Premium Essay

What Does Green Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Submitted By
Words 999
Pages 4
by F. Scott Fitzgerald Colors are always used by novelists or artists in their work to show their mood or attitude. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many colors are repeated many times to show Fitzgerald’s attitude toward certain character. The most important color in this book is green, more specifically the green light, shows Gatsby’s hope and ambition to achieve his American dream in the beginning to how he eventually fail to attain it with money. The color green reminds us of hope and renew. In the book, Gatsby himself views the green light as a sign of he should go for his dream. He always believes Daisy will leave Tom and choose to marry him again. In real life, when the traffic light turns green, it is a sign tells us it is safe to go. Gatsby interprets this as he is right with everything he is doing right now and he will soon achieve his goals. When he says “I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before,” he said, nodding determinedly. “She’ll see.”(Fitzgerald, 110.), it shows he has the confidence that he is on the right track. However, the narrator Nick …show more content…
At this time, Gatsby has shown his expensive shirts to Daisy and Daisy begins to cry when she faces Gatsby’s incredible wealth. Gatsby says to Daisy that “If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,” said Gatsby. “You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock.” (Fitzgerald, 92.) Since Gatsby already met Daisy, the green light lost its original meaning so they cannot see it anymore. Gatsby lost his hope of gaining Daisy back and finally realizes the real Daisy and the Daisy in his mind from five years ago. The green light here also symbolizes the huge difference between his American dream and the reality he needs to face. His dream is really beautiful but the reality is fragile. The American dream during 1920s is not equal to everyone and is much easier for the upper

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...A book called “The Great Gatsby” is written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and is story about Jay Gatsby through the eyes of Nick Carraway. This book is set in the New York City and Long Island in the early 1920s. Throughout the book there are many symbols, but the symbol that is represent the most is the green light that is on Daisy’s dock. The green light in “The Great Gatsby” functions as the hopes and dreams of Gatsby and also represents everything that haunts and lure Gatsby. Also it seems like the green light is symbol by the words themselves. The Green light in the beginning symbolizes Gatsby's hopes and dreams to get back Daisy and also the mystery of him. A way that the light acts as hope and a way of finding Daisy, is just like how a lighthouse...

Words: 677 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

What Does Green Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...Scott Fitzgerald was an extraordinary author. He uses color symbolism throughout his famous novel The Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway, the narrator of the story, is related to Daisy Buchanan. Jay Gatsby, the man who throws the best parties in all of New York, is in love with Daisy. Tom, Daisy’s husband, has an affair with a woman named Myrtle from the Valley of Ashes. Fitzgerald use of color throughout the novel relates to the main character's thoughts, feelings, wants, and actions. Fitzgerald often uses the colors white, gold, and green to show further depth into the lives of the characters. White in the novel is used in reference with Daisy Buchanan. A daisy is white flower that represents innocence. When Nick first arrives at the Buchanan’s house in chapter one he says, “They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if hey had just been blown back in after short flight around the house.” (p.9) One of the girls he is referring to is Daisy. He is alluding to the fact the girls are happy, and full of life and innocence. White often represents innocence and purity....

Words: 573 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...with what he’d seen. Only one man was exempt from his disgust, that man being Gatsby. In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald creates an America society that contradicts everything America prides itself on which is lack of aristocracy and equal opportunity. The United states is a country that was so great due to the idea of the American dream, which the founding fathers of the nation built the country on. Fitzgerald utilizes deep characterization and symbolism to elaborate themes of the American dream to display what the American dream truly stood for and what it has become. Throughout the plot we come to recognize themes of American dream, through deep insight into characters and what they represent in the American society. After Nick...

Words: 995 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

What Does The Color Green Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...In the novel The Great Gatsby, author F. Scott Fitzgerald uses colors not only literally but also figuratively. The use of color imagery gives the characters more depth, and it also gives readers a deeper understanding of the characters. For example, Fitzgerald often associates the color green with Jay Gatsby. The color green has various cultural connotations that fit ideally with Gatsby’s jealousy, wealth, and hope, along with the sense of safety with which he is able to provide Daisy. Commonly colors are linked to feelings, and green is often given the label of jealousy and envy. This negative connotation of the color green ties in fittingly with Gatsby’s feelings throughout the novel. One does not have to look far to see that Gatsby is jealous of Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband. During their second encounter, Gatsby tells Tom that he knows his wife, “almost aggressively” (108). He is clearly jealous of their marriage and wishes to make it obvious that he has already established a relationship with Daisy....

