The Valley of Ashes as Metaphor in The Great Gatsby Essay

The Valley of Ashes as Metaphor in The Great Gatsby Throughout F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby, location is a critical motif. The contrasts between East and West, East Egg and West Egg, and the two Eggs and New York serve important thematic roles and provide the backdrops for the main conflict. Yet, there needs to be a middle ground between each of these sites, a buffer zone, as it were; there is the great distance that separates East from West; there is the bay that separates East Egg from West Egg; and, there is the Valley of Ashes that separates Long Island from New York. The last of these is probably the most striking. Yet, the traditional literal interpretation does not serve Fitzgeralds theme as well as a more†¦show more content†¦If it is remembered that ashes circa the turn of the century often referred to garbage, then it is possible to interpret the valley of ashes as a dumping ground. (23) The ash heaps, then, are piles of garbage, and the repeated references to waste land, as opposed to wasteland, now make m ore sense, as does George Wilsons use of a piece of waste to wipe his hands. (24-5) For Fitzgerald, the American dream is to get rich and become socially acceptable; Wilson, who has failed, has wasted his life, and is now down in the dumps. He has been cast away by society, just like the rest of the refuse that surrounds him. This, then, seems to be the fate of middle-class dreams--despite being conceived in a land filled with opportunity, they all end up in the landfill. Yet, there are still inconsistencies with this interpretation, which also apply to the stricter literal view; where does the gray, scrawny Italian child down the road by the railroad tracks come from? (26) Where do the workmen come from? (137) If the valley is so isolated and desolate how could Nick even imagine there would be an old man regaling little boys with the story of Myrtles death? (156) How does such a crowd accumulate next to a dumping ground? (156-7) Why would Dr. T. J. Eckleburg advertise there, train delays notwithstanding? (23) These concerns cannot be fully explained away by theShow MoreRelatedThe Role Played by the Valley of the Ashes1012 Words   |  4 Pagesthe role played by the Valley of the Ashes. In The Great Gatsby, the Valley of the Ashes illustrate the inequality between its inhabitants and that of West Egg and East Egg, in terms of social standing and income, and the hopelessness of poverty resulting from the inability of its inhabitants to rise up the socio-economic ladder. This shows the failure of the dream that America promises, the ideal of equal opportunities for all, associated with the New World. The valley is described as a â€Å"desolate†Read MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Waste Land Essay1714 Words   |  7 PagesEnvoking T.S. 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