The Great Gatesby

            In the history of the United States of America the 1920s will always be marked as a time of great wealth, prosperity and corruption. This is easily shown to us in the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. The two main themes in this highly symbolic novel reflect on the disintegration of the traditional "American Dream" through the shallowness and corruption of the upper class. Throughout the story Fitzgerald uses many symbols such as the Green light seen at the end of Daisy's dock, the wild and illustrious parties thrown by Gatsby, and the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckelburg. Fitzgerald uses these symbols to represent his true, literary voice. .
             In the text Gatsby is a newly wealthy World War I veteran who has settled in "West Egg" after acquiring a large sum of money after the war. We later learn that Gatsby is deeply in love with Daisy and has received all of his money illegally in an attempt to impress and win back his only love Daisy. In doing this he is truly attempting to fulfill his "American Dream" of having everything and more. In showing this Fitzgerald uses the symbol of a single green light on the tip of daisy's East Egg dock. Gatsby is seen reaching his arms out to the light across the bay in hopes of one day fulfilling his American dream of reuniting to her. The Green light shown is a guiding light to Gatsby that will motivate him through the novel. .
             Also the destruction of this American Dream is shown through Gatsby's wild and decadent parties. In pursuit of his dream girl Daisy Gatsby would throw wild and drunken parties during the time of prohibition in order to attract her attention. Often at these illustrious gatherings Gatsby wold not join his guests, but he would stand or sit aside watching and waiting for his love so arrive. As revealed later in the novel, these parties exceed the boundaries of materialism and begin to decompose on all that is moral in the modern world.