phrases, while symbolism is the representation of ideas and qualities using symbols in literature. Symbols may be used to represent anything else, as long as it evokes a much deeper meaning and is more significant than the original thing. Artists must utilize metaphors, similes, and allegory as instruments to create symbolism. Allegory, on the other hand, exposes symbolism.
In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are various examples of allegory which have been used to bring out the theme of corruption in the novel. The first example is the use of color. The color green is used extensively throughout the novel and it is a color which symbolizes hope and new beginnings.
However, in The Great Gatsby, the green light is an example of how people can be corrupted by their own desires and how this can lead to tragedy. The green light also represents the wealth and status that Gatsby has been striving for his entire life. He is so obsessed with this idea of wealth and success that he does not see how it is destroying him and those around him.
The second example of allegory in The Great Gatsby is the character Jay Gatsby himself. His entire life is an allegory for the American dream. He is a self-made man who has worked hard to achieve his goals. However, he has become corrupted by this dream and it has led him to ruin.
The following objects, settings, people, colors, and images were utilized in the film to highlight aspects of the American dream. There are many gatherings in this film. The majority of the parties take place at Gatsby’s mansion. The initial party in the movie is that which takes place at Tom’s house. Tom and his wife Daisy appear to be living the perfect American dream. This lasts for a short time because Tom leaves the party to answer his mistress’ call.
The next party is held at Gatsby’s house. The parties at Gatsby’s house have a different atmosphere from that of Tom’s. The parties at Gatsby’s are full of people, music and dance while those at Tom’s are more formal. The parties at Gatsby’s show that he was a fun-loving person who enjoyed being surrounded by people. This is in contrast to Tom who preferred to be alone with his mistress.
The parties also showed the difference in wealth between the two men. While Gatsby was very wealthy, Tom was only rich. The difference in wealth is also seen in the way the two men lived. While Gatsby lived in a huge mansion, Tom only lived in a big house. The difference in the size of their homes showed the different lifestyles that they led.
Gatsby is also shown to be a very generous person. He is always giving away things to people. For example, he gives Nick a pair of cufflinks and Daisy a string of pearls. He also throws parties for people even though he does not know them very well. This generosity is in contrast to Tom who is shown to be a very stingy person. He does not like to share anything with anyone, not even his own wife.
The color green is also used in this movie to symbolize the American dream. The green light that Gatsby stares at across the bay symbolizes his dream of one day being with Daisy. The green lawns at Gatsby’s house also symbolize the American dream. The green lawns represent the wealth and opulence that Gatsby has achieved.
The final scene in the movie shows Gatsby’s funeral. Nick says that Gatsby was not really a bad person, just a victim of the American dream. He says that the American dream is something that can never be attained because it is always out of reach. This is shown by the fact that Gatsby could never really have Daisy even though he wanted her so badly. The American dream is something that people will always strive for but they will never really achieve it.
Meanwhile, during one of Nick’s visits to such gatherings, he sees that the majority of the females are squabbling with their spouses while most of the males are dissatisfied with their marriages; nevertheless, despite the fact that Gatsby’s parties were crowded with people, only a few individuals showed up at his burial. This scenario emphasizes the emptiness of the entire American dream.
The valley of ashes is a symbol of the moral and spiritual decay that was eating away at the fabric of American society. The Eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are a pair of fading, giant eyes painted on an old advertising billboard over the valley of ashes. The billboard represents god because it watches over everything that happens in the valley, and it sees everything but does nothing to stop it from happening.
The billboard seems to be looking at George Wilson as he murders Gatsby, this shows us that even though god sees what’s happening he doesn’t do anything about it, which could be interpreted as him not caring. The eggs that Daisy throws in her frustration represent her hope for a new start in life with Gatsby, but they end up smashing and breaking, just like her hope for a new life. The egg also symbolizes new life, which is something that Daisy and Gatsby will never have together.
The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock is a symbol of hope and Gatsby’s dream to win Daisy back. The color green is also associated with money, which is something that Gatsby has in abundance. The green light is also symbolic of America and the American dream. The American dream is something that Gatsby spends his whole life chasing, but he can never really attain it because it’s an unattainable goal.