The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg

 In Great Gatsby, there is an interesting symbol that is located in the Valley of Ashes. It is the billboard of the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. It is seemingly looking down on the people who live there. This symbol is described by saying that it has giant blue eyes, lying beneath an enormous pair of yellow glasses passing over a nonexistent nose. The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are really an advertisement for an eye doctor, but they represent so much more in the story. To Nick, it appears that they represent the waste of the past, similar to the abandoned medical practice of Dr. Eckleburg. Throughout the years, the eyes have faded by the sun and rain. This could represent the fact that since the eyes are becoming less noticeable, so is the crime and fraud that is taking place there. We know that the Valley of Ashes is located between East and West Egg. It is almost as if both of these wonderful places are hiding this terrible valley from view. As for the eyes, it looks like they are looking down on and judging everyone that lives in the area, as they struggle to make ends meet. Some people also think that they may represent God staring down upon and judging American society as a moral wasteland, though the novel never makes this point explicitly. The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are an effective symbol that represents God, and how he watches over people, and judges the people that are immoral.