The Valley of Ashes

The Valley of Ashes is a symbolic area in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby." It represents the moral and social decline of America during the 1920s, a period of great wealth and excess for some, contrasted by the poverty and despair experienced by others. The valley is depicted as a desolate wasteland filled with ashes and industrial debris, highlighting the consequences of unchecked ambition and materialism. It serves as a stark reminder of the darker side of the American Dream, where not everyone achieves success, and many are left struggling amid the ruins of society.