What Does Myrtle Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby There are many examples of symbolism introduced into The Great Gatsby, but there are only three that prove to be significant. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is about Nick Carraway, the narrator, who has just moved in next door to a man named Gatsby. Nick visits his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and the name Gatsby is introduced to Daisy, whom she has not heard from in years. Nick is then invited to one of Gatsby’s parties and Gatsby’s character is finally introduced to the story. Once Nick learns about Gatsby and Daisy’s history, he then proceeds in reconnecting Gatsby and Daisy. Tom finds out about their affair and Gatsby leaves with Daisy, but Tom’s mistress, Myrtle, is struck and killed when Daisy loses …show more content…
After leaving from his cousin’s home, Nick is driven back to the West Egg and it is then that he notices a figure standing in the darkness next door to his home. The figure is Gatsby himself and Nick narrates what it is that Gatsby is doing by saying, “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been at the end of the dock” (Fitzgerald 25 - 26). When Gatsby reached for the green light, he was reaching for Daisy, whose home was just across the bay. He has hope that he and Daisy can rekindle their love, even though she is married with a child Gatsby does not know about yet. Another example of the green light is when Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick are all at Gatsby’s home after Nick set up an encounter for the two former lovers to finally meet in person again. It starts to rain and Gatsby goes on to tell Daisy that the mist outside is preventing them from seeing the green light at the end of her dock. Nick then narrates, “Possibly it had occurred to him the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald. The Valley of Ashes and the green light are both judged by the eyes of Doctor TJ Eckleburg because the are considered corrupt. The eyes of Doctor TJ Eckleburg judges both the Valley of Ashes and the green light because they too are established on the ideas of want and desire. These ideas are corrupt and rotten and the characters in this book have done these things repeatedly not caring that as they do them, they are being judged. Without know the reasons behind each of these symbols, readers would miss the significance of how the relate to each other and tie into the