The Valley of Ashes as Metaphor in The Great Gatsby Essay

The Valley of Ashes as Metaphor in The Great Gatsby Throughout F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby, location is a critical motif. The contrasts between East and West, East Egg and West Egg, and the two Eggs and New York serve important thematic roles and provide the backdrops for the main conflict. Yet, there needs to be a middle ground between each of these sites, a buffer zone, as it were; there is the great distance that separates East from West; there is the bay that separates East Egg from West Egg; and, there is the Valley of Ashes that separates Long Island from New York. The last of these is probably the most striking. Yet, the traditional literal interpretation does not serve Fitzgeralds theme as well as a more†¦show more content†¦If it is remembered that ashes circa the turn of the century often referred to garbage, then it is possible to interpret the valley of ashes as a dumping ground. (23) The ash heaps, then, are piles of garbage, and the repeated references to waste land, as opposed to wasteland, now make m ore sense, as does George Wilsons use of a piece of waste to wipe his hands. (24-5) For Fitzgerald, the American dream is to get rich and become socially acceptable; Wilson, who has failed, has wasted his life, and is now down in the dumps. He has been cast away by society, just like the rest of the refuse that surrounds him. This, then, seems to be the fate of middle-class dreams--despite being conceived in a land filled with opportunity, they all end up in the landfill. Yet, there are still inconsistencies with this interpretation, which also apply to the stricter literal view; where does the gray, scrawny Italian child down the road by the railroad tracks come from? (26) Where do the workmen come from? (137) If the valley is so isolated and desolate how could Nick even imagine there would be an old man regaling little boys with the story of Myrtles death? (156) How does such a crowd accumulate next to a dumping ground? (156-7) Why would Dr. T. J. Eckleburg advertise there, train delays notwithstanding? (23) These concerns cannot be fully explained away by theShow MoreRelatedThe Role Played by the Valley of the Ashes1012 Words   |  4 Pagesthe role played by the Valley of the Ashes. In The Great Gatsby, the Valley of the Ashes illustrate the inequality between its inhabitants and that of West Egg and East Egg, in terms of social standing and income, and the hopelessness of poverty resulting from the inability of its inhabitants to rise up the socio-economic ladder. This shows the failure of the dream that America promises, the ideal of equal opportunities for all, associated with the New World. The valley is described as a â€Å"desolate†Read MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Waste Land Essay1714 Words   |  7 PagesEnvoking T.S. Eliot’s poem â€Å"The Waste Land†, the â€Å"Valley of Ashes† depicted in The Great Gatsby serves a multitude of symbolic functions. It primarily provides significant contrast to East and West Egg. This contrast is not simplistic, as Fitzgerald guides the reader into understanding that the areas are inextricably linked in terms of the American dream and moral corruption. Furthermore, the Valley of Ashes is a physical manifestation of the theme of death and mortality constantly being threadedRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Symbolism Analysis759 Words   |  4 Pages Fizgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby tells the story of Gatsby’s romance, tragedy and dramatic life, reflecting the glamor of the glitz and the loss of the Jazz era. In the novel, the author makes extensive use of symbolic techniques to express his pro found thoughts and themes. The extensive use of symbolism not only enriches the connotation of the article but also reveals the theme in more depth and embodies the author’s mature artistic creation skills. The green light from the East Egg, whichRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1499 Words   |  6 PagesSymbols such as the green light are significant throughout the novel because it represents society’s want and the appearing infeasibility of achieving the American Dream, and the corruption behind it. When Gatsby is first seen in the novel, Fitzgerald describes him: â€Å"— he stretched out his arms towards the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him I could’ve sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and farRead More Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Essay1207 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in The Great Gatsby       Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby has more relevance in today’s society than it did when it was written. With the recent societal trend that emphasizes lack of morals and material wealth over a meaningful existence, Fitzgerald’s message really hits home. Which is more important - money or love? Social status or being true to oneself? Fitzgerald uses metaphor and symbols to great effect in order to illustrate what can happen when the pursuit of happinessRead More Use of Metaphor, Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Essay1307 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Metaphor and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby      Ã‚     Some novels have more of an impact in modern society than when they were originally written. This is especially true with Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Modern society can be termed corrupt, complete with tainted morals and an overemphasis on the acquisition of money and friends. Fitzgerald seeks the root of the problem and wants the reader to ponder whether he or she wants money and social status or fulfillment and truth. In his questRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1294 Words   |  6 PagesJay Gatsby: (protagonist); millionaire who throws