Essay On Green Light In The Great Gatsby

Gatsby's Green Light: The American Dream

As Nick Carraway mused, "Each night [Gatsby] added to the pattern of his fancies until drowsiness closed down upon some vivid scene with an oblivious embrace. For a while these reveries provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality" (Fitzgerald 99). As this quote illustrates, Jay Gatsby was a daydreamer who spent most of his early life inventing a new image for himself and tweaking it until it perfectly fit his ideal self that he imagined. His drive to become the perfect man of wealth, chivalry, and loyalty stemmed from his obsession with Daisy Buchanan, his former love. While chasing his dreams, Jay Gatsby constantly sought for a green light; which

stood as a beacon for hope that one day he would have a life with Daisy and a luxurious lifestyle. Writer Adam Cohen addressed this characteristic of Jay Gatsby when he wrote about him in a New York Times article; in which he focused on the ways that he fully encompassed the messy glory of America through his pursuit of his green light.

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby epitomized the American Dream due to his constant pursuit of his dreams and his belief in the impossible, which he perpetually strived to achieve by overlooking

the corrupt nature of the world around him.
Jay Gatsby embodied the messy glory of the American Dream because his rise to the top came about through illegal business, but despite the setbacks he faced, he exemplified extreme determination by ceaselessly working towards his dreams and the green light. The steps which he took to acquire his wealth and lifestyle often hurt the people around him, as he moved about in a reckless and dangerous manner. This ultimately caused his demise and left him unable to achieve his American Dream. Although Jay Gatsby often portrayed careless characteristics, his messy way of reaching his dreams mirrored that of most Americans; by incorporating the corruption of business into their lives and helping to further its reach, they became seemingly closer and closer to their American Dream, their green light. Like everyone who comes to America in pursuit of their dreams, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms farther" (180). As referenced in this quote, this belief that most Americans possess, that they can achieve all of their hopes and dreams if they continue to work hard for it, is present in Jay Gatsby's character. His most prominent characteristic was his ability to make people feel important, this understanding that he had of others spawned from his charm which he cultivated in order to run his business successfully. This endearing charm is best represented by Nick's statement that, "[his smile] faced- or seemed to face- the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor." (48). Jay Gatsby's ability to boost people around him' self confidence was just like that of the corrupt business leaders in current times, he made others feel important, which boosted their business and helped him prosper economically and climb the ladder while stepping on others; similarly to the top businessmen in America today. His passion for Daisy and his dreams is illustrated by his consistent drive to achieve his goals. His dreams of achieving the American Dream helped the fire inside him that fueled his drive burn. Gatsby became so close to his dream and Nick said, "I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock...his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him" (180). Like many Americans these days, Jay Gatsby put so much of his life into achieving his dream, that by the time he had reached his original green light his hopes had already evolved past that light. People's hopes and dreams evolve over time, making it nearly impossible for people to achieve the American Dream because their individual dreams are constantly changing, and by the time people achieve their dreams they've already formed a new one which is harder to reach. Gatsby's story is a typical story of the American idealist who yearns to achieve the American Dream but falls short and ends up living an unfulfilling life because they based their happiness entirely on the achievement of their dreams.
Jay Gatsby perfectly embodied America and the pursuit of the American Dream, in his journey to achieve his goals and reinvent himself.

Just like many people who venture to America to find business, he saw the corruption around him, but continued to strive for his dreams and truly believed that he could achieve the American Dream of success and achieve his green light. Similarly to Gatsby, my dad has worked his entire life towards the American Dream; he moved to America after college to pursue the success and wealth that many people achieve here, and has worked his entire life to create an ideal situation for my family and to achieve his dreams. In both my dad and Jay Gatsby, this concept of the American Dream and the green light showcases the hope that people like Gatsby see in America, and proves the blind faith that many Americans have in the value of hard work and perseverance, which leads to achieving the coveted American Dream. Jay Gatsby is the perfect representation of America, because although on the outside, he was corrupt and successful, underneath he was still a young man working hard for his dreams and doing everything that he could to reach his green

light.