IndexIntroductionWeather 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 place and time period. The setting can also represent events using symbols. A salient symbol that resides in the context of a novel is time. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, time is an essential symbol used throughout the story. F. Scott Fitzgerald often uses seasons to narrate the scenes that take place. He does this with the intention of emphasizing the events, moods and feelings of each character. The changes of the seasons are symbolically used to demonstrate that time is never simply time. Time is the most essential symbol used by F. Scott Fitzgerald as it defines the emotional tone and actions of the novel. This is evident during the days 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Weather Symbolism in The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald relies heavily on the weather to underline the significance of Gatsby and Daisy's reunion. Throughout the fifth chapter of the novel there is a constant downpour. This already creates a gloomy atmosphere. The deluge of rain can also be taken in a context of hope as this is what Gatsby hopes to receive from Daisy, a deluge of her positive emotions. Regardless, Gatsby is hopeful and excited to finally see Daisy again. To have the opportunity to see her, Gatsby asked his friend Nick to invite Daisy over for a cup of tea. Gatsby did this with the hope that he could join them and have a chance to reconcile with her. “On the agreed upon day it rained cats and dogs” (Fitzgerald 81). Rain presents itself symbolically as a complication. Symbolically, rain can represent a bad omen. It can also mean a clean start, as the rain is washing away Daisy and Gatsby's past. As Nick and Gatsby await Daisy's arrival, Gatsby is evidently nervous. He's so anxious that he tells Nick he's worried Daisy won't show up. The rain helps to beautify Gatsby's emotional state and nerves. The image of the pouring rain reflects Gatsby's hope of living in the past once 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 "tremble". Nick decides to leave Daisy and Gatsby alone and finds that “the rain continued as the murmur of their voices, rising and swelling a little now and then with the gusts of emotion” (Fitzgerald 88). The rain continues to turn on and off throughout the conversation, mirroring the flow of their communication. When Nick reenters the room, he notices that Daisy's face is "smeared with tears." (89) This implies that both 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 that both Daisy and Gatsby felt and are reflected in the changing patterns of the rain. When Nick arrives, he sees that Gatsby is “literally beaming” (Fitzgerald 89). He also notices that the sun is shining again and assumes that the couple has resolved their issues. The emergence of the sun symbolizes the rekindled love between Daisy and Gatsby. The end of the rain is a symbol that exists once Gatsby achieves his goal. Time can symbolize the human emotions of the characters during each situation. Theweather has a lot to do with creating the atmosphere for any event. During Daisy's visit to Gatsby's house, the lookout in the bay and Gatsby said, "If it weren't for the fog, we could see your house across the bay...you always have a green light that burns all night at the end of the day." of your dock'. The quote illustrates the barrier of Gatsby and Margaret's reunion. “If it were not for the fog,” shows the barrier and distance fallen between Daisy and Gatsby. The fog can also represent materialism and Daisy's new family, which prevents the two lovebirds from reuniting. The weather during chapter seven is extremely hot. The increase in temperature can be related to the increase in tension within the characters over the course of the novel. It also describes the disasters that are lurking around the corner. This chapter marks the climax of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. At first, Nick describes the day as hot and even the driver on the train ride said, “What weather! Heat! Heat! Heat! Is it hot enough for you? Is it hot? Don't you?" (Fitzgerald 122). Fitzgerald uses this scene to show the impending misery and doom that is coming. The fight that takes place between Tom and Gatsby represents the feelings that the two men have towards each other since their first meeting. The tension between the two has been suppressed up to this point in the novel. As the tension increases, so does the heat, Daisy decides that she, Tom, Nick, Jordan and Gatsby will meet at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City. While they are there, Tom gets angry when Gatsby says, “I have something to tell you, old man” (Fitzgerald 139) During the argument, Gatsby said to Tom “She never loved you, did 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 robotically, agrees