Chapter Two

Chapter Two

1. T.J Eckleburg

   • 'blue and gigantic'
     • Overlooking them, like God
     • Materialism
       • Reminder of the wealth they don't have
   • 'but his eyes...dumping ground'
     • Morality is fading
       • Parallel with blindness of those who can secure the American Dream
   • Throughout the novel Eckleburg's eyes fade
     • Symbolises the past and how it is always around
       • Link to Gatsby
         • Fitzgerald uses 'vigil' both to describe Gatsby and Eckleburg's eyes
       • Link to God
         • Eyes of God see everything

2. Tom

   • Old Money
   • Characteristics
     • 'my girl'
       • Possessive
       • Wants to be in control/craves power
       • Degrading treatment of Myrtle
         • Objectifies her
           • Just a trophy to show off

3. Myrtle

   • 'blocked out the light'
     • Distortion of reality
       • There but not supposed to be
     • Negativity - Casts a shadow over the story
       • Shows that something bad will happen if Myrtle is involved
         • Myrtle's Death
           • Gatsby's Death
           • Death of the American Dream
     • Emphasis of introduction could show power
       • Contrasts with Tom's initial description of her
   • 'carried her flesh sensuously'
     • Only seen as an object/trophy to show off to people
   • 'get some chairs'
     • Power/control
       • Contrasts with stereotype of women in 1920s America
       • She uses the admiration men have of her to her own advantage
   • 'figure of a woman'
     • Sexulaised/object
   • Represents the way men treat women, negativity and how she is different to other women of this period

4. Valley of Ashes

   • 'Ash grey men'
     • Working class have dull lives
     • No chance of the American Dream
   • 'Ashes'
     • Death
       • Myrtle/Gatsby
       • Death of the American Dream
       • Burning embers
         • Still hope
         • False hope
     • Remains
       • Left behind/unwanted/leftovers from the higher class
       • Could represent something sentimental (i.e ashes of a relative)
         • Shows how the sentimentality has been replaced by materialism
     • Fire
       • Could be intentional/caused by people higher up in the social hierarchy
       • Represents how the American Dream is untouchable for the lower class
     • Thrown out by society
   • 'Grey'
     • Silver imagery
       • Used to represent wealth and being high up in the social hierarchy
         • 2nd Best (gold is 1st best)
         • Grey is a slightly more dirty version of silver
     • Gatsby's parties
       • Contrasts with the bright colours used to represent Gatsby's parties
         • Valley of Ashes makes the higher class seem more flamboyant than they are
     • Representation of the Great Depression