What Does The Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Throughout the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the glitz and glamour of the Jazz age in 1920s America. Fitzgerald explores and symbolizes the themes of wealth, love, and the pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character in this novel, is a character of wealth and admiration. Throughout his life, he has longed to be with the love of his life, Daisy. Fitzgerald uses various symbols throughout the novel to portray this specific theme to the audience. The first symbol Fitzgerald includes in the novel is the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. “The light marks the end of Buchanon’s pier, and the beginning of Gatsby’s green hope” (Kersh 1). It symbolizes Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for his future. He views the light as a beacon of his desire to be with Daisy, who, in the

In chapter 1, Nick sees Gatsby look vacantly at the light on the dock. This occurred when Nick attended one of Gatsby’s parties. Gatsby is seen by Nick standing alone, staring at the green light across the water. In the book, Nick says “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. Involutionary I glanced seaward and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been at the end of a dock” (Fitzgerald 21). Overall, Fitzgerald used the green light in the novel to symbolize hope. Gatsby looking at the light shows a great example of that, it shows he still has hope he will see Daisy again, and possibly spend the rest of his life with her. Another significant symbol Fitzgerald includes is the clock Gatsby knocks over at Nick’s house when reuniting with Daisy for the first time in