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Symbols In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

746 Words3 Pages

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby," delves into the lives of wealthy individuals in the 1920s, exploring themes of love, wealth, and the pursuit of the American Dream. Throughout the narrative, Fitzgerald employs various symbols to convey deeper meanings and support the central theme of not being able to relive the past and the necessity of moving forward in life. In an escape room competition named "The Great Gatsby Getaway," the final clue to victory is a three-picture combination lock with the word "THEME." This essay will explore three major symbols from the book, namely the green light, Gatsby's parties, and Nick's mantle clock, and analyze Fitzgerald's choice in employing these symbols to reinforce the theme of moving on. …show more content…

The green light represents Gatsby's longing for the past and his unattainable desire to relive his romantic relationship with Daisy. It symbolizes his pursuit of the American Dream and the utopian vision he has built in his mind. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes evident that Gatsby's obsession with the green light prevents him from moving on with his life. "He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way... Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away" (Fitzgerald 21). The green light's distance and faintness signify Gatsby's inability to recapture the past. Despite his extravagant parties and material wealth, Gatsby remains fixated on a love that is out of his reach. The green light serves as a cautionary symbol, reminding readers of the dangers of being consumed by the past and the futility of clinging to unattainable …show more content…

The parties are characterized by their wildness, extravagance, and shallowness. Gatsby orchestrates these gatherings in the hopes of attracting Daisy's attention, believing that his wealth and social status will win her back. However, the parties ultimately serve as a facade, masking Gatsby's loneliness and the emptiness of his existence. "People were not invited—they went there. They got into automobiles which bore them out to Long Island, and somehow they ended up at Gatsby's door. Once there, they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby and after that, they conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with an amusement park" (Fitzgerald 40). Fitzgerald’s use of language in this quote has a disjointed flow which represents instability. The chaotic and unstructured nature of Gatsby's parties reflects the instability of the Jazz Age. Gatsby's parties demonstrate that excessive indulgence in material pleasures only serves as a temporary distraction from the realities of life, emphasizing the need to move on and find genuine

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