ipl-logo

Time And Decay In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

745 Words3 Pages

David Mamonov May 25th 2023
Mrs.Hill-Carbone English 12

In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author illustrates the theme of time and decay over the course of the novel. The novel includes symbols such as the defunct mantelpiece clock and the green dock which represents Gatsby's dreams.
In the novel there is a character by the name of Gatsby. Gatsby is in love with this girl named Daisy. They’ve been split apart for five years and Gatsby tries to reconnect with her from the help of Nick. The author uses the theme of time and decay. In the novel it states “They were so engrossed in each other, His name was Jay Gatsby and I didn’t lay eyes on him again for over four years, that was nineteen-seventeen. By the next year I …show more content…

In the novel it shows “His head leaned back so far that it rested against the face of a defunct mantelpiece clock, tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place” (Fitzgerald 93). This clock symbolizes Gatsby trying to recreate the past in the present with Daisy but won’t be successful because their past relationship is broken.
To continue on, the symbolism of the green light at dock slowly diminishes due to Daisy being unphased by Gatsby's desperate efforts. The author illustrates “Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever.” (Fitzgerald 100). This shows that Gatsby's dream is coming to an end because the dock light is vanishing. Gatsby's dream is to be with Daisy and the light represents the dream and the light is disappearing so the light means nothing now to

Show More
Related
402 Words | 2 Pages

F. Scott Fitzgerald uses time and the love story between two of his characters to reveal a theme about time's barriers in his novel The Great Gatsby. Those characters, Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, partake in a complicated love affair in which Daisy tries to cheat on her husband and renew her love with Gatsby, an old flame from her home town of Louisville. Before their lives become separated by the war Gatsby fights in and the choices each other make, Gatsby and Daisy "were so engrossed in each other" in their youthful days in Louisville that their love could take them anywhere they wish (79). At this point, their love contains no barriers and is simply pure. Instead of staying together and allowing their love to flourish, they separate; with this separation, Daisy chooses to

Read More
477 Words | 2 Pages

In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, took place in 1922 in the great city of New York’s East and West Egg Island. The Great Gatsby is about a very wealthy businessman named Jay Gatsby that tries to find his long lost love. The main symbol of the novel The Great Gatsby, is Gatsby’s hope for Daisy that they will be back together someday. Gatsby's hope for Daisy is represented by the green light at the end of Tom and Daisy’s dock. Another way hope is shown by Gatsby for Daisy is when Tom tries to put Gatsby down, but Gatsby gets right back up and tells Tom that the past can be repeated and they will get back together again some day.

Read More
1443 Words | 6 Pages

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the word time appears 450 times throughout the novel, either by itself or in a compound word. Fitzgerald’s excessive repetition of the word emphasizes the fact that time is an important concept to the overall design of the book; in this novel, it serves as a major theme that portrays that fact that we collectively as humans cannot alter and control time, no matter how hard we try. Fitzgerald’s characters are seen both trying to live in the past and skip ahead and towards the future -- each is on a separate journey to achieve their own personal dreams -- while avoiding what is presently at stake in their lives. For every character in the novel, issues arise due to the relationship between their pasts and their futures, as well as their lack of personal responsibility for the choices they make in navigating the present between these two time gaps. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses clocks and time -- specifically the mantelpiece clock -- to support Gatsby’s hopes of winning Daisy after having lost her, as well as his inability to let Daisy, or rather

Read More
838 Words | 4 Pages

The quiet lights in the houses were humming out into the darkness and there was a stir and bustle among the stars. ”(Fitzgerald 110). Gatsby’s eventual kiss with Daisy is also put in par with a beautiful setting which might still be false due to it being told by him. Since Gatsby keeps romanticizing the past with Daisy and other his achievements, it makes Nick think twice about it as it may be untruthful. As said, Jay Gatsby’s past has been through a rosy retrospection, which is a real life way of looking back on the past.

Read More
515 Words | 3 Pages

In, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald shows his mastery of literary elements through themes in the book. A few prominent themes in this book would be: decay and the past. This theme is shown through symbolism and characterization, along with character development, throughout the book. Decay and the past in this book are represented extremely well through symbolism. A huge symbol in this book is the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg watching over the valley of ashes.