that he had never loved Tom. Tom seemed genuinely shocked and hurt by his statement. The heat from the fire of his words was equivalent to the temperature of boiling water. He then pushes Daisy to refute his previous statement. Tom's insistence forced Daisy to admit that yes, of course she loved him. Tom explodes screaming at Gatsby and begins to reveal all the information about Gatsby's illegal business. When this news is revealed, it is evident that Daisy does not know that part of Gatsby's life. This slightly reassures Tom's security within his and Daisy's relationship. The heat also describes the confusion of Daisy's emotions. He realizes that “it's so hot and everything is confusing”. Knowing that he has tarnished Daisy's illusion about Gatsby, he no longer sees Gatsby as a threat to their marriage. Arrogantly, Tom asks Gatsby to take Daisy home. Nick, Tom and Jordan return to Nick's house. Along the way, the three discover a terrifying scene on the edge of the Valley of Ashes. Someone was killed in a car accident; it was Myrtle Wilson. A car coming from the direction of New York City hit her and then sped away. Nick thought that Myrtle must have been hit by Daisy and Gatsby and also guessed that Daisy 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 residual tension left over from the heat. Gatsby admits that Daisy was driving the car, but he will take the blame. Gatsby is still worried about Daisy and asks Nick to check on Daisy for him. Nick observes Tom and Daisy and notes that “They weren't happy, and neither of them hadtouched the chicken or the beer – yet they weren't even unhappy. There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anyone would have said they were conspiring together” (Fitzgerald 145). Their behaviors showed that the emotional roller coaster had stopped and proved that she chose Tom over Gatsby. The rise in temperature during the day was a harbinger of future events of the day. It also represents Nick's utter disgust towards the people he knows as he doesn't understand how people can be so mean, cruel and ruthless. The tragic part of the story happened in early autumn. Gatsby decides to swim in his pool for the first time that summer as the first day of fall approaches. The decision to use his swimming pool is a challenge to the changing seasons. This action represents yet another example of Gatsby's reluctance to accept the passage of time and change. George Wilson, clearly thirsty for revenge, approaches and shoots him. “The touch of a cluster of leaves caused it to rotate slowly, tracing, like the transit stop, a thin red circle in the water” (Fitzgerald 162). Since Gatsby dies in the water, it's almost like a baptism for him. In a way, it symbolizes that he has been cleansed of his previous mistakes and finally relieved of stress. It represents renewal and transformation. On the day of Gatsby's funeral the weather is morbid, gray and mixed with rain. The fog and rain combined represent Gatsby's death both emotionally and physically. Gatsby and Daisy's end is becoming reality, and as the rain washes away their love “a foghorn moaned incessantly” (Fitzgerald 167). While Gatsby's funeral is taking place, it is raining cats and dogs. Tempo refers to the atmosphere of the scene taking place. The foghorn almost makes it perceptible that Gatsby has truly wasted his life waiting for Daisy. It is only at his funeral that the remnants of his lonely life are actually 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 bone” (Fitzgerald 182). They are physically and symbolically wet for Gatsby because they are immersed in the reality and clarity of his dreams and lost hopes. There was no sign of Daisy, which meant her dream was clearly over. Gatsby is left wet in his grave alone as the fog that once clouded and hovered over his secret life is washed away by the rain. Summer for Gatsby equals his reunion with Daisy and the end of the summer puts an end to their tumultuous love story. “Then I tried to think of Gatsby for a moment, but he was already too far away, and I could only remember, without resentment, that Daisy had not sent a note or a flower” (Fitzgerald 174). The stormy weather with the heat and rain foreshadows the emptiness Gatsby feels without Daisy. Readers are able to see the irony of the man pursuing his lover with a fire so fierce that it ends up burning any chance he had with Daisy. The contradiction between fire and water is seen at Gatsby's funeral, where his charred body lay in the falling rain. This means the death of Gatsby and his American dream. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a novel full of descriptive symbolism. The symbolism addressing time amplified the importance of the events that occur in the novel. The use of time and the changing seasons is used to foreshadow future events that will take place in.=8699)