Term
The Eyes of T.J. Eckleberg - The Great Gatsby
Page 159: “Standing behind him, Michaelis saw with a shock that he was looking at the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, which had just emerged, pale and enormous, from the dissolving night. ‘God sees everything,’ repeated Wilson.” |
|
Definition
Andrew Hanlon
This symbol of T. J. Eckleburg’s eyes represent the eyes of God who see everything and can always tell right from wrong. These eyes are really an advertisement, yet they oversee the Valley of Ashes. They see everything that goes on in the city. Wilson claims these eyes knew that Myrtle cheated on him with Tom.
This symbol relates directly to “Their Eyes Were Watching God” because in the book name eyes and God are mentioned. God is a big figure in this story and eyes watching God symbolize Tea Cake and Janie needing help on what to do next. For no one can actually see God, they can only ask for his help and guidance through prayer. This symbol also relates to the cat in “Ethan Frome” who is always watching Mattie and Ethan, like a God. The cat is always watching and sometimes prevents Ethan from making a move on Mattie. The cat’s eyes remind him of Zeena, as though the cat will snitch on him for cheating with Mattie. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Bad Drivers - The Great Gatsby |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
The Green Light - The Great Gatsby
“he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been at the end of a dock.” |
|
Definition
Audriana Larrea
The green light represents hope and dreams for the future. Gatsby hopes and aspires for Daisy. He is so close yet so far provided that the green light is far from him on Daisys dock. However, Gatsby is just across the water. Gatsby becomes close to Daisy because of the recent success, but so far because Tom is wealthier.
This symbol of hope is also seen in Ethan Frome. Ethan hopes to live a cheerful life with Maggie, but Zeena is in the way. Also, in Their Eyes are Watching God, Janie dreams to fall in love with the perfect man and have the perfect relationship. When Janie finds Joe as her perfect love, the rabies ruin the relationship. This causes Janie to not achieve her aspirations. All three books have unaccomplished desires. |
|
|
Term
The Valley of Ashes - The Great Gatsby
“This is the valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.”- The Great Gatsby |
|
Definition
Jake
The Valley of Ashes symbolizes what morally happens to somebody when chasing the American Dream. The working and a need for money can diminish somebody’s morals, just like how the city was covered in dust and pollution.
This metaphor can be found in lots of other books. For example, in Lord of the Flies, Jack feels a need for power.(money) This causes him to go insane, resulting in inhumane ways to obtain said power (bad mental condition) |
|
|
Term
Wolfsheim's cufflinks - The Great Gatsby
“I see you're looking at my cuff buttons. I hadn't been looking at them, but I did now. They were composed of oddly familiar pieces of ivory. Finest specimens of human molars” (pg. 72) |
|
Definition
Elven
Mr. Wolfsheims disregard for the humans for gave their molars (willingly or not) shows a disregard for human emotions. He clearly does not have the same moral values as other sane human beings. This theme of disregard for human nature in order to show wealth or comfort is common throughout the novel such as Daisy giving up any love she had for the comfort of East Egg.
This relates to both Ethan Frome (who does not care for his wife and falls for her cousin right in front of her) and Joe Starks (a ruthless politician who sees Janie as an object to his perfect world. |
|
|
Term
| West Egg / East Egg - The Great Gatsby “Instead of rambling this party had preserved a dignified homogeneity, and assumed to itself the function of representing the staid nobility of the countryside; East Egg condescending to West Egg, and carefully on guard against its spectroscopic gayety.“ |
|
Definition
| Ethan West Egg and East Eggs differences represent different people, and their own ways of money in life. Ethan wanting to leave behind the cold of Starkfield, is as though he is chasing new opportunities, and going from West Egg, to East Egg. |
|
|
Term
The Past / Time - The Great Gatsby
“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” |
|
Definition
Gigi
The significance of the past/time in The Great Gatsby is that Gatsby wants to relive his past with Daisy and Nick is troubled by the thought of the future. Gatsby regrets his humble beginnings which kept him from being with Daisy. He believes by becoming rich he will be able to impress Daisy and go back to their loving past.