Read More
1211 Words | 5 Pages

This green light represents Gatsby’s hopes to be with Daisy once again. Gatbsy lives across a big body of water from Daisy and her husband Tom’s house Gatbsy was once with Daisy 5 years prior to them finally meeting again. Now Gatsby was always in love with Daisy but she moved on and got with Tom and his “old money”. So this green light showed Gatsby’s hope to being together with Daisy once again: “...he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light” (Fitzgerald 33).

Read More
594 Words | 3 Pages

The green light at the end of Daisy's dock represents Gatsby's dream of being with her. He reaches out to it, believing it is within his grasp, but it always remains out of reach. "I waited, and about four o’clock she came to the window and stood there for a minute and then turned out the light." (113) This symbolizes the broader idea of the American Dream, suggesting that some dreams are unattainable no matter how hard one

Read More
1062 Words | 5 Pages

Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” Nick indicates the green light was formerly the only way Gatsby could remain close to Daisy, but now that they are reunited with each other, nothing is restraining Gatsby from striving to acquire her heart again. Gatsby no longer covets the reminder that Daisy is close because he has her back. The green light

Read More
769 Words | 4 Pages

In page 93 Gatsby noticed that the green light had some special connection with Daisy. Knowing it flashes on her dock specifically makes a strong believe it’s connected to the situation happening or another way into telling them they are doing something right. This statement is a perfect reason why Gatsby relies on this green light. Knowing he tried so hard to find another way to connect with Daisy, he finally got the chance too, and sees a light flashing from her house while being with her, he takes it as a sign. A sign that means Go for it, fight for what you

Read More
1947 Words | 8 Pages

Gatsby's dream of being happy with Daisy is his deepest desire. In the novel, the reader understands that the green light represents this dream which, at last, becomes impossible to fill. One night, Nick sees a shadow emerge from his neighbor's mansion. He realized it was Gatsby looking at a green light that was shining from Daisy Buchanan’s house. He is standing near the water and starts to move: “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way… he was trembling”(20-21).

Read More
717 Words | 3 Pages

The green light at the end of Daisy's dock is a symbol of Gatsby's dream to reunite with Daisy, but also the American dream. Nick says, "Gatsby believes in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us " eluded us then, but that's no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther" (Fitzgerald 180) This quote suggests that the American dream is constantly moving

Read More
450 Words | 2 Pages

The green light serves as a reminder of his deep-rooted passion and dedication towards her, even in the face of insurmountable obstacles. His one and only dream “finds its focus in the remote and mysterious green light at the end of Daisy’s dock” that he is eager to have (Friedman). Gatsby repeatedly tries to be with her, but does not work out. He invites her over and tries to reconnect, hoping to revive the past. However, he remains unable to release his grip on her, yearning for that which is unattainable.

Read More
1694 Words | 7 Pages

It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one” (93). Nick describes the value of this green light at the end of Daisy's dock and hints at its significance to Gatsby. The light originally designed to literally direct boats displayed what Gatsby was looking for; it acted as a constant reminder for who he wanted his future to be with.

Read More
702 Words | 3 Pages

(Fitzgerald 98). One obvious literary device Fitzgerald uses to describe Nick’s view of how Gatsby is close to reaching his American dream by using a simile, comparing how stars are close to the moon as Gatsby is to Daisy’s dock. The green light on Daisy’s dock is a symbol representing Gatsby’s American dream, and how he is trying to reach and grab it once again. However, that American dream slipped right through his fingers in the past. Gatsby turned his life around so that he would have a chance at getting back

Read More
1060 Words | 5 Pages

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 33). The green light, a symbol of hope, represents Gatsby’s linger to his hope of getting Daisy’s love. He was not born into a rich family, but worked hard towards realizing his American Dream and finally became wealthy and successful. Believing that wealth can win Daisy back, Gatsby organizes extravagant parties every night, attracting many aristocrats in New York (Fitzgerald 48), and hopes that Daisy would eventually attend the party.

Read More

More about Time And Decay In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Related Topics

Open Document