GreatGatsbyMotif/SymbolEssay

F.ScottFitzgeralds
TheGreatGatsby
takesplaceduringtheeraoftheRoaring
Twenties,aperiodinwhichtheupperclassrulesoversocietyandcounterfeitingisprevalent.
TheAmericanDreamofgainingwealth,status,andattendingextravagantpartiesissharedby
manyduringthe1920s,includingJayGatsby.Heaccomplishesearninghiswealththroughthe
shadyoperationofbootlegging,inspiredtoimpresstheloveofhislife,DaisyBuchanan.Each
night,asGatsbystandsoutsidehishouselookingbeyondthedocks,thereisalwaysagreenlight
remindinghimofhishopesanddreams.ThisgreenlightstemsfromtheBuchananhouse,
locateddirectlyacrosstheriverfromGatsbyshouse,andservesassymbolofhowJaysdesire
ofhavingafuturewithDaisy,thoughunreachable,encourageshimtopursuethegoalofmanyof
hiscontemporaries,theAmericanDream.
Thegreenlight,whichprotrudesfromtheBuchanansdock,servesasareminderof
Gatsbysultimateaspirationandgoal,DaisyBuchanan.Gatsby,whooncehadtheloveofhis
live,lostheronceshemarriedanotherman.Thus,hisjealouslytookoverhisotheremotions,
forcinghimtospendhistimeandefforttowinherback.Inthebeginningofthenovel,readers
firstseeGatsbysassociationofthegreenlightashestretchedouthisarmstowardthedark
waterinacuriousway,and,farasIwasfromhim,Icouldhaveswordhewastrembling.
InvoluntarilyIglancedseawardanddistinguishednothingexceptasinglegreenlight,minute
andfaraway,thatmighthavebeenattheendofthedock.(Gatsby21)Gatsbystrembling
motiontograspthegreenlightdisplayshowGatsbytriedtoreachhisgoal,butneverseemedto
achieveitduetohiswayoflife.Thus,heisdeterminedtocreatealifeinwhichhewouldbe
acceptedbymembersofthewealthysociety.ForGatsbytogainacceptanceintothesociety,he

knewthatwealthwouldbekey.Thus,Gatsbybecameinvolvedinadisreputablebusiness,but
wassuccessfulingainingalargefortune.
Gatsby,however,realizedthatobtainingDaisywouldbenearlyimpossible,evenwithhis
newfoundwealth.OnceGatsbymetNickhowever,heseizedthisopportunitytoreconnectwith
theloveofhislife.AsDaisyreentershislife,thegreenlightspecificallypertainstoher.While
speakingtoDaisy,Gatsbystates,Ifitwasntforthemistwecouldseeyourhomeacrossthe
bay,saidGatsby.Youalwayshaveagreenlightthatburnsallnightattheendofyourdock.
(Gatsby92).ThisquoteexemplifiesGatsbysdesiretohaveDaisyinhislife.Hewantsto
succeedinaccomplishinghisAmericanDreamandstartafamilywiththewomenheloves,
nowthatheissettledandhadmoney.HoweveronceGatsbyhasDaisynearbyhim,hediscovers
sheisnolongeralluring.AsNickstatesinthenovel,Probablyithadoccurredtohimthatthe
colossalsignificanceofthatlighthadnowvanishedforever.Comparedtothegreatdistancethat
hadseparatedhimfromDaisyitseemedascloseasastartothemoon.Nowitwasagainagreen
lightonadock.(Gatsby93)Thegreenlighthadrepresentedsomethingthatwassocloseby,
butcouldnotbetangiblenorachieved.Thus,oncehehadDaisy,herealizedthatshewasnot
whathehadoriginallyperceived.However,thisrealizationtookawaythepurposeofeverything
thathehadworkedforhence,hecontinuedtocourther.
GatsbywasneverabletoachievehisvisionoftheAmericanDream.Ahardworking
sincechildhood,healwaysbelievedinhimselfandtriedtoaccomplishhisdreams.AsNick
states,Gatsbybelievedinthegreenlight,theorgasticfuturethatyearbyyearrecedesbeforeus.
Iteludedusthen,butthat'snomattertomorrowwewillrunfaster,stretchoutourarms
further...andonefinemorningSowebeaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselessly

intothepast"(Gatsby189).Gatsbyalwaysaimedforthefuture,nevertakingintoaccountthe
currentsituation.HedreamtabouthisfuturewithDaisy,ratherthanrealizingthatshehasa
familytoraise.Thoughhecontinuouslyreachedforhisgoals,hewaspulledfurtheraway,until
hecouldnolongerdistinguishthedifferencebetweendreamingandreality.Thegreenlight,that
alwaysrepresentedhisdreamsandhopes,istheverythingthathelpedendhislife.

WorksCited
Fitzgerald,F.Scott.
TheGreatGatsby.
NewYork:Scribner,1925.