What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

During the 1920s, not everything was as it seemed. Underneath all of the progression and festivities of the decade, there were hidden truths that were just waiting to be unveiled with a greater comprehension of the times. Symbolism is an ever-so-common concept in literary works such as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald that allows for a more complex understanding of the work, as well as the previously mentioned Jazz Age. Symbolism within Fitzgerald’s novel is present when observing colors and characters throughout the story. These elements that are displayed symbolically by the author create the opportunity to attain a deeper understanding of the author’s purpose and their individual meaning within the book. With a greater comprehension

Part of his American Dream is to have Daisy as his own, and the glimpse of what is a light at the end of the tunnel gives Gatsby “a hint to strive ahead in life, to do better and succeed” (Abuzahra and Badareen 49). On a much shallower level, green represents the immense amount of wealth surrounding the lives of the East and West Egg societies. Money is a driving force in the story, as it essentially dictates the lives of the characters. It is a source of stability, power, and status. Furthermore, Gatsby believes he can use this wealth to help fund his hopes and dreams of loving Daisy once more (Samkanashvili 31). Though, yet again, these dreams are known to have fallen short. The green in the story symbolically parallels Gatsby’s dreams, as it is one full of life but begins to lose meaning and dissipates (Kersh 3). Increasing in appearances, the most frequently appearing color within Fitzgerald's writing is the color white. White, as a symbol and archetype, is representative of many qualities: innocence, beauty, laziness, cleanliness, wealth, virginity, and femininity (Samkanashvili