parties; mysterious, famous, wealthy, in love with Daisy, dishonest about his past, young, motivated, subject to a lot of people’s gossip from all his gaudy parties, legendary, desperate and pathetic because of his love for Daisy, naà ¯ve, hopeful, loyal, innocent, determined, lovesick for Daisy, always calls people â€Å"old sport† Nick Carraway: (Protagonist); bond businessman, Daisy’s cousin; well-educated, honest, Midwestern, genuine, tolerant, quietRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1413 Words   |  6 Pagesthe glass of Fitzgerald, the story The Great Gatsby has genuinely portrayed the picture of the American Dream, which also revealed the truth behind its glamorousness. The story has successfully symbolize the actual American Dream. Envy, sinful, lies, heartless, and unreachable, that s truth behind the fog and the green light of the dream. Talking about the story The Great Gatsby of course we should mention about Mr.Gatsby. Fitzgerald describes Gatsby as a person, who never give up to followRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Great Gatsby Essay1898 Words   |  8 Pagescharacter. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, it is revealed how the corrupt American Dream resulted in consequences for both the good hearted and self-absorbed people of the East. Throughout his novel, Fitzgerald conveys his views on how the illusion of the American Dream influenced the actions, beliefs and dreams of the People during the Roaring Twenties. The use of the green light as a motif helps to symbolize Gatsby’s version of the American Dream and shows that Gatsby does not have a yearning forRead MoreThe Great Gatsby: A Social Satire Essay1276 Words   |  6 PagesThe Great Gatsby can be regarded as a social satire and an observation of The American Dream The Great Gatsby is observed as a social satire of the United States in the roaring twenties, where Fitzgerald exposes the American Dream as a flawed fantasy merely generated by over-indulgence. America was established in the conception of equality, where any individual could have equal opportunities and success on the substratum of their abilities and effort, which can be described as the American

Life in Russia Free Essays

It is quite possible that Russia may be best known for it†s long, and bitter winters. This extreme coldness also aided the country as a whole by keeping invaders at bay; For example, Adolf Hitler, and his Nazi army, were hesitant in entering the country during World War II. In Moscow, snow covers the ground for at least five months of the year. We will write a custom essay sample on Life in Russia or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the Northernmost region of Russia, there is snow present for between eight and ten months. Most of the coastal waters, such as: ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, remain frozen during the majority of the year. But after the harsh winter months have past, the weather swings harshly in the opposite direction. During the warmest days of the summer, it is not uncommon for the mercury to hit 100? F, although they average around 60? F. Precipitation throughout the year, rain, sleet, and snow, is usually light to moderate. The wettest part of the country is the European Plain, or the East Siberian Uplands, where rain falls on a daily basis during the spring. The majority of the vast inland receives little or no rain, but approximately four feet of snow during the winter. Russians, like Americans, enjoy watching television, and reading. They also love to play chess; visit the movie theaters; soak up the culture of an opera, or play; travel to a local museum; go for a walk, or participate in sports. The government of Russia strongly supports athletic events, especially team sports. Soccer is unopposed as the most popular participant, and spectator sport in the country. Russians also enjoy gymnastics, basketball, and during the winter, ice hockey is a hit among the children of the countrymen. Russians also enjoy nature. They really enjoy going on hikes, and spending time in the forests. Many have country cottages called dachas. There, they garden, hike, bicycle, swim, fish, gather mushrooms, and take part in the other outdoor activities. Russian people also love going on vacation to places other than their dachas during the summer. Popular vacationing sites include: the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Volga River. In Russia, fighting has been a way of life, as seen during all parts of its history. Russia has been a fighting country since the 800†³s. They were involved in constant war with the Mongols. Also, civil war has been a enormous problem for the Russians. In the early 1600†³s, a civil war broke out, inspired by an invasion by the Mongols, and the political confusing that followed about killed the country as a whole. Most recently, Russia was involved in World War I, fighting countries such as Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Shortly after, there was another civil war between the Communists and the anti-Communists. This war lasted two years, and ended up with a communist victory that led to the establishment of the USSR, or the Union of Soviet Social Republics, or in Russian, Rus Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, A union of the several countries that lay around Russia. Politically the USSR was divided (from 1940 to 1991) into 15 constituent or union republics-, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia Gerogia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia Russia, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, until its breakup in 1991. Since then, Russia, and other Soviet republics have become independent nations. The most well known being the Ukraine. Ukraine broke off, and quickly established its own currency, the Ukraine Ruble. The Ukraine is constantly bragging to Russia of all its wealth, but the Ukraine