The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg In the story, The Great Gatsby, there is a set of eyes that are referred to several times. These eyes are merely a pair of eyes painted on a sign made by an oculist named Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. The eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg serve as an omnipresent being that watches over the city of Queens and all it's happenings. These eyes watch as Tom cheats on his wife with Myrtle. They see Myrtle get run over by Daisy, who was driving with Gatsby in his car. They helplessly watch as George goes to seek out Gatsby with a revolver in his hand. These eyes have a whole story to tell, which is The Great Gatsby.
The cover of the first edition of The Great Gatsby...
The Great Gatsby (1926 film)
The Great Gatsby (1974 film)During the book, the eyes see Tom go out with Myrtle. Myrtle is George Wilson's wife who wants nothing more than to leave him and start a new life with Tom Buchanan. Tom on the other hand just wants a good time and has no intention of leaving Daisy. When Nick Carraway first meets Myrtle with Tom and has to go into Queens, Tom comments on what a bad place Queens is. " "ÃÂTerrible place, isn't it,' said Tom, exchanging a frown with Doctor Eckleburg." (Pg. 30). This shows even the self-absorbed Tom acknowledges the eyes as a sage of the cities happenings.
After Jay Gatsby and Tom have a heated confrontation about Daisy, Jay and Daisy get in Jay's car and drive away. As they drive away, Daisy who was still flustered from the argument hits Myrtle who rushed out to talk to who she thought was Tom. There was a foreshadowing of this event when Tom was getting gas at George's garage for Gatsby's car(which he had been driving) with Nick...