Themes of time can also be seen in the other two novels. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie 19s past is what brought her to Teacake and also her future without him. It is also shown in Ethan Frome of how in the past Zeena was a warm and comforting person before her illness, and in the future after the accident, Mattie is also as cold and cutthroat. |
|
|
Term
| The color white / the color yellow - The Great Gatsby |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| the horizon - Their Eyes Were Watching God |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
mules - Their Eyes Were Watching God
“ talk about me looking old when you pull down your britches you look like the change of life” “ You ain’t trying to pacify nobody but yourself you too busy listening to your own voice” |
|
Definition
Dakota
The mule is a symbol or working. Janie has to work in the house all day for her first husband Logan, and she has to work in the store all day form her second husband Joe. Miles also show stubborness and Janie could be very stubborn. |
|
|
Term
Janie's hair - Their Eyes Were Watching God
“What dat ole forty year ole ‘oman doin’ wid her hair swingin’ down her back lak some young gal?” |
|
Definition
Mitchell D
Janie’s hair is a significant symbol throughout the novel as it was not only a symbol of her beauty, but also her sexuality. Her neighbors view her from their porch, and see her hair as a way to seem youthful and beautiful. However, a main purpose for this symbol is to for her to be an independent, strong woman and appear as she wants, despite how society views it. These are small steps women took to try and gain equal respect and rights.
This symbol is also seen through Mattie’s hair, in “Ethan Frome”. Like Janie, her hair represents her beauty, strength, and sexuality. However in “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, Joe forces Janie to keep hers hidden in an attempt to control her. |
|
|
Term
The muck - Their Eyes Were Watching God
1CTo Janie 19s strange eyes, everything in the Everglades was big and new. Big Lake Okechobee, big beans, big cane, big weeds, big everything. 1D |
|
Definition
| The muck is important in Their eyes were watching God because it is a place where Tea Cake and Janie both find happiness. Everything is big and new surrounding the muck. Tea Cake and Janie benefit greatly from this time on the muck. They are away from all the gossiping and nosy town folk. On the muck they live a more vast life, which they enjoy. Even though it is considered to be of a lower status. This setting on the muck could relate to Florida where Ethan would like to travel to leave Starkfield. It also could relate to the city where Tom and Daisy escaped to in the Great Gatsby. |
|
|
Term
| The Pear Tree - Their Eyes Were Watching God |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| The hurricane - Their Eyes Were Watching God The significance of this symbol is to show that life can be chaotic and destructive and all we can do is pray to God. This symbol has connections to Ethan Frome because, in that novel they also have chaos when it comes to their love life. This is also the same when it come to The Great Gatsby because of the messy love of Gatsby and Daisy. |
|
Definition
| Katrina (Grace) “ The wind came back with triple fury, and put out the light for the last time. They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God.” |
|
|
Term
Checkers - Their Eyes Were Watching God
“Somebody wanted her to play. Somebody thought it natural for her to play. That was even nice. She looked him over and got little thrills from every one of his good points.”
(Chapter 10, Page 114) |
|
Definition
Riley
In Chapter 10, Janie first meets Tea Cake, and the two talk over a game of checkers. Tea Cake teaches Janie how to play, and lets her win the first game. However, Tea Cake attempts to cheat by moving his pieces when Janie isn’t looking, but is reprimanded by Janie. After their game, Tea Cake says that you can’t win against a woman because they won’t stand up to it. These moments foreshadow several aspects, such as Tea Cake’s gambling personality and Janie’s treatment as a black woman.
In both Ethan Frome and The Great Gatsby, elements of cheating are involved. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby’s wealth is partially obtained through illegal business, though he is never truly caught in the act. In Ethan Frome, Ethan cheats in another sense by going behind Zeena’s back to have a relationship with Mattie. Zeena discover’s Ethan’s actions through the broken pickle dish and fires Mattie, and, in the end, both Ethan and Mattie suffer while Zeena remains cheerful. |
|
|
Term
| You changes everything but nothin dont change you not even death Death - Their Eyes Were Watching God |
|
Definition
People in the face of death show who they truly are. Jody however terrible he may be did not change at all when death came knocking. He was no longer a businessman shop owner or a loving husband just an angry, possessive husk. In a similar way Gatsbys death is marked by his desire for Daisy. When push comes to stabbing Gatsby was just a simp with a schoolboy crush no amount of money could or would change that.
