Great Gatsby - the Green Light - 1560 Words

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald deals on one level with Jay Gatsby’s hopes and dreams, but on a deeper level also deals with the Great American Dream. The novel starts and ends with a reference to the green light at the end of the dock, indicating an important symbolism. The first time Nick catches sight of Jay Gatsby, Gatsby â€Å"stretched his arms towards the dark water [†¦] [Nick] distinguished nothing except a single green light [†¦] that might have been at the end of a dock.† (Fitzgerald 2000:25). Fitzgerald ends the novel by again referring to the â€Å"green light at the end of Daisy’s dock.† (171). The protagonist of the novel is Jay Gatsby, a wealthy young man from the Midwest, who has moved to the New York in the East to pursue his†¦show more content†¦The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock also symbolises the inability to control time, the irretrievability of the past and the futility of trying to recreate the past, despite Gatsby’s belief to the contrary. When Nick asserts that one can’t repeat the past, he exclaims: â€Å"Can’t repeat the past? [†¦] Why of course you can!† (106). Gatsby naively believes that Daisy can erase the past by simply telling Tom that she never loved him. He tells Nick that â€Å"[he’s] going to fix everything the way it was before† (106) and that he and Daisy would â€Å"be married from her house – just as if it were five years ago.† (106). The similarity between Gatsby’s dream and the Great American dream is a central theme of the novel. People pursue their dreams, regardless of the cost to themselves and others, with little regard for the attainability and reality of the dream. In Gatsby’s case, his dream eventually costs him his life. Similarly, the singleminded pursuit of wealth and pleasure eventually costs people their lives, if not in the literal sense, then in the moral sense. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fitzgerald, F.S. 1926 (rpt. 2000). The Great Gatsby. London: Penguin Books Term Papers Lab. http://www.termpaperslab.com (23 July 2008) Sparknotes.com. http://www.sparknotes.com (23 July 2008) Michigan State University. https://www.msu.edu (23 July 2008) Studyworld. http://www.studyworld.com (23 July 2008) Homework-Online. http://www.homework-online.com (23 July 2008) TheShow MoreRelatedGreat Gatsby - the Green Light1554 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald deals on one level with Jay Gatsby’s hopes and dreams, but on a deeper level also deals with the Great American Dream. The novel starts and ends with a reference to the green light at the end of the dock, indicating an important symbolism. The first time Nick catches sight of Jay Gatsby, Gatsby â€Å"stretched his arms towards the dark water [†¦] [Nick] distinguished nothing except a single green light [†¦] that might have been at the end of a dock.† (Fitzgerald 2000:25)Read MoreSignificance Of Green Light In The Great Gatsby871 Words   |  4 Pagesoccurred in his lifetime. In The Great Gatsby, F Scott. Fitzgerald contrasts the symbols of the green light and the rain to represent Gatsby’s hope for the future and his doomed relationship with Daisy. Throughout the story, Fitzgerald uses the green light as a symbol to represent Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. Fitzgerald’s first use of the green light shows Gatsby’s dreams that are just out of reach. 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A symbol that is repeated multiple times throughout the novel is the green light. The green light is the light at the end of the Buchanan’s dock across the bay from Gatsby’s house. In the night, Gatsby looks across and stares at the light. To Gatsby, this light symbolizes Daisy and his loveRead MoreEssay On The Green Light In The Great Gatsby991 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter- to morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther†¦ And one fine morning---† In the Great Gatsby, the green light signifies Jay Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future and ultimately the American Dream. The green light represents the lost dreams of Americans, unrealistic hope and the determination to achieve the American Dream. The writing from F. Scott FitzgeraldRead MoreWhat Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby736 Word s   |  3 PagesThe Great Gatsby by Baz Luhrmann is about a hopeless, in love, millionaire by the name of Jay Gatsby and his dream lover Daisy Buchanan, despite her beauty is a self-centred, shallow and hurtful woman. Gatsby being a millionaire he could have potentially obtained anything with his money, The green light which was at the end of Daisy’s dock was a vision of his goal to have Daisy. Daisy Buchanan had assured Gatsby that she could not be bought. When at last Gatsby had Daisy to himself ‘which he thoughtRead MoreWhat Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby966 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The setting of the book takes place in Long Island and New York in the early 1920s. Fitzgerald has one of the main characters, Nick Carraway narrate his life with his friend Jay Gatsby by his side. Gatsby hopes Nick will help him on his journey to win back to the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald relates important symbols to the theme. The green light at the end of Daisys dock, Gatsbys car, and the Valley