A Brief Essay on the symbolism of fire, ash, and dust in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

There are many ways an author can develop a theme or reveal a truth. In The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald uses the reoccurring motifs of fire, ash, and dust to reveal that the American Dream was dead by the 1920’s.

      In the story, the American Dream is manifested within fire. This was a logical decision by Fitzgerald because both are similar in nature: there nature is to get bigger and better. For fire, this means a bigger and brighter flame, and for the American Dream, this means a bigger bank statement and better connections. Gatsby, who is literally the “fire in the room” (150) with Daisy in their month of love, strives for the American Dream, and despite his best efforts, he fails. His efforts guarantee him a bigger bank statement, but not better connections. It is clear that Gatsby, as a symbol of fire, shines brightly and powerfully, as Nick acknowledged he was “…afraid… my house was on fire” (81), and although there was no fire, it was Gatsby’s home lit ablaze in the night, that had deceived Nick in to thinking there was. As a metaphor, this incident of Nick’s deception is the essence of Gatsby: he is so very close, in appearance, and form, to reality, but he is still a representation of an unreachable dream. Despite this, Gatsby acts as if he was a full, raging fire: he never once comes into contact with water before his death. He rows to Dan Cody’s yacht, he is afraid when he steps in a puddle, and he lies on a mattress safely above the water. The waters of the pool extinguished the flame in Gatsby. The death of Gatsby, and also Myrtle, who was “continually smoldering” (25) like a fire and had once dreamed for the West, is the death of fire. Something was responsible for the death of the American Dream.

            Gatsby, a flame, was extinguished at the hands of George Wilson, a man among the poor, who have the necessary ingredients to achieve the American Dream, but fail. By the 1920’s, America had the rich and the poor, and very few in between. The poor in the story all appear in one place: “A valley of Ashes” (23) were “men move dimly… crumbling” (23). In the valley, “…smoke…ashes…powdery air” (23) are all seen, coming from chimneys, surrounding the people. What is never seen in the valley is fire, and, as a representation of the American Dream, it is clear that in the valley, the Dream is dead. Left behind is the unwanted aspect of fire: the aftermath of ash and smoke. George Wilson, an honest, faithful, and hardworking man who is similar to Gatsby in those respects lacks a flame, and he is described with “A white ashen” (26) that “veiled his pale hair.”(26). No matter their attempts or intentions, the American Dream has goes horribly wrong for the ash covered poor by the 1920’s. Someone is responsible for the death of the American Dream, and although the poor ash kills the flame, the real perpetrators are found east of the Valley of Ashes.

            Although Wilson was his executioner; it was the rich dust, like Daisy, Tom, and Meyer Wolfsheim, who acted as the Judge and Jury for Gatsby’s death. This is the same dust that Nick claims “preyed on Gatsby” (2). The rich in the story, with the exception of Gatsby and Wolfsheim, have inherited their money through their family’s names. Their wealth is old; it had come about through the process of time, like dust. And despite their attempts to burn down the house when the Jazz age arrived, Nick acknowledges they remained “golden and silver slippers”(151) that “shuffled to shining dust” (151). The rich and affluent type that surround Gatsby, including Nick, are mystified by him: he indeed holds fire, a symbol of hope, something they do not have. This ability even angers the dust, as its members, both Wolfshiem and Tom, no matter ones interpretation, conspired to kill the flame. The one most responsible for the death of the flame is the one who “snapped…out” (11) the candles, and wondered “Candles?” (11). It is Daisy, who refuses to feed the flame of Gatsby, betraying him and leading to his downfall. When she begins to intrude on his once radiant home, Nick notices an “inexplicable amount of dust everywhere” (147). During their month of love, at the moment they were closer to each other than any other, Gatsby was the fire in the room, regular to its heat and intensity, yet “her cheeks flushed” (150). The old, dusty rich who controlled the 1920’s were responsible for the death of the American Dream.

            In the 1920’s, no matter the best attempt, or greatest intentions, it was impossible to achieve the American dream because of its very nature: it is indeed a dream. Fitzgerald uses complex motifs to face the ideal versus the real, and the victor is clear.