What would a novel be like without the vital use of symbolism? What if the author laid everything out, and the reader was walked right through the entire story? It would be completely boring! Symbolisms explains main points, and they help the reader understand what the author is thinking or how he is feeling in certain situations of the novel, without giving too much away at the same time. In The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald uses many symbols and motifs to help explain the setting of his story. The green light, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Ecklburg, and the weather are some of the symbols and motifs being used in this novel.
Jay Gatsby is first introduced in a very awkward way. Nick sees him trembling and alone outside in the dark. He was reaching out towards the sea, but nothing was there except, " a single green light, minute and far away-(26) Gatsby is reaching out towards this green light. Though this may seem odd, it really is not when it is thought of as symbolic. Daisy is the green light, and Gatsby longs for her love and affection. But Daisy is too "far away." He wants her to be with him so badly. But the green light, Daisy, is in old money, and since Gatsby is in new money she is out of his range. In those days, society did not mix.
They eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg have a strange and symbolic meaning in the novel. They seem to be mentioned in times when someone is or will be doing something wrong. They are first mentioned when Tom takes Nick to meet his mistress. The eyes watched Tom Cheat on his wife! They also witnessed the murder of Myrtle. They watch out over everyone, they see everything everyone is doing, and they know the truth. What do these enormous eyes symbolize? "They look out of no face, which pass over a non existent nose."(27) These eyes represent God. He was there in the bad times: after Myrtle's death, and while Tom was cheating on his wife, Daisy. God saw, and sees everything, and He knows the truth.