also boasts much higher inflation, and higher unemployment, for they are not as successful as they brag to Russia to be. Russia†s health care is free to its citizens. The government cares a lot about the health of its citizens, and it most certainly shows. They†re committed to meeting the basic needs of its people. Because of their poor economic state, the government does not have sufficient funds to support its health-care systems. This has led to medicine and equipment shortages, and low wages for health-care providers. Russia has an abundance of farmland. Due to the short growing season, insufficient rainfall, and lack of fertile soil, farming in Russia is extremely difficult. Many of the farms are operated like government factories. These farms are called sovkhozys. People do work, but don†t have much say in what†s grown. The other farms, called Kolkhozys, are government controlled, but partly managed by the farmers. What goes on here is that the farmers decide what to grow and the government tells them if it is acceptable to them or not. The major crops grown in Russia are barely, fruits, oats, potatoes, sunflowers, rye, sugar beets, and wheat. The diet of the Russians is very healthy and hearty. They eat bread virtually every meal. They also consume large quantities of sugar. Their main method of preparing food is by frying. They also drink large amounts of tea because coffee is too expensive. Their trademark drink is Vodka. They also drink wine, champagne, beer, and other alcoholic beverages. Alcohol abuse has been and remains to be a major social problem in Russia. The education in Russia is much different then the USA†s method of education its people. It consists of first through 10th grade, plus higher education. Using this method, which may seem abridged to Americans, eliminates two years of useless classes, and allows for Russians to leave school, and either begin to work, or go on to higher education. Elementary school consists of first through fourth grade. Classes meet six days a week for 4 ? hours a day with shorter periods on Saturday. Courses include math, art, music, language, P. E. , simple skills, and history. Intermediate grades consist of fifth through eighth grade. They meet thirty hours a week and are taught, zoology, physics, geography, shop work, and chemistry. Secondary grades consist of ninth through tenth grades and consist of math, science and work skills in different trades. This is to meet the governments need for specialists in science and Industry. Graduates with high marks receive medals and are relieved from required mandatory services so the can continue their education; these mandatory services include 2 years of military service for all graduates, except when they are relieved to pursue higher education. The higher schools that are present in Russia consist of 650 specialized schools and 70 universities which are currently educating some 6 ? illion students. Most programs take five years to complete, and then they must work for the government for 3 years, in order to repay their country for relieving them of their mandatory military service. They receive their diploma after one year of work. Russia thinks education is their road to success, and instead of offering countless useless classes, Russia provides healthy education, with strong emphasis on chemistry. They have over 52 million students and a strong majority of Russia†s country men are able to read and write in their native language. The U. S. S. R has a long constitution that gives all political power to the people and their elected representatives. However the country†s completely controlled by the communists. The Soviet Union lets no other political party to oppose the communist party. The ironic thing is only 17 million of the people in Russia are actually communists. Russia†s government resembles a triangle because each government body has to report to a higher authority. At the top of this triangle is the Supreme Soviet of the USSR The members are elected to 5 year terms and they only meet twice a year for about two weeks. They pass without question all the laws proposed by the communists party. The freedom of the Supreme Soviet is the head of state or president. He is elected by the communist leaders and he handles legislative matters between sessions of the Supreme Soviet. The council of Ministers are another government group in Russia and are the highest executive body. It controls economic and cultural life through various ministries and committees. The council of ministries also handles relations with other nations. It consists of 120 members, many of them are the highest ranking officials in the communist party. The Russian Orthodox Church was the central religion of Russia until the communists came to power. Communists are atheistic (people who are against the belief in God or Gods) and they view religion as â€Å"Opium for the people† a drug, or disease. When the communists came to power they destroyed churches and killed church leaders. However religion in Russia survived. In the 1940†³s, persecutions and restrictions eased up mainly because the church supported the governments choice of being involved in world war two. Then in the late 1850†³s the communists began closing non official places of worship. They also tried hard to discourage religion through education and propaganda. Still religion survived, there are 20 to 45 million followers of the Russian Orthodox Church; The people in the former Soviet Union are still among the most spiritually open people in the world – especially the youth – and for this, the number is rising. Muslims are the second largest religious group. Some religions like Jehovah†s witness are strictly prohibited by the communists. Russian language is remarkably similar even though there is such a diverse population. Russian language is understood from the west to the east part of the country. The Russian language