great gatsby themes essay

Themes and Analysis

The great gatsby, by f. scott fitzgerald.

Within ‘The Great Gatsby,’ F. Scott Fitzgerald taps into several important themes. These include the American dream, and its decline, as well as wealth, class, and love.

Main Themes

• Wealth: Reflects the corrupting influence of money on relationships.
• The American Dream: Explores the disillusionment of achieving success.
• Loss of Idealism: Highlights the fragility of dreams versus harsh realities
• Lyrical Elegance: Blends poetic descriptions with sharp insights.
• Fluid Prose: Creates a dreamlike quality in storytelling.
• Cynical Observations: Critiques the carelessness of the wealthy class.
• The Green Light: Represents Gatsby's unattainable dreams and hopes.
• The Valley of Ashes: Symbolizes the decay of the American Dream.
• The Eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg: Represents the eyes that observes the moral decay of society.

The beginning establishes Nick Carraway’s perspective, highlighting his observations of wealth and the allure of East and West Egg.

In the middle, tensions rise as Gatsby’s dream unfolds, leading to confrontations and tragic revelations about love and identity.

The conclusion underscores disillusionment as Gatsby’s dreams collapse. Nick reflects on the emptiness of the upper class.

Continue down for complete analysis to The Great Gatsby

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

‘ The Great Gatsby’ follows Nick Carraway , who meets the mysterious multimillionaire Jay Gatsby after moving to New York. He gets wrapped up in Gatsby’s dreams and his cousin’s difficult marriage while learning about the pitfalls of wealth and the truth of the American dream.

Themes 

“ The Great Gatsby ” is more than a tale of wealth and glamour; it’s a study of dreams lost and identities shaped by a world that prizes illusion over reality. Through the themes explored in the story, Fitzgerald shows how far people will go to chase what they can never truly have.

Wealth 

Wealth is one of the most important themes Fitzgerald’s characters contend with within “ The Great Gatsby . “ Specifically, he draws a contrast between the aristocracy, those with old money like Daisy and Tom, and those with new money, like Gatsby. They live different lives and consider one another in different lights. But, both types of wealth corrupt in the same way. As the money amasses, their consideration of other people decreases.

Fitzgerald provides a great example at the end of the novel when Daisy and Tom move away to a new home rather than attend Gatsby’s funeral or deal with the consequences. Instead, they use their money to keep others at a distance and get whatever they want out of life. 

The American Dream 

This theme is central to Gatsby’s understanding of the world and Nick’s judgments about the future at the end of the novel. It is a set of ideas suggesting that anyone who works hard can succeed in the United States. Gatsby rose from poverty up to the level of a multi-millionaire. But, when it came to what he wanted in life, he failed. He spent his whole life thinking that if he just made enough money, he’d be able to convince Daisy to love him and have everything he wanted. But, he couldn’t retrieve his relationship with Daisy, and his pursuit of it led to his death. 

Love/ Relationships

There are a few depictions of love and relationships in “ The Great Gatsby, ” and none are ideal. There is Gatsby’s unending love for Daisy, George’s love for his wife, Myrtle, Tom and Daisy’s relationship, and Nick’s relationship with Jordan. Gatsby’s goal to bring Daisy back into his life is built on an idealized image of the latter, which fails to fulfill itself in reality.

Gatsby loves the idea of Daisy and thought of possessing her more than he does the person. The same can be said of Tom’s consideration for his wife. He wants to keep her as a commodity and as a symbol of his status. But he doesn’t love her. He continually cheats on her and doesn’t attempt to hide it. Nick’s fleeting relationship with Jordan is emotionally distant. There isn’t enough emotion on either side for it to be anything other than a passing distraction. 

Loss of Idealism

In “ The Great Gatsby ,” Fitzgerald paints a picture of loss, but it’s not just the loss of things you can hold in your hands. It’s the loss of dreams, the loss of that bright, shining idealism that once made life seem so full of promise. Gatsby himself is a man who builds his whole life around one dream—Daisy. But that dream crumbles. The green light across the bay, so close and yet always out of reach.

