Amelia Giordano Mr. Wall AP English Language and Composition 5 March 2023 Q: What Keeps the Fire Burning? A: Gatsby’s Green Light at the End of The Dock. Goals are a common part of most people’s lives, small objectives, hopes, that people sculpt their actions around to complete. This is not a wild concept as most people complete, or try to complete, goals even without explicitly setting them. An underlying goal of most is to keep up with physical or mental health, or to succeed in their career path. Also common is the “unattainable” or “unrealistic goal.” A goal so wild and difficult to achieve, yet so compelling. In my opinion, these are crucial to human life. They’re more than healthy; they’re what keep people alive. The chase of these fantastical …show more content…
Furthermore, the simple thought of these ambitions, or the quest to achieve them, can likely be more rewarding than if one were to actually achieve them. While not directly citable, Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote “it's not the destination, it's the journey,” now a semi-common statement in the modern day. The Great Gatsby is the perfect, or perhaps exaggerated example of this. Gatsby chases after his green light, Daisy, and when he finally has her, everything falls apart. After meeting Daisy, and falling away from her, Gatsby spends his whole life trying to get back to her and win her over - his unrealistic goal. He moves across the bay from her home, and stares at a green light on her dock, representing his longing for her. Daisy is married to one of the richest men in America, and, to Gatsby’s knowledge, has no intention of leaving her husband. Despite this, the driving motivation for his empire of wealth, renown, massive estate and booming parties is not only to have the American Dream but to have Daisy - it all comes back to her. Yet, when he finally reunites with her, it feels different. Nick narrates that “possibly it had occurred to [Gatsby] that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished