The Great Gatsby motifs

What does the green light symbolize?

Gatsby’s unreachable dream and the illusion of the American Dream.

What do the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg represent?

A symbol of godless judgment and moral emptiness in a decaying society.

What does the Valley of Ashes represent?

The spiritual and social decay hidden beneath wealth and glamour.

What do yellow and gold symbolize?

Gold represents true wealth; yellow represents fake, corrupted luxury.

What does Daisy’s voice symbolize?

The seductive power of wealth and the illusion of charm.

What does time symbolize in the novel?

Gatsby’s delusion that he can recreate the perfect past.

What do Gatsby’s parties represent?

The empty excess of the Jazz Age and the illusion of connection.

What does the telephone symbolize in The Great Gatsby?

The intrusion of reality and betrayal into the illusion of upper-class life.

What do cars symbolize in the novel?

Wealth, recklessness, and the destructive consequences of carelessness.

What does the weather symbolize in The Great Gatsby?

Emotional tone — rain for tension, heat for conflict, and autumn for death.

What does alcohol represent in the novel?

Moral carelessness, social excess, and the escape from reality.

What do light and darkness symbolize in The Great Gatsby?

Light suggests illusion and hope; darkness reveals emptiness and truth.