F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes symbolism, dark diction, and repetition, in The Great Gatsby, to elucidate the social decay between the wealthy and poor

by melissamartin967 (student)

AS and A Level English

Martin

Melissa Martin

Ms. Migliaro

AP Literature and Composition

12 October 2012

The American Dream is Crumbling

F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes symbolism, dark diction, and repetition, in The Great Gatsby, to elucidate the social decay between the wealthy and poor to demonstrate that the American dream is crumbling.

Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald gives the valley of ashes a significant meaning; it represents the social deterioration among classes. The American dream is “crumbling” before America’s eyes through the symbolism of the valley of ashes to emphasize how the poor are the victims of the rich’s greed and corruption (27). In addition, the valley of ashes is used to portray that the poor citizens’ final destination in life is between the West Egg and New York because they do not belong with the rich, “where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys” (27). Fitzgerald compares a house, which is something an American dreams about owning, to ashes in order to symbolize that there is a social decay in society. The idea of comparing lifeless ashes to owning a house portrays that the American dream is dying because people in the valley of ashes are not experiencing a prosperous and adventurous life, like the rich. Fitzgerald illustrates that the wealthy want to be segregated from the poor by making the valley of ashes a “desolate area of land” (27). A distinct contrast is portrayed between the rich and poor because the road between the West Egg and New York “hastily” combines with other paths which then lead to the valley of ashes (27). Therefore, the valley of ashes represents the deterioration of the American dream because the paths have to combine quickly in order to avoid the valley of ashes. Avoiding this area represents inequality in society which proves that the American dream is crumbling because only the wealthy can contribute to society. The distinction between the rich and common people living in the valley of ashes illustrates the significant role money plays in civilization. Most of the citizens who live here are barley succeeding in life because they are at a disadvantage compared to the rich, due to the society’s discrimination. The wealthy are able to fulfill their wants because they have money, but people in the valley of ashes, like Wilson, hardly live their life and are spiritless. Therefore, the wealth’s successful lives compared to the mediocre lives of the poor expresses that the American dream is dying because only the rich are prosperous. The characteristics of Wilson can be suitable for anyone who lives in the valley of ashes because their low rank in society does not let them live the dream.

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In addition to symbolism, dark diction is also utilized to enforce that the American dream is deteriorating. Fitzgerald uses the word “ashes” to portray that everything is lifeless in the valley of ashes because the citizens who inhabit the area are not able to live the American dream (27). The poor live in the shadows of the wealth’s dreams. The valley of ashes also is something very unnoticeable and insignificant because it shrinks “away from a certain desolate area of land” (27). This expresses that the poor are not vital and do not contribute to the American society because they are isolated from the American dream. The poor are looked as inferior and insignificant because they cannot do anything with their life. Tom Buchanan demonstrates the corruption and the deterioration of the American dream because he looks down on George Wilson, who lives in the valley of ashes due to his social class. His attitude towards Wilson expresses that the dream is disappearing because Tom believes that he is superior and this proves that there is inequality among classes. The dark diction states that the American dream is starting to become invisible because confrontations between the two and the gloomy diction express the social decay of the United States.

Fitzgerald also uses repetition to enforce that the poor are secluded from the dream. The word “ashes” is repeated throughout the paragraph in order to illustrate that the poor are the remains of the rich. The wealth’s actions and dreams can be connected to fire, and as a result, the poor are the ashes because they are the remains from the rich’s actions. He also repeats the dull word “gray” in order to highlight that the people in the valley of ashes are spiritless and worthless to America. The readers can clearly see that there is a distinct unfairness between the classes because only the rich can live the dream because they are at the top of society. In conclusion, repetition is a key component of emphasizing the crumbling of society.

Fitzgerald uses repetition, gloomy diction, and symbolism in order to prove the deterioration of the American dream. His repetition constantly reminds the reader that the poor are the remains of the rich and that they live in the shadows of the wealthy. Also, Fitzgerald’s dark diction gives the reader a connotation that the wealthy look down on the poor because they feel that they are superior due to their social class. Lastly, his symbolism of the valley of ashes proves that social class in society is crucial and if someone is not in the top class, they end up in the valley of ashes because they cannot live the American dream.

Work Cited

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York City: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1953. Print.