The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg
Title
The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg
Subject
Advertisement
Description
A pair of giant disembodied eyes on a billboard advertisement for an eye doctor, T. J. Eckleburg. They 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 nonexistent nose."
These eyes keep a "watchful vigil" on the characters in The Great Gatsby. They symbolize the eyes of God. Although the characters of the story lack religion, the eyes show that God is always watching and present. Another interpretation could be that capitalism has replaced God. The only way God can be manifested within the story is in the form of a billboard.
These eyes keep a "watchful vigil" on the characters in The Great Gatsby. They symbolize the eyes of God. Although the characters of the story lack religion, the eyes show that God is always watching and present. Another interpretation could be that capitalism has replaced God. The only way God can be manifested within the story is in the form of a billboard.
Creator
T. J. Eckleburg
Source
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Date
1920s
Contributor
Keegan Struble
Type
Advertisement
Files
Citation
T. J. Eckleburg, “The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg,” The Museum of Fictional Literary Artifacts, accessed April 25, 2024, https://mfla.omeka.net/items/show/316.