Gatsby’s unchecked pursuit of Daisy, the woman he believes represents his perfect future, is rooted in an illusion—a vision of the past that can never be reclaimed, that probably never was. He chases that version of Daisy, clinging to a youthful belief that the world can be molded to fit his desires. The story peels back the layers of Gatsby’s dream, revealing the harsh truth: idealism, unchecked by reality, fades into disillusionment. Through Gatsby’s tragic fall, Fitzgerald captures the fragility of dreams, and the loss that comes when they collide with the world as it is.

Identity and Self-Perception

Identity is a significant theme in the novel; who we are, or at least who we think we are. In Gatsby’s case, it’s all a performance. He creates this persona—this larger-than-life millionaire throwing lavish parties, hiding behind wealth to cover the truth. But underneath all that glitter, Gatsby is just James Gatz from North Dakota. And the tragedy is, he believes in the man he’s made up.

It’s not just Gatsby. Each character grapples with identity and self-perception. Tom plays the powerful, indifferent man, but he’s afraid of losing control. Daisy flits between her roles as lover and wife, never fully herself. Even Nick, the quiet observer, questions who he is by the end. They all wear masks, fitting themselves into roles they think they need to play, but none find true satisfaction.

Key Moments

• Nick Moves to West Egg : Nick’s journey begins with a move to West Egg. He’s come to make his way in the world but is surrounded by wealth—too much of it—the kind that overwhelms and blinds. His modest background sticks out against the mansions and parties. This move sets him up as the observer of a world he will never truly belong to, a world of glitz and glamor.
• Nick Meets Gatsby and Learns About His Love for Daisy : Meeting “the great” Gatsby is something else. There’s a mystery about him, a sense that he’s chasing something out of reach. Then, it all comes out—his love for Daisy. That love explains everything to Nick: the mansion, the parties, the way he’s built his whole life around a dream. But it’s a dream that might already be gone. Nick sees it, even if Gatsby doesn’t.
• Nick Helps Reunite the Two : Nick arranges the reunion, and it’s awkward from the start. In his small cottage, Gatsby and Daisy try to pick up pieces of a past that never existed. For Gatsby, this is everything. For Daisy, it’s more complicated. As Nick watches them, he feels the weight of it—Gatsby’s dream is too perfect, too fragile.
• Tom and Gatsby’s Confrontation : When Tom and Gatsby finally face off, it’s like two worlds colliding. Tom attacks Gatsby, cutting into his past, money, and identity. Gatsby tries to hold his ground, claiming Daisy loves him, but Tom’s grip on Daisy is firmer than Gatsby wants to believe. Gatsby’s dream, which he’s built everything around, is slipping away, and everyone can feel it.
• Daisy Hits Tom’s Mistress, Myrtle, with Gatsby’s Car : One reckless night changes everything. Daisy, behind the wheel of Gatsby’s car, hits Myrtle, and she’s killed instantly. This isn’t just an accident; it is the critical moment that shatters every hope of Gatsby’s dream. Gatsby takes the blame in the false hope that Daisy will leave Tom for him. Myrtle’s death also critiques the recklessness of the wealthy and the consequences of their actions.
• George Shoots Gatsby and Then Shoots Himself : Tom implies to Myrtle’s husband, George, that Gatsby is responsible for her death. George goes to Gatsby’s mansion and shoots him in a fit of rage and grief. Then, he turns the gun on himself. Gatsby’s death is symbolic of the death of the American Dream, and the emptiness of the world Gatsby tried to conquer.
• Nick Attends Gatsby’s Small Funeral While Daisy and Tom Move Away : At Gatsby’s funeral, almost no one shows up. All those people who flocked to his parties? Gone. Nick is left standing there, realizing how hollow Gatsby’s world was. Meanwhile, Daisy and Tom quietly leave as if nothing ever happened. They move on, untouched by the destruction they’ve left behind, and Nick sees them for what they are—careless, selfish, unreachable.
• Nick Returns to Minnesota Disgusted with What He’s Seen of the Upper Classes : In the end, Nick packs up and leaves. He’s seen and learned too much about wealth and privilege. Members of the upper class, with their money and power, aren’t what they seem. They’re empty, dangerous even. Nick returns to Minnesota, disillusioned, leaving behind the glittering world that turned out to be a lie.

