The Great Gatsby Symbolism Tracker

As we continue the novel, we will be tracking symbolism and noting if/how it changes over time.

Symbols:
The green light
Cars
Houses (Gatsby’s, Nick’s, Tom’s)
The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg
Weather

For each symbol, you should:

- Provide your initial interpretation of the symbol after reading chapters 1-4
- As we continue reading:
- Indicate the chapter in which the symbol reappears
- Type a direct quote
- Give your interpretation in the context of that chapter
- Discuss the development of the symbol (has it changed, become more clear,
connected to another idea?)

The Green Light

Initial Interpretation (Chapters 1-4):

Through chapters 1-4 we see the green light when Gatsby is reaching out to it because it's on
Daisy’s dock.

Reappearance (1 of 2)

Chapter #: 5

Direct Quote: “If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,” said Gatsby.
“You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock”(Fitzgerald pg.98)

Interpretation: It still represents how Gatsby really cares for Daisy and shows what he is
willing to do for her.

Development of the symbol: At first we see the symbol when he reaches out for it at night and
shows that he’s reaching out to Daisy, but now he tells Daisy this because they finally reunite
after 5 years.

Reappearance (2 of 2)

Chapter #: 9

Direct Quote: “ Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year
recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch
out our arms farther.”(pg.189)
Interpretation: Gatsby had a lot of hope for Daisy and his future, yet it never came to be.

Development of the symbol: Throughout the whole book the green light has been a staple of
Gatsby’s love for Daisy, how he chose the house because it was directly across from her
house and you could see her green dock light, to when he told her the reason for living there,
and finally to the end of the book where Gatsby is now dead and so is their love.

Cars

Initial Interpretation (Chapters 1-4):

Through chapters 1-4 their have been a few incidents with cars, Owl-eyes crashed his car, Mr.
Gatsby got pulled over, and Tom crashed into a wagon. We can tell that these characters
aren't the best drivers, and the rules on the road aren't that strict. They feel above the law
because their rich.

Reappearance (1 of 2)

Chapter #: 7

Direct Quote: “Come on Daisy,” said Tom, pressing her with his hand toward Gatsby’s car. “Ill
take you in this circus wagon.” He opened the door but she moved out from the circle off his
arm. “You take Nick and Jordan. Well follow you in the coupe.” (pg.127-128).

Interpretation: In this scene we see Tom passing Daisy to ride in the car with him but Daisy
refuses and chooses to go with Gatsby. This shows us that Daisy wants to be with Gatsby
and not Tom.

Development of the symbol: The car scenes show us the real truth behind the characters in
the story, like when Tom crashed with a girl in his car other than Daisy we could see that he
wasn’t loyal to her. Now we can see that Daisy isn’t loyal to Tom either and wants to be with
someone else.

Reappearance (2 of 2)

Chapter #: 9

Direct Quote: “A moment later she rushed out into the dusk, waving her hands and shouting;
before he could move from his door the business was over. The “Death Car” as the
newspapers called it, didn’t stop; it came out of the gathering darkness, wavered tragically for
a moment and then disappeared around the next bend”(pg. 144)

Interpretation: This is the moment Daisy and Gatsby run over and kill Myrtle who was Tom's
mistress, this could be seen as an attempt from Daisy to kill Myrtle for sleeping with Tom. And
its also ironic that it happened to be Daisy and Gatsby.

Development of the symbol: This symbol of the cars shows us how careless these people are
because they’retheir rich and think they are above everyone, but it also shows how these
characters are all connected to each other.

Houses (Gatsby’s, Nick’s, Tom’s)

Initial Interpretation (Chapters 1-4):

Gatsby’s house represents the wealth and richness he has (excessive wealth), Nick's house
is more normal and reflects back on his own personality.

Reappearance (1 of 2)

Chapter #: 5

Direct Quote: “At eleven o’clock a man in a raincoat dragging a lawn-mower tapped at my
front door and said that Mr. Gatsby had sent him over to cut my grass”(pg.88)

Interpretation: This was the day that Gatsby and Daisy were planning to have tea at Nick's
house and Gatsby thought Nick's house could use a refreshing and a touch-up.

Development of the symbol: This symbol of the houses continues to reveal more about the
characters who live inside and what the others think of their houses. Because Nicks house is
more normal Gatsby wanted to make it look nicer by cutting the grass bringing many flowers
inside and providing the house with food.

Reappearance (2 of 2)

Chapter #: 5

Direct Quote: “We went upstairs, through period bedrooms swathed in rose and lavender silk
and vivid with new flowers, through dressing rooms and pool rooms, and bathrooms with
sunken baths”(pg.96)

Interpretation: Gatsby is showing Daisy his house and she loves it because it's huge and
beautiful decorated with fancy rich things. And she likes that he is rich.

Development of the symbol: This symbol shows us some of the characters true intentions like
for Daisy she likes men who are very rich and can provide for her and buy her new fancy
things. One off the only reasons Daisy likes Gatsby is because he is the richest person she
knows.

The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg

Initial Interpretation (Chapters 1-4):

The eyes are judging how the earth is, the eyes represent a god-like figure which are
overseeing the low existence in the valley of ashes.
Reappearance (1 of 2)

Chapter #: 7

Direct Quote: “And now I turned my head as though I had been warned of something behind.
Over the ashheaps the giant eyes off Doctor T.J. Eckleburg kept their vigil”(pg.131)

Interpretation: This is when everyone is heading to town and their is some tension between
everyone and Nick points out that the eyes are keeping a close eye on them.

Development of the symbol: This symbol has been a God like symbol meaning that there’s
someone watching them and their actions while overseeing what they do.

Reappearance (2 of 2)

Chapter #: 7

Direct Quote: “Then as Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’s faded eyes came into sight down the road I
remembered Gatsby’s caution about gasoline”(pg.129)

Interpretation: Everyone was tense and a little frustrated, mostly Tom because Daisy decided
to drive into town with Gatsby and not Tom. These eyes are just watching them as they drive
down because they know something bad might happen.

Development of the symbol: This is a reappearing symbol because it shows that someone is
always keeping a close eye on them and their decisions.

Weather

Initial Interpretation (Chapters 1-4):

Because the weather hasn’t been mentioned much in chapters 1-4, but it's supposed to
represent the mood off the setting. Like when they go to the valley of ashes the weather is dry
and dark to make it appear gloomy.

Reappearance (1 of 2)

Chapter #: 7

Direct Quote: “But it's so hot,” insisted Daisy, on the verge of tears. “And everything’s so
confusing. Let’s all go to town!”(pg.125)

Interpretation: This hot weather interprets the tension in the air with Gatsby and Tom, who
both love daisy.

Development of the symbol: Throughout the book the weather symbolizes the mood of the
characters or certain settings off the story in the book.
Reappearance (2 of 2)

Chapter #: 5

Direct Quote: “The day agreed upon was pouring rain. At eleven o’clock a man in a raincoat
dragging a lawn-mower tapped at my front door and said that Mr. Gatsby had sent him over to
cut my grass”(pg.88)

Interpretation: This was the day that Gatsby and Daisy were meeting up for tea at Nick's
house for the first time in 5 years, the weather showing gloominess and sadness maybe to
mark the bitter sweetness of their reunion.

Development of the symbol: Throughout the book weather has been seen as characters'
moods or feelings their having about certain situations.