The Great Gatsby-The Green light

Gatsby finally meets Daisy in Chapter five of the novel. The symbol of the green light becomes very evident. It becomes so distinct that Gatsby even shows Daisy the green light. He says, "If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay... You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock." Daisy is so close to fulfilling Gatsby's dream, but she falls short of what he expected. From this location in the novel, Gatsby's chances of fulfilling his dream become increasingly impossible.

As one can see the green light is of great significance in the novel Great Gatsby. This symbol is depicted throughout the novel. It is first mentioned in the first chapter of the novel. At first, it was no more than a green light. When it is further examined in chapters four and five it becomes more evident that this green light is not Daisy, but a symbol representing Gatsby's dream of having Daisy. The fact that Daisy falls short of Gatsby's expectations is obvious. Knowing this, one can see that know matter how hard Gatsby tries to live his fantasy, he will never be able to achieve it.

In chapter four of the novel, Nick finds out from Jordan that Gatsby bought the house so that Daisy would be just across the bay. Nick responds to this fact: "Then it had not been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night. He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor."

Until this point, Gatsby was a puzzle. Nick, at this moment, solves the puzzle: Gatsby's house and extravagant style of living is a necessity to reaching and fulfilling his dream rather than a flamboyant exhibit of wealth. The truth that Gatsby is yearning for Daisy is now apparent. This is being symbolized by the green light at the end of the dock.

The image of the green light in the novel Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a significant symbol which reflects Gatsby's dream and other aspects beyond Gatsby's longing.

The green light is mentioned one last time by Nick on the last page of the book:

...I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock....and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to

grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that

vast obscurity beyond the city...

The main point in this quotation is that Gatsby could not get over his dream or ever acheive it

The green light is first mentioned in chapter one of the Great Gatsby. Nick, the narrator of the novel, sees Gatsby curiously stretching his arms out towards the water. Nick went to see what Gatsby was looking at and all he could see was "...nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock."

At this point in the novel the symbol of the green light is introduced to the reader. The reader does not know that the light is on Daisy's dock. The reader does know that Nick admires Gatsby for his dream which is some way linked with the green light. The color green represents life, hope, and youth. Gatsby's fantasy will live as long as long as he remains gazing at the green light.

The Great Gatsby-The Green light