Setting and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

The novel's various locations serve as powerful symbols of America's social hierarchy and moral decay in the 1920s. The contrast between locations highlights the theme of class division and the corruption of the American Dream.

Definition: The Valley of Ashes represents moral and social decay, serving as a stark contrast to the wealthy neighborhoods of East and West Egg.

Quote: "A fantastic farm where ashes grows like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens" - This description emphasizes the industrial wasteland's symbolic significance.

Highlight: The East vs. West Egg distinction is crucial for understanding class dynamics, with East Egg representing old money's refinement and West Egg symbolizing new money's ostentatious display of wealth.

Example: Gatsby's mansion, described as a "colossal affair" and an "imitation of some Hotel de Ville," represents both his achievement and the artificiality of his newly acquired status.

Vocabulary: "Nouveau riche" refers to people who have recently acquired wealth, often viewed as lacking the sophistication of old money families.

The novel's New York City setting provides a backdrop of modernity and corruption, while the post-war context adds depth to themes of reinvention and social change. The emergence of feminism and prohibition-era corruption further enriches the narrative's exploration of American society in transition.