Question

4.4.3 test (cst): wrap-up: modernism and the american dream
but above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust
which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment,
the eyes of doctor t. j. eckleburg. the eyes of dr. t. j.
eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard
high. they look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of
enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-
existent nose.
what is the most likely purpose of the symbolism used in this passage?

a. to stand for the invisible people who inhabit the valley of the
ashes

b. to add humor and interest to an otherwise barren and depressing
landscape

c. to signify the omniscience of god who looks disapprovingly on
what he sees

d. to establish the setting in which the action of the novel unfolds

Explanation:

In "The Great Gatsby", the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg are a symbolic representation. These eyes, looking out from enormous spectacles over a barren landscape (the valley of ashes), are often interpreted as a symbol of God's omniscience, watching over the moral decay and materialism of the characters. Option A is incorrect as the eyes don't stand for the people in the valley. Option B is wrong because the description of the eyes is not meant to add humor. Option D is incorrect as the eyes are not primarily used to establish the setting (the setting is the valley of ashes, the eyes are a symbolic element within it). So the most likely purpose of the symbolism is to signify God's omniscience and disapproval, matching option C.

Answer:

C. To signify the omniscience of God who looks disapprovingly on what He sees