Cameron |
|
|
Term
The Sun - Their Eyes Were Watching God
“If you kin see de light at daybreak, you don’t keer if you die at dusk. It’s so many people never seen de light at all.” |
|
Definition
Emily
The sun is a symbol of rebirth in Their Eyes are Watching God, the sun will always rise every morning, no matter how tragic the past is. Tea cake was “the sun” in Janie’s life, his memory will always live on in Janie’s mind as a bright light of hope. Janie rose everyday with the future on her mind, never once letting her past hinder her.
This is a recurring symbol throughout many novels in literature, that no matter how terrible yesterday was, a new day will always dawn. This is like in the novel The Great Gatsby, each day Gatsby awakens with a hope of loving Daisy again, also in the novel Ethan Frome, with Ethan awakening each day with the hope that one day he will be with Mattie. That “burning” hope gets reborn at the start of every day in all three characters. |
|
|
Term
| Warmth / Fire - Ethan Frome “Ethan felt confusedly that there were many things he ought to think about, but through his tingling veins and tired brain only one sensation throbbed: the warmth of Mattie's shoulder against his.” |
|
Definition
| Ava Explain the symbol: The warmth is a symbol of happiness in Ethan Frome. It talks about Matties warm shoulders, or her warm cheeks, this shows how Mattie in general brings happiness to Ethan’s life that he never had. It also talks about them warming their hands together over a fire, and this also just represents them being in a state of bliss, where they are so happy and comfortable with each other that they are at ease. Any connection: The symbol of warmth directly relates to The Great Gatsby, and Their Eyes Were Watching God. For example, in the great Gatsby it shows how happy and warm daisy is with Gatsby, and in their eyes were watching god it shows how janey feels warm after moving on from husband number three and finally choosing what’s better for herself. |
|
|
Term
| Cold / Snow - Ethan Frome 1CBut when winter shut down on Starkfield and the village lay under a sheet of snow perpetually renewed from the pale skies, I began to see what life there 14or rather its negation 14must have been in Ethan Frome's young manhood." |
|
Definition
| Lily The snow and cold show the isolation and loneliness that Ethan feels. Ethan feels trapped because of his marriage with Zeena. Janie felt loneliness when she was married to Joe. All she did was work and Joe didn 19t pay much attention to her. Gatsby felt lonely because he never married; he only wanted to marry Daisy. |
|
|
Term
| The Broken Down L of the Barn |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
The Heart Locket - Ethan Frome
- “They had sat for a few minutes on the fallen log by the pond, and she had missed her gold locket, and set the young men searching for it; and it was Ethan who spied it in the moss...”
|
|
Definition
Reese
- The lost gold locket represents the beginning of a new relationship between Mattie and Ethan. When Mattie lost hope of finding her bracelet, Ethan was able to bring it back to her. It can also symbolize Mattie’s heart. Zeena, along with others believe Mattie will marry Denis Eady. However, out of the men looking for Mattie’s heart Ethan is the one to find it.
- This symbol is also seen in The Great Gatsby, similar to Daisy who had two men wanting to pursue a relationship with her, the one with a high social status and wealth (Tom) is the one that got her heart. The idea that a man or woman has to choose between people to pursue is a common motif in literature.
|
|
|
Term
| Zeena's Hair / Mattie's Hair - Ethan Frome “They had never before avowed their inclination so openly, and Ethan, for a moment, had the illusion that he was a free man, wooing the girl he meant to marry. He looked at her hair and longed to touch it again, and to tell her that is smelt of the woods; but he had never learned to say such things.” |
|
Definition
Stephen
Mattie’s hair represents the beauty and happiness of her personality, as well as the love and importance Ethan feels toward her. Zeena as a person is quite the opposite, thus her hair and appearance in general are described as sickly.
