He describes this place as a “desolate area of land” displaying providing the imagery needed to develop the mood; the gloomy sensation that seeped through Nick’s body as he looked upon the valley for the first time (Fitzgerald 23). Nick continues to use vivid language to display (try a different verb here…this one, like the one above that I fixed doesn’t quite fit…”portray”?)the dreariness of the scene in front of him by using adjectives such as “bleak” and “dismal” (23-24). He also describes the valley as a “solemn dumping ground” illustrating the level of despair that Nick notices surrounds observes in the valley of ashes (24). With his choices in description, Nick portrays how the valley has a melancholy air which besieges it constantly. (Beautiful diction here Jake…I’d just adjust the syntax-word pattern to smooth it out : “With these words, the valley is besieged with a melancholy, that the reader can feel almost as strongly as Nick himself as he stands admidst it’s mountainous ash heaps”) The color gray (Color is one of Fitzerald’s primary symbols in the novel so good on you!) becomes commonplace in the description of the area further helping to demonstrate the dreariness of this place. “Occasionally a line of …show more content…
In the three paragraphs describing the valley of ashes, it seems as though no object, living or not (I would replace with “otherwise” to accommodate the kind of half-lives that these poor folk live), wants subjection to this depressing place. (try to state more actively and directly---“wishes this kind of depressing existence upon themselves”. The valley solely as a region that people must pass through to get to New York City, but one that no one ever wants to stay. (…though some people are unlucky enough to HAVE TO, which is precisely why Myrtle clings to the hope that Tom will leave Daisy for her…he is her out. Did you get that when reading?) Nick further illustrates the gloominess of the area when he goes on to say that even the street runs “for a quarter of a mile so as to shrink away,” and almost conceals itself so as to not associate with the miserable place to which it leads (23). (NICE choice of quote to prove your point here! ) In addition, the huge T.J. Eckleburg image, which resides on the billboard looking over the valley, hides himself as well. Only the eyes which “look out of no face” peer over the depressed valley (23). It appears as if Eckleburg only wants to peek at the town below, but he has no real intentions of anyone spotting him. He wants to look without the degrading judgment of others who would mock those who