When I started to read the Great Gatsby, I was amused by the cover page of the book especially, the girl crying. The Great Gatsby’s cover was designed by Francisco Coradal-Cougat for which he was only paid $100. But this $100 art piece was astonishing when I looked deeply into it and started to make connections after reading some chapters.
To begin with, the eyes in the middle of the cover page may represent something that is watching everything while the city of New York, that is shining and looks like celebrating the “rich” city life, below the eyes may be the place that is being watched. These eyes look similar to the eyes of “Doctor T. J. Eckleburg” which are “blue and gigantic.”(Fitzgerald 23).
Likewise, I saw two women lying down on the eyeballs of the women on the cover page whose tear drop is falling. So, I was thinking that this book might highlight some problems and hardships dealt by women. For example, Mrs. Wilson is unhappy with her marriage and there might some new issues between Mrs. Wilson and Daisy in the future.
Additionally, the cover page is filled with dark blue which brings a sad tone and might again indicate some adversities in the mere future. The front page also has some black strokes from the left to the right of the city which might refer to the “ashes” that “take the forms of house and chimneys and rising smoke”(Fitzgerald 23).
Altogether, the cover page can symbolize the book as a whole and it will be perfectly understandable after reading the entire book.
