Essay on Dr. Eckleburg of The Great Gatsby

In another case of watchful Deism in the book, Nick travels with Tom through The Valley of The Ashes. In The Valley of The Ashes lies another Deist god-like icon, the billboard of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. This billboard reveals the blue eyes of an eye doctor. The eyes watch over The Valley of The Ashes, suggesting another panopticon, where someone is watching (in this case the Deist God figure). Under Eckleburg’s watchful eye,characters can be seen changing their behavior (Tullo np). The Valley represents truth, and characters in the book are unafraid to speak the truth under Eckleburg’s eye (Fitzgerald 26). Myrtle and Tom can truthfully embrace their relationship under Eckleburg’s eye, but not quite under George’s! While Wilson goes to get chairs per Myrtle’s demand, she moves closer to Tom and makes plans to meet him (Fitzgerald 26). While this idea of Deism is present in their interaction, Tom and Myrtle ignore it. Their actions cannot be punished by a belief with an uninvolved God, so the Ashes allows them to meet. T.J. Eckleburg surveys over The Valley of The Ashes and Tom and Myrtle’s encounter, adding another layer of Deism throughout the text.

The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg can be seen as if someone is looking over you which is described as, “above the grey land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg” (Fitzgerald 23). You can see his eyes in the sky and above land. His eyes are gigantic and he does not have a nose. The eyes do not look out of a face, but out of glasses. T.J. Eckleburg's eyes can be symbolic to God. They are always looking over you like God is. His eyes see everything, as you are constantly being watched. When you look out you can see Eckleburg's eyes just like how you know God is the man above you. Eckleburg's eyes are symbolic to God watching over you.

The allusion is placed in this phrase because Gatsby also knew from a young age that we was destined for greater things- outside of his poor family’s farm. Although Gatsby may see himself as the Son of God, he is not the representation of God in this novel. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg represent God because of it’s wise awareness, not the glamorous richness of Gatsby.

In the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there is an important theme in the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. These eyes watch over the events and characters of the novel like the eyes of God. Many things happen in front of the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg, like the vehicular manslaughter of Myrtle. There is one quote in particular that describes the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg. This quote has many different meanings to the reader, depending on which way you pick it open.

Any old trip to the eye doctor’s is usually peaceful and uneventful. The patient walks in, sits in a chair, does some tests, and walks out without a thought. A normal checkup wouldn’t have piercing eyes staring down on the appointment. In the story, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes look down judgtngly on the Valley of Ashes. T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes represent the American Dream, a terrible event, and an omnipresent God.

Through the Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Throughout the iconic American novel of the Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg to show the influence of God observing all the chaos amongst The Valley of the Ashes. These eyes are cast upon an old worn out billboard overlooking the valley as numerous “sinful” events occur. For instance when the eyes are first introduced described as, “The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic... But his eyes, dimmed a little by many paintless days under sun and rain, brood on over the solemn dumping ground” (Fitzgerald 28). When used, “brood” describes one when they are unhappy or concerned towards those they are observing.

It’s discovered that Tom is having an affair with Myrtle and she is then killed by Daisy, we see George Wilson fashion one of the most prominent illusions in the novel in which he turns the illusion of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg into an actuality. George and Myrtle Wilson live in the valley of ash. George finds an old billboard that advertises the previously mentioned optometrist. The billboard has gargantuan eyes that are used to represent an omnipotent being, in making this observation; we can see that George is personifying the billboard. After George discovers of Myrtle’s death he seeks guidance from the God like illusion of Eckleburg “God knows what you’ve been doing, everything you’ve been doing,” George believes that Gatsby has been having an affair with Myrtle and also that Gatsby was the one that killed her with his yellow car. George then responds religiously and asks the God like Eckleburg to enact revenge on Gatsby

George Wilson is led to believe that the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are the eyes of God. Wilson loses all hope in humanity when his wife dies and detaches himself

In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are no spiritual values in a place where money reigns. The traditional ideas of God and Religion are dead. This is why the bad people don’t always get what they deserve; especially if they’re wealthy. Fitzgerald portrays the wealthy as corrupt, selfish and incompetent. They cause trouble and act like children but they never reap the consequences because of their money.

Throughout the novel Fitzgerald drops hints about God always watching through a billboard. “But above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg (23). Doctor T.J. Eckleburg is on a billboard promoting his services but it is so large that it looks like his eyes are watching over the whole valley. He sees the characters defying God in one way or another, Doctor T.J Eckleburg represents God. Many characters are defying God and committing sins: Gatsby is always lying about his money and family life while trying to steal Daisy away from Tom.

Find supporting evidence and examples from the novel. STARTING "above the grey land and the spactor T. J. Eckleburg" "The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose" This is how T. J. Eckleburg is first introduced into the story. Dr. T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes represent the corruption of people. His eyes stare down on the characters of the story as they pass through the valley of ashes into the city.

It is clear in Fitzgerald’s description that the eyes of T. J. Eckleburg are displeased upon looking at the remains of the dumping ground. This displeasement could be representative of God’s own displeasement when looking down at the deceit of people such as Tom, who literally cheats on his wife under the eyes of T. J. Eckleburg. Later on when heading towards New York with Tom and Jordan, Nick describes T. J. Eckleburg as keeping vigil, “ ...locality...was vaguely disquieting...over the ashheaps the giant eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg kept their vigil…” (131). It appears as if T. J. Eckleburg is warning Nick of what is to come in the not so distant future. He keeps watch over them in a knowingly way awaiting the weight of their actions to fall upon them.

J. Eckleburg just so happen to be looking down upon the garage/house of Tom Buchanan’s mistress Myrtle Wilson. Fitzgerald reveals the eyes at this specific timing due to the fact that it allows the reader to understand that someone is always watching and no secret is safe. Therefore, The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are used to illustrate as God consistently is staring down upon the sins of the American society. In similarity, the relation between the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg and God is presented to the reader through George Wilson’s grief-stricken mind. During a private moment between George Wilson and Michaelis: “Standing behind him Michaelis saw with a shock that he was looking at the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg which had just emerged pale and enormous from the dissolving night. "God sees everything," repeated Wilson” (Fitzgerald chapter 8). This time, it is clearly stated through George Wilson that The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg do represent God laying eyes upon the Valley of

Another major symbol in this novel is the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg. These are a pair of spectacles painted on an old billboard in the Valley of Ashes. The significant aspect is that this symbol only has meaning when other characters instill it with meaning. The eyes represent a higher power looking over the

In The Great Gatsby, God is simplified to be the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckelburg: “[they] are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose…His eyes brood on over the solemn dumping ground” (Fitzgerald, 16). These eyes stare out from the Valley of Ashes, which exemplifies the decay of American society. The people of the Jazz Age were striving for material and economic wealth, completely forgetting about any spiritual aspect to life, and in this struggle, they gave up their souls in exchange for that wealth. The eyes can in turn be seen as the eyes of a “dead God” looking onto a “dead society”. There are further brief references to God within The Great Gatsby, but all allude to the same idea: the lack or helplessness of God. Man also has even drifted so much away from previous conservatively religious ideals that he himself is more worshipped that God. Nick Carraway is even surprised at this newfound idea; that “one man could start to play with the faith of fifty million people” (Fitzgerald, 47) is something that only God should have been able to do. Gatsby further goes on to compare his mind to that of God. Referring to kissing Daisy he says, “his mind would never romp again like the mind of God” (Fitzgerald, 71). George Wilson’s statement “God knows what you’ve been doing, everything you’ve been doing. You may fool me, but you can’t fool God.”