Reading The Great Gatsby is intended, it appears, as an indoctrination in reverse: we require young people to study Fitzgerald’s novel in high school and college courses so they realize, before embarking on their careers, that the American Dream they have heard about and will hear about, is beyond their reach. But the prime place accorded to The Great Gatsby in the literary canon suggests that Americans have known all along that the American Dream is largely myth, ideology, propaganda. Those born at the bottom, but who possess spirit, pluck, and determination, can rise to prosperity and personal fulfillment immigrants, unable to speak English, can learn the language and acquire education, find employment, marry, buy a home, have children, lead decent lives in safe neighborhoods, vote in democratic elections, and enjoy a comfortable retirement.
We honor and profess to believe in the American Dream, a dream that we say the nation’s history has shown to be a reality for many millions. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby to the American Dream, for this dream is one of equal opportunity, and the celebration of material well-being and personal success, of contentment and happiness, whereas the novel concludes with the demise of its deluded protagonist, shot dead in a swimming pool by a deranged husband who believes that Gatsby killed his wife by smashing into her in his fancy car. Although Fitzgerald never directly discusses the death of the American Dream, as Nick and company attempt to live out their own personal American dreams, Eckleburg's eyes watch the destruction of them all.It is odd that we connect F. Eckleburg seems to serve the purpose of a completely objective point of view: no facial features or dialogue, just large, watchful eyes, which contrast Nick's smaller stature almost as a lesser person than T.J., because Carraway's point of view is a subjective and possibly unreliable point of view. Those eyes represent an observation of lies and adultery as well as the most violent scene of the book. Tom only stops at Wilson's garage for Myrtle, and guess who's peeping through the window.
The giant eyes watch over the dirtiest, poorest setting in the book, the Valley of Ashes, constantly watching the corrupted, hypocritical characters pass through without a care or thought for the people living in the Valley, a not so subtle sign of their selfishness. It's to big for us to recognize and comprehend. Eckleburg, Nick notices a lack of facial features, which supports that idea, because no one can put a real face on God or judgment.
People have interpreted those eyes in all sorts of ways, but I believe they resemble the eyes of God and/or judgment.
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