Chapter Two

Chapter Two

T.J Eckleburg
1. 'blue and gigantic'
  1. Overlooking them, like God
  2. Materialism
    1. Reminder of the wealth they don't have
2. 'but his eyes...dumping ground'
  1. Morality is fading
    1. Parallel with blindness of those who can secure the American Dream
3. Throughout the novel Eckleburg's eyes fade
  1. Symbolises the past and how it is always around
    1. Link to Gatsby
      1. Fitzgerald uses 'vigil' both to describe Gatsby and Eckleburg's eyes
    2. Link to God
      1. Eyes of God see everything
Tom
1. Old Money
2. Characteristics
  1. 'my girl'
    1. Possessive
    2. Wants to be in control/craves power
    3. Degrading treatment of Myrtle
      1. Objectifies her
        Just a trophy to show off
Myrtle
1. 'blocked out the light'
  1. Distortion of reality
    1. There but not supposed to be
  2. Negativity - Casts a shadow over the story
    1. Shows that something bad will happen if Myrtle is involved
      1. Myrtle's Death
        Gatsby's Death
        Death of the American Dream
  3. Emphasis of introduction could show power
    1. Contrasts with Tom's initial description of her
2. 'carried her flesh sensuously'
  1. Only seen as an object/trophy to show off to people
3. 'get some chairs'
  1. Power/control
    1. Contrasts with stereotype of women in 1920s America
    2. She uses the admiration men have of her to her own advantage
4. 'figure of a woman'
  1. Sexulaised/object
5. Represents the way men treat women, negativity and how she is different to other women of this period
Valley of Ashes
1. 'Ash grey men'
  1. Working class have dull lives
  2. No chance of the American Dream
2. 'Ashes'
  1. Death
    1. Myrtle/Gatsby
    2. Death of the American Dream
    3. Burning embers
      1. Still hope
      2. False hope
  2. Remains
    1. Left behind/unwanted/leftovers from the higher class
    2. Could represent something sentimental (i.e ashes of a relative)
      1. Shows how the sentimentality has been replaced by materialism
  3. Fire
    1. Could be intentional/caused by people higher up in the social hierarchy
    2. Represents how the American Dream is untouchable for the lower class
  4. Thrown out by society
3. 'Grey'
  1. Silver imagery
    1. Used to represent wealth and being high up in the social hierarchy
      1. 2nd Best (gold is 1st best)
      2. Grey is a slightly more dirty version of silver
  2. Gatsby's parties
    1. Contrasts with the bright colours used to represent Gatsby's parties
      1. Valley of Ashes makes the higher class seem more flamboyant than they are
  3. Representation of the Great Depression

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	Created by Ameira Yanni about 10 years ago