What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

The above excerpt is from the final paragraph in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Jay Gatsby, the titular character, is a fabulously wealthy yet deeply flawed man. Despite Gatsby's flaws, his extraordinary optimism and dedication towards his dreams make him “great” in the eyes of Nick, the protagonist. Upon Gatsby's death, a devastated Nick ventures out upon Gatsby's beach and looks up at the stars with reflective melancholy. Nick muses that our struggle towards our dreams is universal and envisions people as “boats moving against the current”. Thus, The Great Gatsby is established as a universal tale of human aspiration and it's folly.
Fitzgerald uses various poetic devices including symbolism and metaphor to effectively

convey the futility in pursuing an unattainable dream.

Various symbols are used in the novel to solidify themes and represent abstract concepts. A recurring and well-known symbol is “the green light” which symbolizes all which Gatsby yearns-- his hopes, dreams and the future he seeks. In the final paragraph, Fitzgerald also refers to the green light as “the orgastic future”, which serves as a carnal metaphor. The sexual nature of the diction suggests Gatsby's pursuit is merely an act of seduction. Gatsby is driven by a lustful desire to pursue “the green light”, an elusive future. His lust drives him to employ various tools of treachery and deceit to seduce the future he seeks. Ultimately, Gatsby fails and instead meets a disastrous end. Thus, the novel serves as a cautionary tale warning readers against the pitfalls of chasing unattainable dreams. Furthermore, Fitzgerald uses the metaphor “boats against the current” to represent an individual's struggle towards their dreams and the hindrances one faces. Each individual boat may represent a person in constant battle against the tide. The phrase strongly juxtaposes

the earlier optimism of the narrator, “tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms further”. The contrast serves to emphasize the futility of chasing elusive dreams. Despite one's dedication and persistence towards the goal, the end is inevitable. As humans we continue to fight against the current until we can't any longer, eventually succumbing to the tide. Thus, the boats metaphor is used to caution readers against the frivolity of pursuing an unreachable goal. Fitzgerald's use of symbolism and metaphor are crucial to developing poetic intensity in the final passage, thereby eloquently conveying a cautionary message against the folly of human aspiration.
Fitzgerald asserts The Great Gatsby is a universal tale of human aspiration by using particular diction and literary devices to emphasize the communal struggle of mankind towards their dreams.

Fitzgerald uses a pronoun shift to effectively transition the emphasis from Gatsby to “us”, thereby applying Gatsby's struggles to all of humanity. Initially, Gatsby's desires and his ardent pursuit of “the green light” is the topic of focus. However the focus quickly shifts allowing Fitzgerald's philosophy to be applied to a greater mass. Ultimately, Gatsby suffers a tragic downfall. Thus, by deviating the topic of emphasis, Fitzgerald cautions readers against the peril of chasing an elusive dream. Furthermore, Fitzgerald's use of indefinite pronouns such as “us” and “we” suggests we are united in our trials “against the current”. His repetitive use of indefinite pronouns emphasizes our shared struggle. Together we face adversity, together “we beat on”. The repetition is effective in engaging the reader and adds rhythm to the passage thereby giving it a poetic quality. Parallel structure is also used in the same line with progressive words such as “faster” and “further” to stress the importance of progress towards one's dreams. Yet the optimism is hindered by the “boats against the current” analogy which warns that the end is inevitable. Furthermore, Fitzgerald uses aposiopesis in the passage to leave the end to the reader's imagination. The syntax is instrumental in demonstrating

an abrupt change in thought, and gives a sense of urgency.. Fitzgerald uses a harsh stop, “[i]t eluded us then but that's no matter--”, to stress the importance of human optimism as we continue to “run faster” and “stretch our arms further”. By using a sharp break, Fitzgerald places greater importance upon the later discourse, thereby emphasizing our universal optimism and perseverance towards our goals. Later, Fitzgerald uses a harsh stop, “[a]nd one fine morning--” to emphasize that one day we wake up to realize our dreams are nothing but an illusion, a mirage. Until then, “we beat on”. In conclusion, Fitzgerald uses powerful literary tools and poetic devices to establish The Great Gatsby as a universal tale of human aspiration and the communal struggle of mankind towards our dreams. The novel's final words caution against the folly of human aspiration and warn readers against the dangers in pursuing unattainable dreams.