Writing Style, Tone, and Figurative Language 

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s style in “ The Great Gatsby ” is a blend of lyrical elegance and sharp precision. He writes with a fluidity that lets the story drift like a dream, yet every sentence has a purpose. The beauty of his prose lies in its balance. At times, Fitzgerald is poetic, painting vivid pictures with his words. Take, for example, his description of Gatsby’s mansion: “It was a factual imitation of some Hôtel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy.” Here, the words create an image both grand and artificial, mirroring Gatsby’s own life. But just as often, Fitzgerald cuts through the illusion with pointed observations. He uses Nick’s voice to guide us, offering reflections that are sharp, almost cynical. Fitzgerald’s style dances between lush descriptions and biting insights, giving us a sense of beauty wrapped around the hollow core of the world he’s describing.

The tone of “ The Great Gatsby ” is one of both awe and disillusionment. Nick, the narrator, is mesmerized by Gatsby’s charm and the glamour of the wealthy. But as the novel progresses, his admiration sours into disappointment. The tone shifts from one of fascination to one of quiet judgment. Nick becomes more critical, especially toward the characters who are careless with other people’s lives. When he says, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together,” the tone is clear: there’s bitterness, almost a moral anger in his words. Gatsby’s world, which once glittered with promise, now feels cold, empty. The tone reflects Nick’s journey from wonder to wariness, and ultimately, to disgust with the world he once thought he could understand.

Fitzgerald uses figurative language extensively. One of his favorite techniques is symbolism. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock is perhaps the most famous symbol in the book, representing Gatsby’s unreachable dreams. Metaphors and similes also run through the text, painting vivid emotional landscapes. When Fitzgerald writes, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us,” he’s not just talking about a light on a dock—he’s talking about the universal human longing for something beyond our grasp. Another example is his description of Tom and Daisy’s house, where “the lawn started at the beach and ran toward the front door for a quarter of a mile, jumping over sundials and brick walls and burning gardens.” The metaphor here—of a lawn leaping over barriers—gives life to the setting, emphasizing its fantastical, almost surreal quality.

Symbols 

In “ The Great Gatsby ,” symbols work like brushstrokes, each adding depth to the picture Fitzgerald paints of the world. These symbols add layers to Fitzgerald’s novel; they’re subtle, but powerful, and each one speaks to something larger than itself.

Colors stand out, and are used for symbolic effect in “ The Great Gatsby. ” Fitzgerald uses them to express mood and character. Green is hope, the future Gatsby yearns for. Yellow is wealth, but also decay, like the yellow car that brings death. White, often tied to Daisy, suggests purity at first glance, but in the end, it’s more like a mask, a representation of Daisy’s hollowness. Blue, like Gatsby’s lawn, is lonely and sad.

The Green Light 

The green light is perhaps the most important symbol in “ The Great Gatsby. “ It sits at the end of Daisy’s dock, and Nick catches Gatsby staring at it towards the novel’s beginning. It’s always there, just out of Gatsby’s reach, a reminder of the future he longs for but can never quite grasp. It’s hope, ambition, and ultimately, the unattainable. It keeps pulling Gatsby forward, even though what he’s chasing is already lost. 

The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg

Doctor T. J. Eckleburg’s eyes are another prominent symbol in the novel. They are a pair of eyes on a faint billboard over the Valley of Ashes. They loom over the Valley of Ashes, watching everything. Some say they’re the eyes of God, looking down on the moral decay of the world below. Others see them as a symbol of the empty promises of the American Dream—nothing more than a faded billboard, staring blankly at the ruin that surrounds it.

The Valley of Ashes

The Valley of Ashes contrasts the glittering world of East and West Egg. It’s where dreams go to die, a wasteland where the poor labor, crushed under the weight of others’ wealth. Fitzgerald uses this desolate landscape to remind us of the divide between rich and poor, the forgotten space where all that glitters turns to dust.

Gatsby’s Car

Gatsby’s car is flashy, over-the-top, and it stands out—just like Gatsby himself. It’s a symbol of his wealth and his desire to show off what he’s become. But it’s also tied to destruction. It’s in this car that Daisy kills Myrtle, and it becomes a symbol of the recklessness that wealth can bring.

