How does the valley of ashes give a vision of the American Dream? Is it like that it showed prosperity?
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The Valley of Ashes is a setting in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby" that represents the decay and moral corruption underlying the American Dream. It is not a symbol of prosperity, but rather a harsh contrast to the opulence and extravagance of the elite class in the novel.
To understand how the Valley of Ashes gives a vision of the American Dream, we need to examine its characteristics and significance. The Valley of Ashes is a desolate and barren wasteland located between West Egg and New York City, where the working class, particularly the poor and marginalized, reside. It is an industrial dumping ground, covered in gray ash and debris from factories, symbolizing the negative consequences of the pursuit of wealth and material success.
The Valley of Ashes reveals the darker side of the American Dream by showing the stark realities of social inequality and the failed promise of upward mobility. The people who live there, like George and Myrtle Wilson, struggle to make ends meet, trapped in a realm of poverty and despair. They are surrounded by decaying structures, like the billboard for Dr. T.J. Eckleburg's eyes, which serve as a constant reminder of the moral deterioration in society.
Furthermore, the Valley of Ashes is juxtaposed with the excessive wealth and luxury of the characters in West Egg and East Egg—representing the old money and the newly rich—who inhabit the extravagant mansions and throw lavish parties. These characters, like Jay Gatsby and Tom and Daisy Buchanan, pursue the American Dream by accumulating vast material wealth and indulging in superficial pleasures. However, their accumulation of wealth and pursuit of pleasure often come at the expense of those in the Valley of Ashes, perpetuating the cycle of social inequality.
In this way, the Valley of Ashes acts as a critical reflection on the American Dream, exposing its flaws and the moral decay in society. It challenges the idea that success and prosperity are easily attainable for all, highlighting the vast disparities and the dark underbelly of the pursuit of wealth.
So, rather than displaying prosperity, the Valley of Ashes gives us a vision of the American Dream by serving as a reminder of the harsh realities and broken promises associated with it. By understanding this symbolism, we gain insight into Fitzgerald's critique of the hollow pursuit of material wealth and the disillusionment that can accompany the American Dream.