Use Of Green Light In The Great Gatsby

The end of the first world war sparked the beginning of the Roaring 20’s, similar to the novel The Great Gatsby, and with it came the goal Americans strived for, The American Dream. The novel takes place in the 1920s and is narrated by the main character Nick Carraway. The novel focuses on the life of Gatsby and how he is on the quest of the The American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbols such as the green light, the yellow car and temperature to show mood, progression and ultimately failure in Gatsby’s quest for The American Dream. The theme is enforced by the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock which is used in the novel to represent Gatsby’s hope to be with Daisy and to eventually accomplish his dream. Gatsby’s yellow car is used

There are many pieces to Gatsby’s dream, he manages to attain all the pieces necessary besides the piece that is Daisy Buchanan, which Gatsby desperately needs to be happy. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock across the bay symbolizes the distance Gatsby must go to ultimately win over Daisy. An example from the novel showing Gatsby reaching for that last piece is when Nick states “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. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and faraway, that might have been the end of a dock.” (Fitzgerald 21-22). Gatsby is “stretched” for his dream which is the green light, but what Gatsby is not aware of is that the light is further than it seems and the level of difficulty Gatsby will need to win over Daisy and achieve his dream. The green light also represents society’s desire and the seemingly impossible to obtain materialistic American Dream. This is represented by the quote, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us,” (Fitzgerald 182), essentially a signal to go ahead. In society, a green light means go, [which is the same with

It is yellow because the colour yellow is the colour of life and happiness but it ultimately puts an end to Gatsby’s dreams. The yellow car shows accomplishment because cars were a luxury in the 20s, but a yellow car is a symbol of great Gatsby’s wealth. Given the setting and time that this novel takes place in, as recently as 1916, closed cars, such as the one belonging to Gatsby, were much more expensive compared to the open doored cars (Little). This quote simply helps to prove that Gatsby is flaunting his money with his closed door yellow car, this car is an excessive piece that contributes to his American Dream giving him a sense of progression and hope. Secondly there is when Daisy is driving herself and Gatsby back from New York after the argument, and Daisy hits and kills Myrtle Wilson. When Nick is talking to Gatsby after the incident, Gatsby already knows, “Was she killed? Yes.” (Fitzgerald 144), then Nick talks about Gatsby’s reaction, “He spoke as if Daisy’s reaction was the only thing that mattered.” (Fitzgerald 144). Given the situation in this scene, it demonstrates that Gatsby is so blinded by Daisy that he did not care about what happened to Myrtle, and he only cares what Daisy thinks and what Daisy thinks of him. This shows how determined Gatsby is with achieving The American Dream. Finally, Myrtle’s husband George Wilson tracks down the owner of the yellow car,