Theme Of Moral Values In The Great Gatsby - 833 Words

The Abandonment of Moral Values in â€Å"The Great Gatsby† The more the human race progresses, the blurrier the line between righteousness and wrongness gets. In â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† F. Scott Fitzgerald associates the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg with a higher authority to show the lack of integrity and disregard for judgement of the characters in the novel. It is evident that although most of the characters see the eyes and are disgruntled by them, they continue to follow through with their unethical actions. The characters are fearless about the consequences of these actions, and are unconcerned about how low their spiritual and moral values are. The billboard of Eckleburg’s all -seeing eyes represent a spiritual authority, and a weary one at†¦show more content†¦However, it cannot intervene with what it is watching happen, just as God is thought to always be watching but hardly ever interceding. Instead, the eyes seem to be attempting to urge Nick of something. It could be a general warning of steering clear of carele ss and inconsiderate people like Tom, Daisy, and Jordan, or a specific warning of an upcoming event. We find out later that Myrtle is killed at that same spot a few hours later. That may be what the eyes are foreshadowing. The fact that Nick overlooks the warning, like he purposely overlooks many things about the people he meets, reveals an insight into his character. He overlooks Gatsby’s illegal dealings with Wolfshiem, Tom’s cheating on Daisy, and Jordans dishonesty. Even though he sees what these wealthy people are like, he is too in awe of their wealth and beauty to condemn them, at least at first. Most of the characters in the novel almost deliberately ignore the billboard, and seem to have no moral principles whatsoever. However, there is one character who does seem to want a God-like presence in his life: George Wilson. Fitzgerald states, â€Å"‘You may fool me but you can’t fool God!’...he was looking at the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg w hich had just emerged pale and enormous from dissolving night†. This is the scene in which George apparently makes up his mind to hunt down his wife’s killer. Fitzgerald now, quite obviously, connects the billboard to God.Show MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1412 Words   |  6 PagesScott Key Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby showcases the American society during the Roaring 1920s. During this time period many longed to be rich and become a member of the upper class. It became one’s dream to obtain good social standing rather than to achieve freedom and happiness. Fitzgerald creates characters, such as Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, who are more concerned with wealth than what truly makes them happy in life. 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