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Essay / Fitzgerald's Use of Weather Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
Table of ContentsIntroductionWeather Symbolism in The Great GatsbyConclusionReferencesIntroductionEvery story has a setting that indicates a place and time. The context of a setting can allow a story to do more than simply exist in a location and time period. The setting can also represent occurrences using symbols. A salient symbol that resides in the context of a novel is the weather. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the weather is an essential symbol used throughout the story. F. Scott Fitzgerald often uses the seasons to narrate the scenes that unfold. He does this with the intention of emphasizing the events, moods and feelings of each character. The changing seasons are symbolically used to show that time is never just time. The weather is the most essential symbol used by F. Scott Fitzgerald because it sets the emotional tone and actions of the novel. This is evident around the time of Gatsby's reunion with Daisy, the confrontation between Gatsby and Tom, and Gatsby's funeral. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay on Weather Symbolism in The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald relies heavily on the weather to emphasize the significance of Gatsby and Daisy's reunion. Throughout chapter five of the novel, it is a constant downpour of rain. This already gives a dark atmosphere. The downpour of rain can also be taken in a hopeful context because it is what Gatsby hopes to receive from Daisy, a downpour of his positive emotions. Regardless, Gatsby is hopeful and excited to finally see Daisy again. In order to get a chance to see her, Gatsby asked his friend Nick to invite Daisy over for a cup of tea. Gatsby did this in hopes that he could join them and have the chance to reconcile with her. “The appointed day was pouring rain” (Fitzgerald 81). The rain presents itself symbolically as a complication. Symbolically, rain can represent a sign of a bad omen. This may also mean a good start, as the rain washes away Daisy and Gatsby's past. While Nick and Gatsby wait for Daisy to arrive, Gatsby is visibly nervous. He's so anxious that he tells Nick he's worried Daisy won't show. The rain helps to beautify Gatsby's emotional state and nerves. The image of pouring rain reflects Gatsby's hope of living in the past again with the love of his life, Daisy by his side. When Daisy shows up, Gatsby's nerves do not calm down and he appears nervous, so much so that his fingers "shake." Nick decides to leave Daisy and Gatsby alone and discovers that “the rain continued like the murmur of their voices, rising and swelling a little from time to time with the emotion of the gusts” (Fitzgerald 88). The rain continues to fade throughout the conversation, reflecting the flow of their communication. As Nick enters the room, he notices that Daisy's face is "stained with tears." (89) This implies that Gatsby and Daisy have been through a whirlwind of emotions since he left them alone. The dried tears show the variability and range of emotions felt by Daisy and Gatsby and are reflected in the changing rain patterns. When Nick arrives, he sees that Gatsby is “literally glowing” (Fitzgerald 89). He also noted that the sun was shining again and presumed that the two men had resolved their issues. The emergence of the sun symbolizes Daisy and Gatsby's rekindled love. The rain stopping is a symbol that exists once Gatsby achieves his goal. The weather can symbolizehuman emotions of the characters in each situation. The weather has a lot to do with the mood of each event. During Daisy's visit to Gatsby's house, the bay watchman and Gatsby said, "If it weren't for the mist, we could see your house across the bay...you always a green light that burns all night at the end. » from your dock'. The quote illustrates the barrier of Gatsby and Marguerite's reunion. “If it weren’t for the mist,” displays the barrier and the distance that has passed between Daisy and Gatsby. The mist may also represent materialism and Daisy's new family, preventing the two lovebirds from getting together. The weather during chapter seven is extremely hot. The rise in temperature can be correlated to the rise in tension within the characters throughout the novel. It also depicts the disasters lurking around the corner. This chapter marks the climax of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. At first, Nick describes the day as boiling, and even the conductor of his train ride said, “Weather!” Hot! Hot! Hot! Is it warm enough for you? Is it hot? Really ? (Fitzgerald 122). Fitzgerald uses this scene to show the impending misery and doom to come. The fight that takes place between Tom and Gatsby represents the feelings that the two men have had towards each other since they first met. The tension between the two has been pent up until this point in the novel. The more the voltage rises, the more the heat also rises. To avoid arguments, Daisy decides that herself, Tom, Nick, Jordan and Gatsby should meet at the Biltmore Hotel in New York. While they are there, Tom becomes angry when Gatsby says, “I have something to tell you, old