is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Certain minorities in Russia have their own language but they speak Russian as a second language. Russia like most countries has both urban and rural life styles. ? of Russia†s people live in cities. Russia has 35 cities that have 800,000 people or more, and Moscow along with St. Petersberg has 4 million. Many modern conveyances such as plumbing and air conditioning are not found. There is also a shortage of food and too much crime in Russian cities. Farmers populate much of Russia rural areas. There is also a lot less education and health care in the rural areas of Russia, for schools are not easily paid for in areas such as these. Russia is one of the richest countries on natural resource. Russia†s vast area provides for a lot of forest space, and water for hydraulic energy. There are also extensive mineral deposits. Russia also has a wide variety of plant and animal life. Industry is vital to Russia†s economy. Moscow and St. Petersberg are the biggest areas for manufacturing in Russia. Russia produces a lot heavy machinery and has many chemical, oil, and plant refineries as well. St. Petersberg also has a large ship building industry, and an even larger airplane parts industry. There is heavy trading with the US in airplane parts. Russia†s chemical plants produce items such as chemical fibers, mineral fertilizers, plastics, and synthetic resins. Transportation in Russia is very difficult because of its lack of roads and it†s vastness. Trains are the most common form of transportation and shipping. Aero Flat is Russia†s national airline and makes up most airline travel, although most people are unable to afford the enormous bill created by purchasing an airline ticket through Aero Flat. Roads are not commonly found because only 60 out of every 1,000 Russians own a car. City travel in Russia is taken care of by buses, trains, and subways. Communication equipment is unevenly distributed and not modernized, because of this only 15 out of every 100 Russians own a telephone. Russia is in a state of economic turmoil at the moment. It has had a lot of trouble moving from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. However Russia is making advancements under president Yeltsin; Inflation fell from 131% to 22% in 1996. These advancements are partially due to the fact that now, 80% of industry is now privatized; meaning, that 80% of all goods produced in Russia, are produced in a private sector of the country, by companies who control themselves. As of May 16, 1999, one United States Dollar would be converted into 24. 7367 Russian Rubles. Currently over 30 billion United States Dollars circulate throughout Russia, for just as in all foreign countries, the Russians hold on to the Dollars, and when the exchange rate is just right, they can make a pretty profit from their Dollar. Unemployment is not a very big problem in Russia. Only 9. 3% of its population remain unemployed, leaving a 73 million manned labor force ready to work. Many of these men work closely with the government, packaging and shipping exports, or receiving and checking over its imports. Major exports of the country include petroleum, natural gas, metals, and chemicals. Hard to find in Russia, and therefore heavily imported are: machinery, medicines, meat, grains, and especially sugar. The majority of this trading is done with North America, although Russia is also close trade partners with most of Europe, Japan, and some third world countries. 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Mary Shelly monster Essay Example For Students

Mary Shelly monster Essay The monster then runs away and Frankenstein feels pleased that he is gone yet a little uneasy to know that he is out there in the world. Chapter 11 is narrated by the monster, he tells the audience about his first experiences and reactions to life. This part of the novel has great importance because it is where the monster discovers himself. Nature also plays a key part to this story and here alone in the forest the monster encounters the wonderful things around him. Before the monster detects his senses he gets very upset, he wakes up in the forest, cold and frightened. I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch: I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept. We feel the monsters pain and Mary Shelly presents the monster as nai ve and desolate. Once the monster understands his senses he starts to take an interest in his surroundings and the nature in the forest, he learned how to make a fire and how to feed himself. Mary Shelly goes into descriptive detail about the monster finding out about nature, this presents him to be a kind caring creature, the opposite of our previous conceptions by his hideous appearance. His second encounter with humans was as brutal and hurtful as it had been from Frankenstein. The monster had stumbled upon a small village, immediately he was attacked and made to flee and take refuge in a hovel. Here, then, I retreated and lay down happy to have found a shelter, however miserable, from the inclemency of the season, and still more from the barbarity of man. Mary Shelly is still presenting the monster in an innocent caring way; this makes us feel sad for the monster and angry at the men who unknowingly teach this creature to hate. Towards the end of chapter 11 the monsters happens upon the Delaysey family. Without knowing it they helped the monster to read write and even love. The monster would sit and watch the way the delayseys treated each other, he longed for a family to love and care for and took them to be it calling them his protectors. The monster would fetch food and wood for the family, never showing his face to any of them because he knows what the reaction he gets from people when they see him is. Mary Shelly writes a couple of paragraphs describing and exploring what the monster learns from and about the delaseys.