Personal Perspective

Reading “ The Great Gatsby ” is like stepping into a vivid dream that unravels into a haunting reality. Fitzgerald opens a window into the glittering yet hollow world of the Roaring Twenties. You’ll find yourself immersed in the lives of characters who chase after impossible dreams, their hopes shining as brightly as the green light across the bay. But beneath that glamour lies a deep sense of yearning and disillusionment. It’s themes and symbols pull you deeper into a world that reflects our own modern struggles and aspirations. The book explores love, ambition, and the ache of unfulfilled dreams, so deeply resonant in our own world of Bitcoin, Iphones and superconductors!

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The Great Gatsby

F. scott fitzgerald.

The Roaring Twenties

F. Scott Fitzgerald coined the term "Jazz Age" to describe the decade of decadence and prosperity that America enjoyed in the 1920s, which was also known as the Roaring Twenties. After World War I ended in 1918, the United States and much of the rest of the world experienced an enormous economic expansion. The surging economy turned the 1920s into a time of easy money, hard drinking (despite the Prohibition amendment to the Constitution), and…

The American Dream

The American Dream—that hard work can lead one from rags to riches—has been a core facet of American identity since its inception. Settlers came west to America from Europe seeking wealth and freedom. The pioneers headed west for the same reason. The Great Gatsby shows the tide turning east, as hordes flock to New York City seeking stock market fortunes. The Great Gatsby portrays this shift as a symbol of the American Dream's corruption. It's…

Class (Old Money, New Money, No Money)

The Great Gatsby portrays three different social classes: "old money" ( Tom and Daisy Buchanan ); "new money" ( Gatsby ); and a class that might be called "no money" ( George and Myrtle Wilson ). "Old money" families have fortunes dating from the 19th century or before, have built up powerful and influential social connections, and tend to hide their wealth and superiority behind a veneer of civility. The "new money" class made their…

Past and Future

Nick and Gatsby are continually troubled by time—the past haunts Gatsby and the future weighs down on Nick. When Nick tells Gatsby that you can't repeat the past, Gatsby says "Why of course you can!" Gatsby has dedicated his entire life to recapturing a golden, perfect past with Daisy . Gatsby believes that money can recreate the past. Fitzgerald describes Gatsby as "overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves." But…

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Home — Guides — The Great Gatsby — Uncovering Key Themes in The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

• Introduction
• All Plot summary
• By chapters
• All Characters
• Nick Carraway
• Daisy Buchanan
• Tom Buchanan
• Jordan Baker
• Myrtle Wilson
• George Wilson
• Klipspringer
• Meyer Wolfsheim

The American Dream

Social class, money and wealth.

• All Literary Devices
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• Old Money vs New Money
• Biography of author

The Great Gatsby: Themes

Table of contents.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald explores several main themes including the American Dream, social class, love, and money and wealth. The American Dream is presented as an ideal of self-made success, but the novel also shows the disillusionment and corruption of the Dream. Social class is another major theme, with characters from different classes struggling to navigate their relationships and achieve their goals. Love is portrayed as a complex emotion that is often influenced by societal expectations and wealth. Money and wealth are also important themes, with characters pursuing and using their wealth in various ways to achieve their goals, but ultimately finding that it cannot bring them happiness or fulfill their desires. 

Overall, these themes in The Great Gatsby are intricately woven together to paint a picture of the Jazz Age and its excesses, as well as the human experiences and struggles that transcend time and place.

The American Dream is a central theme in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. The story takes place in the 1920s, a time of great prosperity and opportunity in America. The American Dream is a belief that anyone can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination, regardless of their social background or circumstances. However, the novel portrays a more complex and darker side of the American Dream, where success is not always earned through hard work and morality, but through corruption, deceit, and immorality.

Throughout the novel, Gatsby is portrayed as the epitome of the American Dream, as he is a self-made man who has achieved wealth and success through his own efforts. However, Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream is ultimately flawed, as he becomes consumed with his desire for wealth and social status, which he believes will enable him to win back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan.

