Thursday, September 18, 2014

The green light, The Eyes of Dr. Eckelburg, and the landscape all are significant to Fitzgerald's opinion and critique of the American Dream. All of these things prove in someone that Fitzgerald's disdain for the American Dream is reasonable.  It is said that you must always go through the dark to see the light. With that being said, the landscape of this movie says just that. However, no matter where you go you always end up going through the Valley of Ashes, even if you're going to the other side or simply going home. You continue to pass through the Valley of Ashes frequently. This is just like the American Dream, because although these rich people have done so much to be successful, they still go through depression, and a sad lifestyle frequently. The green light, represents hopes, dreams, and the future, and how anyone would do anything to get to their green light. Although this sounds like hard work and dedication... many people will do even illegal things to reach their green light, and this is another reason why there is a bad view on the American Dream. It also shows this risks of achieving this American Dream. Lastly, the Eyes of Dr. Eckelburg represents of "corporate god" to the people, and this could be a motivation for people as they are working in the Valley of the Ashes, but it also represents how no hard work truly pays off if you actually do things right. This takes people away from their morals, and that is also why Fitzgerald has such a disdain for the American Dream. 

1 comment:

  1. Your post made me think of celebrities today. When you said that even though people are rich they still go through hard times. Many celebrities commit suicide and were very rich and seemed very happy. I really liked the things you pointed out and how flawed the American dream has become.

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