ENVIRONMENTAL DECAY AND CAPITALIST MODERNITY: AN ECOCRITICAL STUDY OF THE VALLEY OF ASHES IN THE GREAT GATSBY

Abstract

This research examines the Valley of Ashes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925) as a site of ecological degradation, industrial modernity, and social inequality. While previous studies have primarily focused on the novel’s commentary on the American Dream, wealth, and moral decay, this study foregrounds the environmental dimension of Fitzgerald’s work, analyzing how industrial landscapes reflect both ecological and socio-economic consequences of capitalist modernity. Using a qualitative thematic analysis, guided by ecocriticism and environmental justice frameworks, the study identifies recurring textual patterns related to pollution, ash-covered landscapes, labor exploitation, and the intersection of environmental and social vulnerability. The findings reveal that the Valley of Ashes functions not only as a symbolic moral and social wasteland but also as a literal depiction of industrial pollution and environmental injustice. Through its portrayal of dust, smoke, and the harsh lives of marginalized characters, the novel critiques unregulated industrialization, highlighting the ethical and ecological costs of economic ambition. By integrating ecological and social perspectives, this study contributes to Gatsby scholarship and demonstrates the value of ecocritical approaches in interpreting literary landscapes as active sites of environmental commentary and social critique. The paper underscores the inseparable relationship between environmental decay, social stratification, and moral responsibility in the context of twentieth-century industrial America.