What is the significance of the incident in the library with the owl-eyed man what does this experience reveal what does the owl-eyed man symbolize?

What do your eyes see? Our eyes can tell many stories. The Great Gatsby, by Fitzgerald, depicts the American dream in the 1920s. A man’s, Gatsby’s, pursuit of his dream leads to his death, representing the death of the American dream. Throughout the novel many symbols, such as eyes, tell their own story. We meet the Owl Eyed Man who turns out to be the opposite of what he appears to be: A wise man. We then meet Mr. Wilson who watches his own American dream die.
In The Great Gatsby, eyes and glasses symbolize wisdom and knowledge. We first encounter the owl eyed man in Gatsby’s library (chapter 3). Nick and Jordan were searching for Gatsby, during a party, and stumble upon a library containing a drunken man described as “owl eyed.” The man, as he places a book back on the shelf, mutters about how the whole library would collapse if one brick were removed. Because he is described as owl eyed, we can infer that he is clairvoyant, knowledgeable, and wise. The brick and the library are a metaphor for Gatsby’s dream; he is describing how fragile his dream really is and if something doesn’t line…show more content…
These hidden stories help us to understand the author’s message and can even change how we view the book and the characters in it. The owl eyed man seemed to be a useless drunk, but when we looked closer, he actually had a very important role as a wise man. Also, Wilson seemed like a regular guy who became sickly and disturbed towards the end of the book, but through the use of eyes we can see the American dream sickened him along with Gatsby. Next time you read The Great Gatsby or any book, just think what do your eyes see and what they do not see. Symbolism tells its own story and readers can enjoy these hidden meanings. The Great Gatsby is filled with eyes and I think you’ll find the symbolism of eyes and glasses in many books you never thought to look

Answered by Aslan on 3/4/2012 1:00 PM

The Owl-Eyed Man is similar to the billboard for Dr. T. J. Eckleburg with the "all-seeing" eyes. Both symbolize an uninvolved, spectator god. They watch all the activities of the humans struggling below, but don't comment on them or try to correct wrongs or lessen burdens. While Owl-Eyes does make a comment about Gatsby's real books earlier in the novel, he still provides Nick with no advice or significant knowledge about Gatsby. He simply makes his observation and leaves it up to Nick to draw his own conclusions.

His presence as one of the few people who actually attend Gatsby's funeral could demonstrate "God's" watching when humans are put to rest or could mean that in all his observing of Gatsby, he at least thought that Gatsby was worthy of his presence at his burial.

A minor recurring character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is an elderly man with the appearance likened to that of an owl, often dubbed “Owl Eyes.” This man is of a peculiar nature, with his comments often seeming nonsensical. However, a further examination proves that he is - perhaps - the most logical one in the entire cast. He often sees truth when others are blind to it, and understands the implications of Gatsby’s dual nature. In a story full of liars and a biased narrator, a character who can look beyond the surface is necessary in order to discern the narrative’s truths from its lies. Owl Eyes shows something mirroring obsession with discovering the truth and bringing it to public eye. He also plays the role as a harbinger of doom, but he is never to blame for the disastrous situations he finds himself in. He is the embodiment of “don’t shoot the messenger,” as it is simply his role to bring the truth to light. He does not bear responsibility for the way the world is. Owl Eyes could be seen as the ideal version of Nick Carraway, the story’s narrator, as he embodies truth - a trait that Nick values above all else - and reflects what Nick would be like if he was stripped of all his internal biases. Owl Eyes has a role in the story to break apart masks and seek the truth, while bringing it to light in a way that lacks personal bias.

Owl Eyes is often described as being visually similar to his namesake. Fitzgerald was very poignant with his symbolism concerning Owl Eyes. Owls are often seen as creatures of knowledge and truth seekers. Another trait commonly associated with them is wisdom of the soul. It is no accident that Owl Eyes is first introduced in the narrative while in the Gatsby library. Libraries are also associated with knowledge, therefore cementing Owl Eyes as someone driven by learning in the eyes of the audience. Owl Eyes talks to Nick and Jordan in an enthusiastic way, but the things he says could be seen as things most would choose to ignore, as they are so bluntly honest that it messes with the illusion of the perfect life the people of the era preferred to indulge in. This occurs in chapter three. At the end of that same chapter, Nick describes himself as “one of the few honest people that [he has] ever known.” (Ch. 3, Pg. 59). This can create a parallel between Owl Eyes and Nick, as both are shown to value integrity. However, there is a clear difference in how these traits are shown in both characters. Nick, as the narrator, has the liberty to describe himself however he wants to, and the audience has to decipher for themselves how reliable he is. Owl Eyes, however, shows his integrity through his actions and direct dialogue. He does not have the benefit of twisting himself for the audience, which shows that his honesty is more poignant and genuine than Nick’s. Wisdom of the soul could be applied to Owl Eyes, as well. The Great Gatsby is set in a time of moral decay and corruption of society. For all intents and purposes, Owl Eyes is one of the few characters who is not caught up in the evils of the time, showing that his soul and intentions are pure. Owl Eyes, in these ways, shows many parallels to the positive connotations of owls.

