The Great Gatsby

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The Significance of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg in The Great Gatsby

Henry David Thoreau once said, “Men have become the tools of their tools.” This

statement very closely follows the underlying meaning of the Great Gatsby. What Mr.

Thoreau is saying in his statement is that men no longer have stability over what they used

to control. That idea, is indirectly portrayed throughout the Great Gatsby through the

symbolic character of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. In this paper, I will be analyzing the purpose

behind the character of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg and the symbolism behind him.

Fitzgerald often uses the word careless in describing the characters and events in

the Great Gatsby. There seems to be no fear of consequence or judgment on the part of

the characters. This setting begs the question of who is doing the judgment? That is, in

part, what the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are intended to do. The eyes are always mentioned

whenever Nick is there. They look over the situation, objectively, but offer a kind of

judgment on the characters and their actions. They are placed near Wilson's because that is

where some of the most selfish acts take place: Myrtle's death, Tom's affair. All of these

crimes go unpunished. So the eyes look on and remind the characters of the guilt that they

forget to have for what they have done.

The beginning of chapter two dives directly into the symbolism of Dr. T. J.

Eckleburg. Fitzgerald describes him as having “blue and gigantic” eyes, but these features

have no face. The symbolism of the color blue in this stanza interprets to mean deeply

and profoundly religious. The use of the color blue also gives Dr. Eckleburg the powerful

characteristics of a God figure. Dr. Eckleburg having no face and a “nonexistent nose”

relates to the theme of the degeneration of American. Fitzgerald is saying that America is

so far lost that even “God” ...