The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

The green light is the most significant use of symbolism in The Great Gatsby. The green light represents various aspects of life which include: Hope, unattainable dreams, freedom and the American Dream. In chapter one Nick states “Involuntarily I glanced seaward — and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock" (Fitzgerald 152). The explanation of this quote is Nick seeing Gatsby reaching his arms out towards the green light at the end of the deck which represents that Gatsby is trying to grasp and gets a hold of his hopes and dreams, which is Daisy, but at that moment Gatsby is unsuccessful in doing so. The green light’s meaning is also that a person cannot live their lives in the past, but instead should look ahead towards the future. In chapter 9 Nick also states "I thought of Gatsby‘s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy‘s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could barely fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night" (Fitzgerald 149). For Gatsby, the green light represents his American dream and Daisy. He wanted to continue his life with Daisy by his side, but sadly his dreams were short-lived.

In everyday life and works of literature, color symbolizes a wide variety from emotions to political status. When someone is feeling upset one often says “I’m feeling blue” or when someone is mad their face turns red giving that color the association with anger. Political status even uses color to represent each party, one is usually either a blue democrat or red republican. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby” color plays a significant role throughout the story symbolizing emotions and social rankings. Colors such as green representing hope and money, grey portraying hopelessness and low class along with discontent, and yellow exemplifies low class and desire.

The color green has many significant meanings in the story, the most important being money, wealth and the future. The roaring 20’s was all about extravagance, living in mansions, having the most expensive autos, boats, artwork, and parties. It wa a time when anyone who was sharp could attain wealth. The only difference being the separation of the old money and the new money, and old money did not accept the new moneyed very well. The parties were the most glorious affairs imaginable, and Gatsby achieved all of this through any means he could find, most likely through organized crime, just needing to reach to top anyway he could. Although he had only attended Oxford for five months, a

Symbolism provides an effective writing style to some of the great American novels. No one uses symbolism as effectively F. Scott Fitzgerald in his work, The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses symbolism to not only enhance his story, but also to tell the story itself. Fitzgerald filled The Great Gatsby with a multitude of examples of symbolism such as through objects, ideas, or even people. Simple items such as water and money are symbolic in the book. He uses these items to further explain the already complex lives of his story’s characters.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald has many types of symbolism throughout the story. Fitzgerald wrote memorable symbolism such as, “The Eyes of Eckleburg”, “The Green Light”, and “The Weather”. These examples were the most impressive because they stood out the most to me and represented the characters in many different ways. It also helps the reader with imagery the author intended.

In the novel, the color green symbolizes things of desire that can be potentially unattainable. The Green Light is largely associated with the American Dream because it is related to Gatsby’s pursuit for Daisy. “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I as from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward - and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock.” (Pg, 20-21). The remaining part of Gatsby’s American Dream left to obtain was Daisy. He always looked out across the mass of water at the infinitesimal green light thinking about Daisy. He hosts grand parties hoping that one day Daisy would stop by. Gatsby also believed in the Green Light in that it would allow him to see Daisy and win her back. Lastly, Gatsby’s connection to Wolfsheim shows the corruption of his American Dream. Through Wolfsheim Gatsby earns a lot of money (desired and green) which he uses to try to obtain his uncorrupted American Dream of getting Daisy back from the interposing Tom

The symbolism in The Great Gatsby brings forth a new perspective as to how we perceive the characters and their actions. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, symbolism plays a crucial role in understanding the motives of the characters, and helps the reader better sympathize with them. Although there are numerous important symbols in this story, the most prominent are the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg that looks over the Valley of Ashes, and the Valley of Ashes itself. These symbols and their meanings help better express the theme of the “American Dream” that is strived for, as well as show the ongoing war between love and wealth, and social and moral destruction.

The Great Gatsby is considered one of the greatest American novels. This novel is set in the early 1920’s about a man named Jay Gatsby trying to win the heart of his long lost love Daisy. Fitzgerald writes everything for a purpose. He is not the kind of writer that puts random colors, throughout the book just for fun. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald utilizes the colors of gold and green as symbols with a deeper meaning to reality. Fitzgerald incorporates many different deep, rich colors. The Great Gatsby, colors function as symbols to reveal larger themes such as prosperity and hope.

Green is another significant color in this novel; however unlike white, it represents a variety of ideas. One of the most significant one is “hope”. Throughout the novel, the color green is used to represent Gatsby’s undying hope. The green light that is at the end of Daisy and Tom’s dock is what Gatsby reaches out for. For example in the beginning of the novel, it is already shown that Gatsby stares at that light. Nick observes and describes Gatsby by stating, “…I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness.” This shows what that green light means to Gatsby. It is the symbol of Gatsby's hopes and dreams. It represents everything that haunts and beckons him: the physical and emotional distance between him and Daisy, the gap between the past and the present, the promises of the future, and could also mean money since it is also green. One of the instances

The color green represents wealth, which was a reoccurring obsession with Gatsby. The body of water between them both represents the rift between Gatsby and Daisy’s different lives and backgrounds. Additionally, this is the first instance when Gatsby is reaching out to his hopes and dreams. Gatsby’s dream involves wealth and future marriage with Daisy. It is duly noted that at the end of the first chapter, Nick saw Gatsby and, “could have sworn he was trembling…Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light”(Gatsby 20-21). This personal action represents the longing for economic and material success, almost becoming and obsession. However the readers are able to understand that individuals constantly believe that there is always something better in the world. This green light is also symbolic as nicks observation at the end of the novel “tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther”(Gatsby 171), showing that this dream is all encompassing. Gatsby looking across the water to see the green light has drove himself to high status and astonishing success. The green light not only represents wealth but also the model of the American

Tom and Daisy chose to be compassionate due to the fact that their wealth sets them up on a high pedestal in society. They have no moral obligations for each other. Their marriage is only there as a front and not based on being in love. After the death of Myrtle, Tom and Daisy sit “opposite each other” with a sense of “natural intimacy” as if they were “conspiring together” (144,145). Although they are not in love with each other, they continue to show compassion in order to benefit from a higher social status. In the past, their love might have been genuine and true. That was after Gatsby had left for war. Daisy and Tom grew to love each other and their flaws and continued to live a life in love until one day they did not. Both, indirectly decided that being together in wealth and fame is better than being apart.

The Great Gatsby is one of the most read pieces of literature throughout the current modern Western world. High school kids all across the globe must learn and read it as part of their curriculum. One of the aspects that makes this novel so notable is that Fitzgerald, at no point in the story, needs to convey to his audience the theme of his novel directly. The main points of his novel are brought out by the powerful symbols he infuses in the book. Not only does he use them to convey his theme, but also ties them in to the rest of the story. Every aspect of this book is affected by the presence of one of his symbols. Through the use of the green light, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, and the Valley of the Ashes as symbols,

Symbols are a huge role in “The Great Gatsby”. It adds the understanding from the novel. Some symbols in the novel are more obvious than others, F Scott Fitzgerald helps the reader get a better understanding of the novel by unique so many unique symbols. The author makes the highlight ideas, and places to add contrast. The symbols highlight beliefs of the characters to build a climax.

Introduction/Thesis: There are many symbols used in the book The Great Gatsby such as the green light, the valley of ashes, and the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. The green light represents Jay Gatsby’s hopes, as well as his dreams, for the future. Because many people strive to become rich in The Great Gatsby, the result is moral and social decay. The valley of ashes represents social and moral decay, and it also represents the predicament of poor

Firstly, the green light is a prominent symbol, as it represents unachievable ambitions and desires, therefore reinforcing the incapability of accomplishing the American Dream. Throughout the novel, Gatsby is often seen striving for the