However, much like how Owl Eyes reflects the positive traits of owls, he also reflects the negative superstitions that often accompany the creatures. Owls often referred to as creatures of mystery due to them being primarily nocturnal. This same intriguing aura accompanies the presence of Owl Eyes, with his confusing comments and riddling ways of speech. Owls, on an even bleaker note, can be seen as symbols of disaster and death. In two of the three direct appearances of Owl Eyes, he is accompanied by tragedy. Firstly, he is in the crashed car following Gatsby’s party. Then, he is one of the few people to come to Gatsby’s funeral. This gives Owl Eyes a sense of foreboding doom, a trait often seen with his animal counterpart. The audience is only exposed to Owl Eyes when he is in the presence of Nick, so they don’t have a clear view of what he is like in a vacuum. However, since he is a character defined around the notion of truth, it is easy to assume that he lacks a mask and is the same on his lonesome as when he is in the company of others. Therefore, the minimum time the audience spends with him paints a clear picture of his personality.

Owl Eyes makes his first appearance at one of Gatsby’s parties when he encounters Nick and Jordan in the library. He has been looking into the books, and is shocked to discover that they are genuine and not cardboard. This implies two things. Owl Eyes - for unclear reasons - has been looking into people similar to Gatsby to see how genuine they are. Secondly, this shows that Gatsby is willing to go much farther into his act than others of his kind. However, Gatsby didn’t go the full mile, as he never actually opened the books, giving Owl Eyes the hint that Gatsby is still wearing a mask, even if is more real looking than most. When talking to Nick and Jordan, he says that he was drunk, and went to the library to sober up. “‘I’ve been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library.’” (Ch. 3, Pg. 46). As mentioned previously, this narrative is set during the prohibition era, when illegal drinking was common. At the party the present characters are in attendance, most of the partygoers are drunk. However, the truth seeker seems to think that it was a good idea to stay sober. This goes with Fitzgerald’s negative view of the lavish lifestyle lived by Gatsby and his peers. When Owl Eyes went to the library to sober up, he began to see through Gatsby’s lies. This suggests that in order to see the truth, you must be sober. After telling Nick and Jordan about the books, Owl Eyes begins putting them back on the shelf. “He snatched the book from [Nick] and replaced it hastily on its shelf, muttering that if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse.” (Ch. 3, Pg. 46). This quote can be seen as a metaphor for multiple things. It could be a representation of Gatsby’s act. Each of his unopened books is one part of his web of lies, and revealing one could lead to a domino effect, eventually shattering everything. Similarly, this can be an allegory for society as a whole, with each part being dependant on the other. After all, status could only be valuable as long as there is someone beneath you to flaunt over. Removing one section of society from the equation would cause the entire system to crash. Something similar is happening in The Great Gatsby, as the rich disregard the leftovers of the working class in the Valley of Ashes. This is a self destructive form of society, and one that would inevitably cave in on itself. Owl Eyes, during this scene, also comes off as repetitive, asking Nick and Jordan about the books multiple time. “‘Did I tell you about the books? They’re real. They’re-’ ‘You told us.’” (Ch. 3, Pg. 46). This repetition of the same statement shows a degree of obsession in Owl Eyes. He wants others to know the truth, and sees it as his job to spread what he finds. Nick and Jordan’s curt responses show disinterest. This is an attitude held by many during the time, uncaring of the consequences or of Gatsby’s true nature.

A similar notion is displayed during the second appearance of Owl Eyes during a car crash following the party. Owl Eyes was in the car, and all the passing by party goers blame him for the incident. They call him a poor driver, and using his own words of not even trying against him. However, as Owl Eyes points out, he wasn’t the one driving. “‘You don’t understand,’ explained [Owl Eyes]. ‘I wasn’t driving. There’s another man in the car.’” (Ch. 3, Pg. 54). This entire scene was a metaphor for the failure of society. The car, a symbol for society, crashed because the wheels came off. Society was literally falling apart at the seams. Owl Eyes is the character who points out moral decay and corruption. However, most people don’t want to hear it, is it destroys the illusion of the carefree, drunk lifestyle they are accustomed to. How do they deal with hearing the truth they don’t want to be told? How do they deal with witnessing the car crash? They blame Owl Eyes. They disregard that it is their own fault for society failing. Owl Eyes pointing out that someone else was driving is his way of saying “don’t shoot the messenger.” The driver is still clueless and continues his self destructive behavior, even as the now enlightened crowd try to steer him in the right direction. If the driver is to represent the one leading society to its destruction, it showcases Fitzgerald’s cynical views. He believes that society itself will bring about its own end. Owl Eyes is simply along for the ride.

Owl Eyes has a clear and lasting effect on Nick. Owl Eyes was the first to show proof of Gatsby’s mask to Nick. During Nick’s drive to the city with Gatsby, Nick himself was able to pick up on a few of the man’s lies. This displays a connection between Nick and Owl Eyes as the characters who question Gatsby’s true nature. Other characters either aren’t aware or simply don’t care. This connection is later established again when Gatsby gives Nick and Daisy a tour of his mansion. “As Gatsby closed the door of “the Merton College Library” [Nick] could have sworn [he] heard the owl-eyed man break into ghostly laughter.” (Ch. 5, Pg. 91). Nick is reminded of Owl Eyes as they pass by the library, the very place where he first encountered the peculiar man. In the library, Owl Eyes began to find clues to Gatsby’s true nature. Gatsby closing the door symbolizes him trying to keep more people from finding out the truth. Nick hearing a remnant of the laughter means he too has picked up these hints. Owl Eyes and Nick are the characters defined by their honesty in a narrative of liars. However, Nick can come off as a biased narrator, despite his best efforts, due to his flip-flop nature in terms of Gatsby. He picks up on the lies that he is fed, but is still enthralled with Gatsby. Despite clearly seeing his flaws laid bare, Nick still supports him. This is where he differs from Owl Eyes. Owl Eyes has no biases, and is free to observe the world for what it truly is. He is Nick Carraway, purified of internal biases, nothing but a truth seeking observer of the doomed society they all live in.

Owl Eyes makes his last appearance as one of the few people present at Gatsby’s funeral. Nick notes that he hasn’t seen the man since the party, and doesn’t know how Owl Eyes knew of the event. This gives Owl Eyes a sense of omnipresence, which was helped by the aforementioned laughter during the Gatsby house tour. This ties in to him being a symbol of doom and death, having knowledge of Gatsby’s funeral even if he had no business being there. As people go back to their cars, he talks to Nick at the gate. “‘I couldn’t get to the house,’ [Owl Eyes] remarked. ‘Neither could anybody else.’” (Ch. 9, Pg. 175). While this line makes sense in the literal context, there is some symbolism underlying in it. If the audience was to look at the house as a representation of Gatsby’s life, it means that he never truly let anyone in. He showed cracks in his facade, but most of his true self lay buried until the very end. Upon hearing Nick say this, Owl Eyes responds with an exclamation. “‘Why, my God! they used to go there by the hundreds.’” (Ch. 9, Pg. 175). This quote shows that Gatsby lost everything in his wild and fruitless pursuit of Daisy. In the literal sense, he lost the status he gained from his lavish life. Figuratively, he lost the ability to create any meaningful connections with other people. It is fitting that Owl Eyes pities him, as it shows that Gatsby’s life has truly been empty and pointless.

The infrequent appearances of Owl Eyes help added layered meaning to Gatsby’s otherwise stoic mask. Owl Eyes is a character who looks beyond the surface to seek the truth, even if that truth results in ridicule from his peers. He understands how society functions and sustains itself on self destructive motions, and has made it his job to bring this information to light. He is honest to his core, serving as a great parallel to Nick in their joined quest of integrity. However, even as one of the most blunt and honest characters the story has to offer, Owl Eyes isn’t without his own duality. He is both the spreader of truth and unmeaning harbinger of doom. Much like his namesake, he serves the dual purpose of symbolizing wisdom and death.