Religious Influences in The Great Gatsby During the 1920s, sometimes referred to as the Progressive Era, political and social changes emerged in society in an effort to progressively improve the nation. However, the 1920s can accurately be described as the decade of selfishness. Society was materially oriented and, as a result, there was a decrease in religious practices. This is vividly shown in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby in the use of mortal characters as religious influences. There are three significant events in the novel that show the loss of spirituality of the time, starting with Gatsby's surveillance of Daisy on the night of the hit-and-run. Gatsby spends the entire night searching for Daisy's sign, just as the knights risked their lives searching for the Holy Grail. His desire for Daisy to come to his aid and "live happily ever after" with him is misplaced because of the goal he hopes to achieve: Daisy. Then, there is underlying symbolism presented shortly before Gatsby's death as he struggles with the swimming equipment. When offered the assistance of his butler, Gatsby refuses and must "carry the cross" alone. Finally, Gatsby's murder is described as a process of purification, of great religious importance. Shot in his chlorinated pool, Gatsby overcomes his flaws and is "cleansed" of his sins. The immoral efforts made against American pop culture in the 1920s are best summed up when Wilson stares into the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg of a vast wasteland. , "You can fool me, but you can't fool God!" His neighbor has to remind him, “This is an advertisement” (Parker 33). Another symbolic aspect of the Valley of Ashes is that it is the home of the Wilsons, a place where the average person has some type of religious practice. Myrtle's murder is a clear example of the uselessness of religion in 1920s society. Fitzgerald suggests this in Twentieth-