Words: 621 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...We were introduced to many symbolic objects in the beginning of the novel. The most known symbolic object was the green light throughout the novel. Symbolism in general means an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. In the earlier chapters, the green light once represented hope that Gatsby will have a relationship with Daisy. However by chapter 7, Gatsby is seen pining once more for Daisy in the moonlight, but this time he has made it past the green light onto Buchanans Lawn. “Standing there in the moonlight- watching over nothing.” (145) Another example is Bootlegging and organized crime. It symbolizes the corruption of the American Dream...

Words: 253 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...Does your class and wealth always help you get what you want? In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick, the main character, lives next door to a rich yet shy figure named Gatsby. Gatsby throws parties all the time, but nobody seems to know who he is. As the story goes on, we find out that Gatsby is in love with Daisy, Nick’s cousin. Behind all of this, Fitzgerald uses light imagery to convey Gatsby’s love for Daisy to show the hope involved in this relationship. A green light across a lake doesn’t seem like anything, right? In the novel, Gatsby is caught by Nick staring across the lake at a green light with his hands in the air. Nick later realizes that the green light across the lake is Daisy’s house. Furthermore, Jordan, Nicks friend, reveals that Gatsby bought the house on that particular spot so Daisy can see it lit up. The green light in the novel represents hope, which later we find out, is part of Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship. “He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him I could...

Words: 682 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...From Gatsby’s perspective, securing Daisy is ultimately the final step in achieving the American Dream. Gatsby devotes his entire life to achieve something that is merely attainable. Everything Gatsby does is to attract the attention of Daisy. The green light that is positioned at the end of the Buchanan's dock, symbolizes Gatsby’s unwavering goal of winning Daisy’s love. "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." The green light is placed on the other side of a large body of water for a reason. The body of water acts as an impediment to convey how elusive attaining Daisy is. The vast amount of distance between the light and Gatsby represents...

Words: 329 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...The Great Gatsby has three huge symbols in the book, Gatsby’s new shirts, The Great Gatsby, and the green light, that are all supporting the main theme of the book, chase after your original dreams. Gatsby’s new shirts are representing what Daisy could have had if she would have waited for Gatsby, her original desire. The Great Gatsby shows Gatsby's great plan and how he has always had a bigger idea of everything to all come together to achieve his one huge dream, Daisy. Also the green light is the symbol itself of the dream that Gatsby had of Daisy and that if you try hard enough and reach far enough you can achieve your dream. Daisy has always had a dream of being with Gatsby and an important symbol that shows this was Gatsby’s new shirts that he has. In the book Gatsby takes all of his...

Words: 867 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Great Gatsby Symbolism

...The Symbolism in “The Great Gatsby” In “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author includes a lot of symbols throughout the story. Each symbol in this story has something that it represents. The objective of this paper is to provide three symbols that were seen while reading this novel and what they represent to the reader. These three symbols that will be mentioned are the green light at the end of Daisy dock, Daisy, and Dr. Eckleburg’s billboard in the valley of ashes. First off is the green light at the end of Daisy dock, which serves as a symbol of hope for Gatsby throughout the story. The reader can see this when Gatsby says, “’ If it wasn’t for the mist we could see’…’you always have a green light that burns all night at the...

Words: 899 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Red Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

...The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby gives the readers a visual image of every character’s life by expressing their feelings; the colors are used very often as symbols that depict the person’s character and represents their behavior. The author utilized the colors white, green, red, blue, yellow, and gold. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock is symbolic to the limitless promise of the dream Gatsby pursues. “Gatsby believed in the green light with such intensity that he did not realize his immature dream was unattainable from the start.”(Fitzgerald) Gatsby, was hoping that his American Dream would come true, it was his inspiration, his hope, and, ironically, his death and downfall. he was expecting to get married...

