Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby’s downfall is precipitated by his inability to distinguish between the illusions and realities of romance and identity.

Gatsby’s romantic naivety leads to his downfall. The illusion that Daisy will ameliorate his life leads to Gatsby’s poor life choices. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolizes an unattainable dream and desire: reliving his romantic past with Daisy. It is Gatsby’s goal to attain that dream, and when he does, he believes that his life will be ameliorated. The green light was Gatsby’s motivation to buy an extravagant multimillion-dollar mansion and throw expensive parties every Friday night. This naive belief in the green light, the illusion that Gatsby can

It is as if Daisy is some sort of elixir that evokes in Gatsby a sense of courage/audacity to confront the man who stands between him and his dream. This new-found confidence of Gatsby’s is detrimental because it only provokes Tom to dig into Gatsby’s history and uncover the secret to his wealth. In fact, it can be argued that Tom sublimes Myrtle’s murderer to Wilson (X) in order to requite Gatsby’s taunting…transition Gatsby is unable to distinguish between real love and superficial love. To Gatsby, Daisy is a “colossal vitality of his illusion,” who herself managed to “tumble short of his dreams” (103). The past is a combination of what Gatsby wants it to be and what it actually was. Consequently, Gatsby amplifies Daisy’s characteristics in order for them to fit his desires. His original dream was to become wealthy, which is why he created the persona of Jay Gatsby in the first place (x). Perhaps his affair with Daisy is one of the first interactions Gatsby had with someone of high class, where he actually experiences a taste of the rich life. And so, he grows attached and becomes sentimentally bonded to her. Daisy, on the other hand, may have truly loved Gatsby five years ago, but now, as time passes and feelings fade, she may not feel what she once felt. Five years after their initial meeting, the relationship forced by Gatsby is founded purely on superficial values and not love itself. Gatsby does not love the person Daisy, he loves the illusion of her that was manipulated by time and feelings. Daisy’s feelings of love and happiness, on the other hand, are not directed at Gatsby but at his wealth and possessions. When Daisy meets Gatsby for the first time in five years, she adores his pompadour, yacht, mansion, and innumerable shirts (100). Not once does she direct her feelings of love and happiness towards Gatsby. On that note, there is also a lack of any meaningful romantic dialogue between Gatsby and Daisy; most interactions revolve around material goods