Setting and Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of the setting in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It explores the significance of locations such as East Egg, West Egg, the Valley of Ashes, and New York City, and how these settings contribute to the novel's themes. The essay examines the social commentary embedded within the descriptions of these places, particularly the contrasts between wealth, social class, and the American Dream. It highlights how Fitzgerald uses the setting to reflect the characters' lives, their aspirations, and the societal issues of the time, including the rise of consumerism and the moral decay of the Roaring Twenties. The analysis includes the symbolism associated with each setting, revealing their impact on the narrative and the characters' journeys, ultimately contributing to the overall understanding of the novel's complexities.

Running head: SETTING OF THE GREAT GATSBY
SETTING OF THE GREAT GATSBY
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1SETTING OF THE GREAT GATSBY
The main action of the great Gatsby tends to take place in a corridor which is widening or
extending from the NewYork to the suburbs which are known as the West and the East Egg. This
west and the East eggs tend to represent the stands in for the locations of the real-life of the two
peninsula’s which lies in the northern shore of the Long Island (O'Doherty). However, in
between the eggs and the Manhattan, valley of ashes tends to lie. It is in this place where the
Myrtle and George Wilson have a garage of the long run.
It can be said the corridor between the NewYork and the suburbs tends to include the
total range of the social class. Though it can be said that the valley of ashes is a place of
apparent property, both the city and that of the suburbs symbolizes the strongholds of influence.
In the Great Gatsby, when Nick arrives in the city through the train, he feels extremely
optimistic.
The city that is been seen through the Queensboro Bridge consistently turns to be the city
which is being viewed for the first time in the midst of all the mystery and beauty that lies in the
world. “The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its
first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world”. It is because of these reasons,
The NewYork city seems to be the place which is full of possibility. However, it must be noted
that Nick always find himself to be sad there as noted in Chapter Three of the Great Gatsby
where he says that the clerks who are young are simply wasting the most emotional moments of
the life and their night.it can be said that the west Egg and the East in which the setting of the
great Gatsby lies, is like the wealthy community. it is often marked by the families who have
inherited their wealth from the elders. In contrast, it can be said that the old money tends to live
in the more fashionable East Egg. In contrast to this, it can be said that the residents residing in
the west egg earned money in their present times instead of being dependent upon the money that

2SETTING OF THE GREAT GATSBY
is being inherited from their parents. The example of such resident is Gatsby itself. The house of
Gatsby is designed on the Hotel de Ville which is in Normandy, France and which was built by a
brewer who tends to give payment to the neighbours who lives in the thatched huts like the
peasants (Scott). Though the various descriptions that are being made on the house seem to be a
bit extra, they are indeed based on the mansions that tend to exist on the Long Island during the
time of the 1920s. One of the examples is that an estate which is known as the Harbor Hill was
designed on Hotels de Ville and it even included farms, a casino, a blacksmith and even a
Turkish bath on the acres of 650 (Durlauf, Steven N and Ananth Seshadri).
Though the extreme amount of wealth was being displayed, the suggestion was being
made by the novel that the suburbs, the valley of the ashes as well as the city tend to share a
sense of mystical unhappiness and even a sense of psychological desperation. However, it seems
to gain a little more importance in the end when the characters tend to find themselves along the
sides of the corridor between the Newyork and the twin Eggs. In the very beginning, it can be
seen that Fitzgerald describes the “white places of the fashionable east egg” as the ones that
glittered along the water. It intended to symbolize something which is sophisticated and even
have a judgmental society. Fitzgerald utilizes this setting in order to present the themes of social
status and judgment in the novel. On the other hand, the inhabitants of the East egg intends to
have a quit appearance. It can be said that racism tends to enter in this part of the setting.
In conclusion it can be said that Fitzgerald does not describe the New York city directly,
however, the readers can clearly understand that he observes New York as a city which is an
exciting place. the place is being described in such a way to represent the success and even the
prosperity that is being present in New York during the time period. It is also being used to show

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the criminal activity as well as the corruption that is in connection with it. The novel is still
prevalent in recent times as the difference between the rich and the poor has increased over time.

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References
Durlauf, Steven N., and Ananth Seshadri. "Understanding the Great Gatsby Curve." NBER
Macroeconomics Annual 32.1 (2018): 333-393.
O'Doherty, Garrett. Oxford Literature Companions: The Great Gatsby. Oxford University Press-
Children, 2017.
Scott, Fitzgerald F. The Great Gatsby. Рипол Классик, 2017.