The novel portrays the corruption and moral decay that underlies the pursuit of the American Dream. The characters in the novel are driven by their desires for wealth, social status, and material possessions, which they believe will bring them happiness and fulfillment. However, their pursuit of these goals leads them to engage in deceit, corruption, and immoral behavior. For example, Tom Buchanan’s wealth and social status allow him to get away with his infidelity and abusive behavior towards his wife, Daisy.

Furthermore, the novel also portrays the emptiness and disillusionment that can result from the pursuit of the American Dream. Gatsby’s wealth and success do not bring him happiness or fulfillment, as he is still consumed with his desire for Daisy. Similarly, Daisy’s wealth and social status do not bring her happiness or fulfillment, as she is trapped in a loveless marriage and yearns for the passion and excitement of her youth.

The theme of the American Dream is also reflected in the setting of the novel. The story takes place in the fictional towns of West Egg and East Egg, which represent the new wealth and old wealth of America, respectively. West Egg is home to the nouveau riche, including Gatsby, who have acquired their wealth through business ventures and bootlegging. East Egg, on the other hand, is home to the old aristocracy, including Tom and Daisy Buchanan, who have inherited their wealth and social status.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is a critique of the American Dream , which is portrayed as flawed and corrupted. The novel illustrates the moral decay, emptiness, and disillusionment that can result from the pursuit of wealth and social status, and the corruption and deceit that are often involved in achieving these goals. The characters in the novel are consumed with their desires for wealth and status, but their pursuit of these goals ultimately leads to their downfall. The novel serves as a cautionary tale against the dangers of the American Dream and the moral compromises that are often made in the pursuit of success.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, social class is a prominent theme that pervades the entire narrative. The story is set in the Roaring Twenties, a time when the United States was undergoing major changes, including economic prosperity, social and political upheavals, and a widening gap between the rich and poor. The characters in the novel are divided into different social classes, and Fitzgerald portrays their interactions and conflicts as a critique of the class system in America.

At the top of the social hierarchy are the wealthy, who are portrayed as shallow, selfish, and morally corrupt. The protagonist, Jay Gatsby, is a self-made millionaire who throws lavish parties in his mansion, but is ultimately unable to win the love of his former lover, Daisy Buchanan, who is married to Tom Buchanan, an arrogant and brutish member of the elite class. Tom and Daisy are presented as the embodiment of the decadence and superficiality of the wealthy, and their carelessness and lack of concern for the consequences of their actions leads to tragedy for the other characters.

On the other end of the spectrum are the working-class characters, such as George and Myrtle Wilson, who are struggling to make ends meet. They live in the Valley of Ashes, a desolate area between West Egg and New York City, and are shown as victims of the greed and corruption of the wealthy. Myrtle, who is having an affair with Tom Buchanan, represents the desire for upward mobility, but her attempts to escape her social class ultimately lead to her demise.

The character of Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel, represents the middle class, caught between the worlds of the rich and the poor. He is initially drawn to the glamour and excitement of Gatsby’s parties, but eventually becomes disillusioned with the shallow and immoral behavior of the wealthy. His growing awareness of the class divisions and the corruption of the elite is reflected in his admiration for Gatsby’s dream of upward mobility, even as he recognizes the impossibility of achieving it.

Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald highlights the arbitrary nature of social class and the illusion of the American Dream. Gatsby’s success and wealth are presented as a result of his determination and hard work, but also as a product of luck and criminal activities. His pursuit of Daisy is a representation of his desire to belong to the elite class, but it is ultimately doomed because of the social barriers that separate them.

Fitzgerald’s critique of the class system in America is not limited to the characters in the novel, but is also reflected in the setting and symbolism. The Valley of Ashes represents the decay and despair of the working class, while the mansions and estates of the wealthy are presented as hollow and false. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, which Gatsby obsesses over, symbolizes the unattainability of the American Dream, and the idea that the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to ruin and tragedy.

In conclusion, social class is a dominant theme in The Great Gatsby, reflecting the social and cultural changes of the 1920s. Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the elite class as immoral and corrupt, and the working class as victims of their greed, highlights the arbitrary nature of the class system and the illusion of the American Dream. The novel is a critique of the social divisions and the pursuit of wealth and status at the cost of morality and humanity, and serves as a reminder of the dangers of a society that values material wealth above all else.

