Mr. Wilson, a character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, is portrayed as a man deeply tied to his environment, reflecting the bleak and struggling world of the Valley of Ashes. He owns a garage that serves the automobiles of the wealthy who pass through, symbolizing his role as a bridge between the affluent and the impoverished. Living in a desolate area, Wilson represents the despair and hopelessness that surrounds him in this industrial wasteland.
His physical surroundings mirror his emotional state. The Valley of Ashes, filled with the remnants of industrial waste, is a place of decay and misery, and it suits Mr. Wilson’s character, who is often depicted as weary and defeated. His constant struggles with his wife, Myrtle, and the life he leads highlight the contrast between his dreams and the harsh reality he faces. This environment reflects not only his personal struggles but also the broader themes of social class and the American Dream’s corruption.
Moreover, Wilson’s dedication to his work in the garage reveals his hardworking nature, which is in stark contrast to the careless lifestyles of the wealthy characters like Tom and Daisy Buchanan. Wilson’s situation amplifies the novel’s critique of the American Dream — while he toils away in a fading industrial world, others live in opulence just beyond his reach, illustrating the stark divide between hope and reality.