Question

Explain the significance and meaning of Dr. Eckleberg’s eyes in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Be sure to explain the significance of the location of the billboard, the scenes in which the eyes are observed, and the relation to the theme of The Great Gatsby. Your response should be three to five sentences in length.

Answer 1

"The great Gatsby" contains many symbols open to the interpretation of those who are reading the book and relating them to the themes presented in the story. One of these symbols is Dr. Eckleberg’s eyes, which are painted on a billboard facing the Valley of the Ashes (a dangerous, demoralized, ugly place resulting from the greed of the rich).

These eyes can represent the eyes of God, judging the greed, pride and dehumanization of American society that is always in search of wealth and goods, even if it implies the destruction of other people and the sadness of many.

This meaning is related to the "American dream" that is portrayed as one of the themes of this book. Thus, the billboard sends the message of how the American dream can be empty and disadvantageous in some situations.