Words: 1674 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Green Light In The Great Gatsby

...such great meaning? When is wishing on a star different than wishing on a rock? What has to happen in order to make an object have meaning? What makes a star more important than a rock, or a green light at the end of a dock? In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the green light and the eyes of T.J. Eckleburg are symbolically different for everyone in the novel. The green light that appears at the end of Daisy Buchanan's dock represents Gatsby’s hopes and wishes. "He stretched out his arms towards the dark water in a curious way..."(Fitzgerald 20). Gatsby is seen reaching out towards the green light,...

Words: 1494 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

What Did The Green Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

...The American Dream F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote “The Great Gatsby” symbolizing a few different topics. Many people who read the book gather different perspectives on what the it is symbolizing. When I read “The Great Gatsby” I gathered the impression that Fitzgerald was trying to symbolize the American Dream which was a very common dream during this time period. The American Dream meant that life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. Even though The Great Gatsby is a superlative fiction novel that symbolizes many different qualities of the life, the American Dream is symbolized the most through color representation, physical attributes, and the personalities of the...

Words: 939 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Inequality In The Great Gatsby

...When we first meet Gatsby he gazing off at the green light on the end of Daisy's doc across the bay reach out as if he he could physically grab it. The meaning behind this light changes as the Gatsby himself evolves. In the beginning the green light symbolizes Gatsby's dreams of being reunited with his love Daisy. Fitzgerald colored the light green as if to associate it with the meaning begin or start. Giving it more of a positive connotation.When Gatsby starts to realize that his perception of Daisy is turning out to be more of an allusion the meaning behind the light seems to change. In Gatsby's mind Daisy was the embodiment of perfection .She was rich, beautiful, elegant and charming. Because of Gatsby’s social status when he first met her, he was unable to marry her. Instead she married Tom Buchanan, a man who was well of in life. Daisy is the symbol of all what Gatsby strives for. Blinded by love Gatsby does not see that all Daisy cares about is money and her social status. Daisy as a character represents the corruption that wealth brings. As Gatsby's dream falls apart the light shifts from being just Gatsby's dream to symbolizing the whole Dream itselfs. The light is fleeting and impossible to obtain...

Words: 610 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Green Light In The Great Gatsby

...The Green Light Strengthens the Theme of the Story “People want the dream-what they can't have. The more unattainable, the more attractive” (Buffy the Vampire). The book, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has many significant elements and components throughout the story to enhance the theme, however, throughout the story, one of the most prominent, is the Green Light. The green light aids the theme of “when in love, one must suffer”. The light symbolizes an unattainable dream of true love between Gatsby and Daisy, as well as the sense of hope it gave Gatsby about Daisy, as she will remain in his life for as long as the light shines. The shining, green light across the bay, is a symbolical figure for Daisy, giving Gatsby a...

Words: 871 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Color in the Great Gastby

...The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald Chapter 6 Color Analysis May 24, 2011 Jay Gatsby | -“torn green jersey” (104): The color green symbolizes wealth and money. At this time in the book, Gatsby is working for Dan Cody, the guy who greatly supplies his wealth. The fact that the jersey is torn signifies the hard work that Gatsby demonstrates which then leads to him reaping the benefits of hard work. This section furthers to talk about his parents and how they were “unsuccessful farm people” also that Gatsby “was a son of God.” This is to say that although Gatsby’s parents were hard workers, they were unsuccessful in reaching their ideal “American dream”. Gatsby is currently making those dreams happen. He was helping to complete his father’s business, and is therefore relatively “a son of God.”---- The green jersey also symbolizes the new life that he yearns for that is full of wealth. Right at this stage in the book, Gatsby is called different names: Gatsby, James Gats, Jay Gatsby, young Gats: Each name recognizes a different stages of growth towards the Wealthy life.-“His brown, hardened body lived naturally through the half fierce, half lazy work of the bracing days.” (104): Brown is the color of earth, and of “getting down and dirty”. It further symbolizes the humility Gatsby underwent while with Dan Cody. Because the idea of wealth plagued Gatsby (“his heart was in a constant turbulent riot.”), he reaped the fruit of his labor as discussed with the color change discussed...

Words: 1593 - Pages: 7