Great Gatsby - the Green Light - 1554 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†¦show more content†¦This superficiality is the ultimate moral corruption and Daisy clearly represents these lack of values. The class divide between rich and poor is clearly illustrated by George Wilson, who lives on the edge of the valley of ashes. He is doomed to be viewed as unsuccessful and inferior, both by the wealthy inhabitants of the Eggs and by his wife, who betrays him with Tom. Clearly, character is not what people value. Wilson is an honest, hardworking man, while Tom is a rather unsavoury character. This corruption of values appears throughout the novel, with the desolate wasteland of the valley of ashes represents the moral decay of the 1920’s. Just as people travel from the Eggs to New York without really noticing the decay, so they pursue their dreams at any cost, not taking heed of the lack of moral fibre and the corruption that money and power brings. It is fitting that Tom’s mistress lives and dies in this grey wasteland. It is also where Nick meets her for the first time. Gatsby’s dream of Daisy serves to put her on a pedestal. Nick realises that even Gatsby must have understood this: There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams - not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. (92). When he eventually engineers their meeting through Nick, he realises that she is not the perfect woman he hasShow MoreRelatedGreat Gatsby - the Green Light1560 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 relationsh ip 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. As Nick watches Gatsby outside his house he notices Gatsby has â€Å"stretched out his arms towardsRead MoreExamples Of Green Light In The Great Gatsby954 Words   |  4 PagesGreen Light â€Å"It had seemed as close as a star to the moon.† A star and moon, close and far, both in outer space, with only one thing that sets them apart, distance. In a symbolic way, dreams relate with this example. Every person is a star that is trying to reach the moon or a dream. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald depicts the American Dream as untrue through Jay Gatsby’s persistence, difficulties, and corruption, to grant his desires. (pg.93) Jay Gatsby is in love withRead MoreExamples Of Green Light In The Great Gatsby762 Words   |  4 PagesThe end of the roaring 20s is summarized by a simple green light. In the time of 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby shows how people were changed by The American Dream and dry to follow but never achieve their ultimate goal. The way Fitzgerald shows this is the main character Gatsby who goes miles and miles to reach his goal of being with Daisy, but on the way runs into more obstacles than he can handle. This ends up in his American Dream never being reached. The last passage aboutRead More Green Light in The Great Gatsby Essay1039 Words   |  5 PagesThe Green Light in The Great Gatsby       The image of the green light in the novel Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a significant symbol which reflects Gatsbys dream and other aspects beyond Gatsbys longing.   Throughout the novel Fitzgerald uses many other images or symbols.   At first, it may seem very basic, but when the symbol is closely studied, one may see the deeper meaning found within it. Fitzgerald uses these symbols to make a point across to the readerRead MoreGreen Light Symbolism In The Great Gatsby877 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Gatsby symbolizes a major part of whats so called the â€Å"American Dream.† But what is Fitzgeralds assertion on the American Dream? The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, delivers a perspective of the American society in the 1920s, also the American Dream and It’s mysteries. There are many symbolizes throughout the novel, for example, the bright green light Gatsby gazes from across the oceanside of his Mansion - â€Å"I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minuteRead MoreThe Green Light Symbolism In The Great Gatsby796 Words   |  4 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, several symbols are used to illustrate the corruption of the American Dream. These symbols include the green light, the valley of ashes and the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleberg. 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