I'll review each of these places, then you can draw your
own conclusions about the similarities and differences.
The
two Eggs are on either side of a peninsula; when you stand on one of them, you can see
the other across the water. Nick says the birds that fly overhead probably have to do a
double-take when flying over them, as they are so similar in
form.
East Egg is the home of "old money." Tom and Daisy
live here, as do most of Gatsby's party-goers. The homes are old and established,
including all the trappings of the rich (such as stables and polo fields). These are
the people who have presumably grown up with a certain amount of class--but remember who
lives here. And when they "cross the pond," so to speak, these are the people who
conduct themselves with amusement park behavior, says
Nick.
West Egg is the home of "new money." Both Nick and
Gatsby live here--Nick's little shanty resides right next to Gatsby's glittering, new,
palatial, French-inspired mansion. Because the money is "new," the presumption is that
these are crude, classless people. In this case, compare Nick and Gatsby as hosts with
Tom.
The valley of ashes is just as it sounds--a place of
despair, desperation, and hopelessness. The railroad tracks run parallel to the ash
heaps for awhile, then veer off as if trying to avoid any further contact with this
barren place. The land is ashen, dusty, and non-descript, as are the buildings and
people. This is where the Wilsons live, and it's the place where Tom frequents enough
to find a mistress. Myrtle is desperate to get out of the ashes; George is desperate to
keep her with him. This is where the tragic accident hapens, as
well.
Fitzgerald uses setting (place) along with
characterization to help make his point consistently throughout the
novel.
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