Tuesday, 3.17Take out your Gatsby book and a piece of paper

Symbols / Symbolism

• Today you are going to work on identifying the various symbols seen throughout The Great Gatsby.

• You may work with one other person to find the textual evidence in which the symbol occurs. Working with a person sitting next to you.

• You will have 15 minutes to find one quote for each symbol. (Suggestion: it would be best to split up the work between the two of you, and don’t waste too much time on one symbol)

• Remember to work quietly, to stay on task, and not to distract other groups.

Symbols

1.Valley of Ashes

2.Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg

3.Automobile

4.East Egg

5.West Egg

6.Owl-Eyes

7.The Colors Gold and Silver

8.The Color Green

9.The Color White

10.The Color Gray

Object/Idea Symbolic Significance

Example (including page reference)

Valley of Ashes

Eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg

Automobile

East Egg

West Egg

Owl-Eyes

The Colors Gold and Silver

The Color Green

The Color White

The Color Gray

Object/Idea Symbolic Significance

Example (including page reference)

Valley of Ashes Poverty, barrenness, hopelessness

“…a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens…” (Fitzgerald, 23)

Eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg

Omniscient power, aware of everything, God is dead and people are now praying to money/capitalism

“But above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg.” (Fitzgerald, 23)

Automobile Destruction and recklessness, rise of industrialism comes with a quick fall

“In the ditch beside the road, right side up, but violently shorn of one wheel, rested a new coupe which had left Gatsby’s drive not two minutes before.” (Fitzgerald, 53)

East Egg Fashionable, affluent, old-money and values

“Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water…” (Fitzgerald, 5)

West Egg Wealth and material excess “I lived at West Egg, the – well, the less fashionable of the two…” (Fitzgerald, 5)

Owl-Eyes Wisdom, the ability to see beyond appearances, omen of death/truth

“He snatched the book from me and replaced it hastily on its shelf, muttering that if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse.” (Fitzgerald, 46)

The Colors Gold and Silver

Pretentious, glittery, but really an imitation. Distraction from true wealthGold = yellow, silver = white

“…and Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in.” (Fitzgerald, 84)

The Color Green Imitating false hope, the American dream, greed, envy, money

“ – he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way…Involuntarily I glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a single green light.” (Fitzgerald, 21)

The Color White Innocence and purity, used ironically or sarcastically? Not to be trusted?

“They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house.” (Fitzgerald, 8)

The Color Gray Death, mystery, ominous, secrets “I remember the portrait of him up in Gatsby’s bedroom a gray, florid man with a hard, empty face…” (Fitzgerald, 100)

Chapter 6 (finish reading and answer questions due tomorrow)

1. Who is James Gatz?

2. How was Dan Cody involved in shaping Gatsby into the man he is now?

3. Why did Gatsby not get the money that Cody left for him?

4. For what reason do you think Fitzgerald interrupted Gatsby’s story for the visit from the horseback riders? Why doesn’t Gatsby understand that he isn’t really welcome?

5. Why does Tom attend Gatsby’s party? What is ironic about this?

6. What does Gatsby want Daisy to do? What is Nick’s response?

7. Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “You can’t repeat the past”?