In “Their Eyes Were Watching God” Janie’s hair represents her beauty but Joe makes her keep it hidden away so it also symbolizes her independence when she lets it down. Similarly to Janie’s hair, Mattie’s hair represents a forbidden love. |
|
|
Term
The Sled accident / Tree - Ethan Frome
“Right into the big elm. You said you could. So we’d never have to leave each other any more.” |
|
Definition
Ashlynn
The sled “accident” in the novel resembles the defeat that both Mattie and Ethan meet at the end of the novel as they cannot obtain the desire for wealth, love, and freedom from the barren and cold setting of Starkfield.
The feeling of inevitable defeat in the race against love and prosperity that the Mattie and Ethan face is relatable in both “The Great Gatsby” and The Eyes Were Watching God” as both main characters were searching for something either from the past or for a love that could not be acquired without consequences. In “The Eyes Were Watching God” Janie had to lose her loved one to save herself with the price of a perfect relationship on the line, and Gatsby lost his own life by the consequences of love, jealousy and the greed of wealth. |
|
|
Term
| Engineering School - Ethan Frome |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
The cat and the pickle dish - Ethan Frome
"It wasn't Ethan's fault, Zeena! The cat did break the dish; but I got it down from the china-closet, and I'm the one to blame for its getting broken." |
|
Definition
Isabella
This quote shows Mattie and Ethan’s true connection. Ethan was willing to take the fall for Mattie and she would have done the same. They had a real connection similar to Zeena and Ethan’s but deeper and more passionate. The whole situation symbolizes Zeena however. She is in the way of Mattie and Ethan’s relationship, just like the incident.
This obstacle is similar to other obstacles in the other novels. Janie had some people get in the way of her and Teacake before they were happily together and there was a lot of relationship drama in The Great Gatsby as well. There were wives cheating on husbands and husbands cheating on wives; an endless circle. Although there were troubles, they ended up with the right person for them. |
|
|
Term
Silence / Loneliness - Ethan Frome
“And the way they are now, I don’t see there’s much difference between the Frome’s up at the farm and the Frome’s down in the graveyard; ‘cept that down there they’re all quiet and the women have got to hold their tongues.” |
|
Definition
Kylie
The silence in Ethan Frome presents itself in many ways throughout the book. The physical silence of Ethan is shown when with Zeena. Because Zeena provides a toxic controlling aspect to her and Ethan’s relationship, Ethan’s verbal freedom starts to downward spiral. However, there is a positive aspect to the silence presented in the book. Whenever Ethan sees Mattie, he often says nothing as he is speechless of just how much Mattie has to offer. She gives Ethan the emotional and mental silence needed in his crazy hectic life with Zeena. Loneliness is a popular feeling in Ethan throughout his life. Every night when Ethan lays in bed, loneliness comes upon on and covers him like a sheet. Mattie’s lack of presence serves as a reminder of the constant feeling of emptiness Ethan experiences daily. Ethan’s emotional state and desire often give people the thought Ethan has died, not just in the inside but also on the outside, laying in his grave.
When Mattie and Ethan’s suicide attempt fails, Mattie ends up paralyzed and in a crucial physical state similar to Zeena. This leaves Ethan with two women to care for. Because of Mattie’s permanent medical conditions, the loneliness and silence once thought was gone, returns and unfortunately stays. This silence is similar to Janie and Joe Starks relationship in Their Eyes we’re Watching God. Janie is often controlled and silenced by Joe as he has the masculine advantage over Janie. Janie’s freedom is limited just as Ethan’s was, until they see an opportunity of escape that presents itself in other people. (Mattie and Tea cake) |
|
|
Term
| 1CRight into the big elm. You said you could. So 't we'd never have to leave each other any more. 1D(Ashlynn Ulm) |
|
Definition
The sled 1Caccident 1D in the novel resembles the defeat that both Mattie and Ethan meet at the end of the novel as they cannot obtain the desire for both love, wealth, and freedom from the barren and cold setting of Starkfield.
The feeling of inevitable defeat in the race against love and prosperity is relatable in both 1CThe Great Gatsby 1D and 1CThe Eyes Were Watching God 1D as both main characters were searching for something either from the past or for a love could not be acquired without consequences. In 1CThe Eyes Were Watching God 1D Janie had to lose her loved one to save herself and Gatsby lost his own life by the consequences of love and greed of wealth and jealousy. |
|
|
