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What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

692 Words3 Pages

Nolan Argabrite
Ms. Jakse
English 11
17 May 2023
Thematic Symbolism in “The Great Gatsby” “The Great Gatsby” is an American novel from 1925 written by Author F. Scott Fitzgerald. It takes place in 1922, four years after World War I, during the jazz age of American history. It follows characters Nick Carraway, a lower class bond salesman and Jay Gatsby, a self made millionaire. A very significant symbol within this novel is the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. This is significant because the symbolism of the green light represents people’s hopes and dreams of this new up and coming age in our history. The first mention of “the green light” is on page 24 of the novel; it speaks of Nick seeing Gatsby from a distance with his arms held …show more content…

Nick understands Gatsby misses Daisy and attempts to set up a meeting between the two. Anxious, Gatsby tries to put it off due to minor things like the length of Nick’s grass, but ultimately the meeting gets set up. Nick invites Daisy over for tea, having Gatsby wait for her arrival; when Daisy arrives Gatsby is gone, but soon returns facing his fears. Gatsby states later on “If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay.” “You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock”(Fitzgerald Pg.99). This reference is a remembrance of the times Daisy and Gatsby spent together in years prior, and how Gatsby hopes he could have these memories again. Another reference is made to the light by Nick right after, he thinks to himself , “Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of thar light had now vanished forever.”. This refers to Daisy’s marriage to Tom Buchanan, and how Gatsby has missed out on his chance reigniting things with Daisy. After hitting it off Gatsby and Daisy realize they are still in love; Daisy begins to start having an affair with Gatsby, going to parties and seeing each other on a regular basis. Later on, Gatsby decides to tell Tom about his relationship with Daisy at a dinner with the two and Nick. Tom eventually ends up telling Gatsby off, as well as

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