Love is a central theme in The Great Gatsby, with multiple characters experiencing love in different ways throughout the novel. Fitzgerald portrays love as complex and often unfulfilled, highlighting how it can be driven by desire, social status, and material possessions.

One of the most significant love stories in the novel is between Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby’s love for Daisy is all-consuming, and he has spent years building his wealth and reputation in the hope of winning her back. However, their relationship is ultimately doomed, as they are from different social classes, and Daisy is unable to fully commit to Gatsby. Their love is also overshadowed by Gatsby’s obsession with the past and his desire to recreate it, leading to his tragic end.

Another love story in the novel is between Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson. Their relationship is based on desire and physical attraction, and Tom uses his wealth and social status to control and manipulate Myrtle. This relationship is also doomed, as Tom is unwilling to leave Daisy and is ultimately responsible for Myrtle’s death.

Nick Carraway is also involved in a love story, albeit a less conventional one. His infatuation with Jordan Baker is based on her confidence and independence, qualities that he finds attractive in a woman. However, their relationship is ultimately superficial, and Jordan’s dishonesty and lack of morals are incompatible with Nick’s values.

Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald also explores the idea that love can be corrupted by materialism and social status. For example, Gatsby’s love for Daisy is intertwined with his desire for wealth and status, as he believes that only by achieving these can he win her back. Similarly, Tom’s relationship with Myrtle is based on his desire for physical pleasure and his need to exert power over someone from a lower social class.

Overall, Fitzgerald portrays love as a complex and multifaceted emotion that can be both transformative and destructive. Love is often driven by external factors such as wealth and social status, and it is frequently unfulfilled due to these same factors. The novel suggests that true love requires more than just desire and attraction, as it also needs honesty, trust, and a willingness to overcome societal barriers.

In conclusion, love is a central theme in The Great Gatsby, and Fitzgerald portrays it as a complex and multifaceted emotion that is often driven by external factors such as wealth and social status. The novel suggests that true love requires more than just desire and attraction and highlights how love can be both transformative and destructive. The doomed love stories between Gatsby and Daisy, and Tom and Myrtle, highlight how love can be corrupted by external factors and ultimately lead to tragedy.

One of the major themes in The Great Gatsby is money and wealth, which is closely related to social class and the American dream. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald explores the corrupting influence of wealth and the pursuit of material success on characters’ lives and relationships.

The characters in the novel are obsessed with money and status, and they believe that wealth is the key to happiness and success. Gatsby, for example, throws lavish parties in the hope that he will be able to win back Daisy’s love, and he spends a great deal of money on expensive clothes and jewelry in order to impress her. Similarly, Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s marriage is based on wealth and social status rather than love, and their extravagant lifestyle is a symbol of their power and privilege.

However, the pursuit of money and wealth also has a dark side, as it leads characters to engage in immoral and unethical behavior. For example, Meyer Wolfsheim, Gatsby’s business partner, is involved in organized crime and corruption, and he is rumored to have helped fix the 1919 World Series. Tom, meanwhile, has an affair with Myrtle Wilson, who is married to a working-class mechanic, and he shows little regard for her feelings or well-being.

Furthermore, the pursuit of wealth ultimately proves to be empty and unsatisfying. Despite his immense wealth and success, Gatsby is unable to find happiness or fulfillment in his life, and he remains haunted by his past and his unrequited love for Daisy. Similarly, Tom and Daisy’s marriage is revealed to be hollow and loveless, and their wealth and privilege cannot shield them from the consequences of their actions.

Fitzgerald uses symbols throughout the novel to reinforce the theme of money and wealth. For example, the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock represents Gatsby’s longing for wealth and status, as well as his hope for a future with Daisy. Similarly, the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg on a billboard in the Valley of Ashes represent the moral decay and corruption that accompany the pursuit of wealth and success.

In conclusion, the theme of money and wealth in The Great Gatsby is a complex and multi-layered one. Fitzgerald portrays the destructive power of money and materialism, as well as its corrupting influence on characters’ lives and relationships. The pursuit of wealth ultimately proves to be empty and unsatisfying, and characters who prioritize money and status over love and morality are unable to find true happiness or fulfillment in their lives. The novel serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism and the importance of finding meaning and purpose beyond the pursuit of wealth and success.

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