sport” (Fitzgerald 139). During the fight, Gatsby said to Tom, "She never loved you, you hear?" She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone but me” (Fitzgerald 139). At Gatsby's insistence, Daisy almost automatically admits that she never loved Tom. Tom seemed genuinely shocked and hurt by her statement. The heat from the burn of his words was equivalent to the temperature of boiling water. He then presses Daisy to refute her previous statement. Tom's harassment forced Daisy to admit that yes, of course she loved him. Tom bursts out yelling at Gatsby and begins to reveal all the information about Gatsby's illegal business deals. When this news is revealed, it is obvious that Daisy is unaware of this part of Gatsby's life. This slightly reassures Tom's security in his relationship with Daisy. The heat also depicts the confusion of Daisy's emotions. She realizes that “it’s very hot and everything is confusing.” Knowing that he has tarnished Daisy's illusion of Gatsby, he no longer sees Gatsby as a threat to their marriage. Tom arrogantly demands that Gatsby take Daisy home. Nick, Tom and Jordan return to Nick's house. Along the way, the three discover a horrific scene on the border of the Valley of Ashes. One person was fatally injured in a car accident; it was Myrtle Wilson. A car coming from New York City hit her and then fled the scene. Nick assumed that Myrtle must have been hit by Daisy and Gatsby and also thought that it was Daisy who was the driver. Jordan, Tom and Nick return to Nick's house. Nick waits outside for a few moments and realizes that Gatsby is outside, hiding in the bushes. Gatsby tells Nick that he was waiting there to make sure Tom didn't hurt Daisy. He was worried about the tensions that remained due to the heat. Gatsby admits that Daisy was driving the car, but hewill take responsibility. Gatsby is still worried about Daisy and asks Nick to watch Daisy for him. Nick observes Tom and Daisy and notes: "They weren't happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or the beer – and yet they weren't unhappy either." There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy in this picture, and anyone would have said that they were conspiring together” (Fitzgerald 145). Their behaviors showed that the emotional rollercoaster had stopped and proved that she had chosen Tom over Gatsby. The rising temperature throughout the day was a precursor to the day's future events. This also represents Nick's utter disgust for the people he knows, as he does not understand how people can be so mean, cruel, and ruthless. The story occurred in early fall. Gatsby decides to swim in her pool for the first time that summer while she crawls on the first day of fall. The decision to use your swimming pool is a challenge to the changing seasons. This action represents yet another example of Gatsby's unwillingness to accept the passage of time and change. George Wilson, who is clearly out for revenge, arrives and shoots him. “The contact of a cluster of leaves caused it to rotate slowly, tracing, like the transit leg, a thin red circle in the water” (Fitzgerald 162). Since Gatsby dies in the water, it is almost like a baptism for him. In a way, this symbolizes that he is being cleansed of his previous wrongdoings and is finally relieved of his stress. It represents renewal and transformation. On the day of Gatsby's funeral, the weather is morbid, gray and a mixture of rain. The fog and rain combined represent Gatsby's death both emotionally and physically. Gatsby and Daisy's end comes true, and as the rain washes away their love, "a foghorn wails incessantly" (Fitzgerald 167). As Gatsby's funeral takes place, it rains. The weather is linked to the mood of the scene that is taking place. The foghorn makes it almost noticeable that Gatsby has indeed wasted his life waiting for Daisy. It is not until his funeral that the vestiges of his solitary life are truly revealed. The tragic hero of this story sadly fell and his funeral was almost empty. The people who actually attend Gatsby's funeral are "wet to the skin" (Fitzgerald 182). They are physically and symbolically wet for Gatsby because they are imbued with the reality and clarity of his lost dreams and hopes. There was no sign of Daisy, which meant her dream was clearly over. Gatsby is left alone wet in his grave as the fog that once darkened and hung over his secret life is washed away by the rain. Summer for Gatsby equates to his reunion with Daisy, and the end of summer marks the end of their tumultuous romance. “I then tried to think of Gatsby for a moment, but he was already too far gone, and I could only remember, without resentment, that Daisy had not sent a message or a flower” (Fitzgerald 174). The stormy weather with heat and rain foreshadows Gatsby's emptiness that he feels without Daisy. Readers can understand the irony of the man who, in pursuit of his lover, lit a fire so fierce that it ended up destroying any chances he might have had with Daisy. The contradiction between fire and water is visible at Gatsby's funeral, where his scorched body lay in the falling rain. This means the death of Gatsby and his American dream.Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayConclusionThe Great.=8699)