Question

Read this passage from the great Gatsby

This is a 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.
What does the valley of ashes ¨symbolize¨ ?
a. The waste and corruption of the wealthy
b. The need for the rich to give up their wealth
c. The environment Gatsby grew up in
d. The contrast between wealth and poverty

Answer 1

a. The waste and corruption of the wealthy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The valley of ashes is meant to represent the waste and corruption of the wealthy class. This goes with one of the most important themes of the novel: the decadence of the wealthy. In this novel, the author is very critical of the impact that wealth has on society. He believes that the rich have become so preoccupied with the accumulation of money (a type of "American Dream")

Answer 2

a. The waste and corruption of the wealthy.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is most likely what this "valley of ashes" is meant to symbolize. The valley of ashes is meant to represent the waste and corruption of the wealthy class. This fits with one of the most important themes of the novel: the decadence of the wealthy. In this novel, the author is very critical of the impact that wealth has on society. He believes that the rich have become so preoccupied with the accumulation of money (a type of "American Dream") that they have forgotten everything that is truly important in the world.