What Does The Green Light Symbolize In The Great Gatsby?

Green Light in the Great Gatsby – Explaining the Symbolism

Great Gatsby is a classic written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Though the story is very well written and properly framed, readers often fail to analyze the real meaning and confuse it with being based on everything shimmery and glamorous. But the story goes way beyond that. The book narrates the journey of Jay Gatsby from rags to riches, finding his lady love, and then, ultimately, his demise.

The story is extremely well-built and uses several symbolisms to better impact the readers. The literary devices used in the story help the readers build a better image of the story's plot and comprehend it in the right way. But a lot depends on the readers' analytical power when it comes to understanding the real essence of a literary piece. In the case of 'Great Gatsby, ' the symbol of the green light is very significant to have the real essence of the story and also to frame better answers related to the story.

This blog is here to give you a detailed analysis of the same. But before that, let's go through the highlighting points of the story once. Although you already know the story, this quick revision will bring in new fresh thoughts and help you understand the analysis better.

A Brief Summary of the Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby was initially published in 1925 and is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's experiences during the Jazz Age of the 1920s. It portrays the lavish lifestyle and indulgence of the era through characters residing in the imaginary communities of West Egg and East Egg on Long Island. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and readers upon its release, it is now considered one of the greatest American novels by contemporary scholars. In fact, it was ranked second on the Modern Library's list of the best English-language books of the 20th century in 1998.

The narrator, Nick Carraway, moves to Long Island after serving in World War I. Despite being from Minnesota, he feels restless after the war and believes that the East Coast is more exciting and captivating than the Midwest.

Nick moves to the fictional town of "West Egg" and begins his career as a bond salesman. He reconnects with his distant cousin, Daisy, and her successful businessman husband, Tom Buchanan, who come from wealthy families. Nick also befriends Jordan Baker, a female professional golfer. Tom and Daisy live in the more affluent "old money" area of East Egg, while West Egg is home to individuals with "new money." Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson's wife and one of Tom's mistresses, is married to the owner of a petrol station and an auto dealership.

One evening, Nick meets his wealthy neighbor Jay Gatsby, who has few close friends despite throwing expensive parties at his mansion. During a party, Jordan informs Nick that Gatsby and Daisy had a past romantic relationship and asks for Nick's help in bringing them back together.

Early on, Tom realizes that Gatsby and Daisy are having an affair. He dislikes Gatsby and tells Daisy that he's a thief. While it's true that Gatsby isn't from a wealthy family, he's a self-employed smuggler of spirits from the Midwest. When Daisy and Gatsby drive away, they accidentally hit and kill Myrtle. Later, Tom convinces George that Gatsby was driving the car. When George kills Gatsby and then himself, none of Gatsby's party guests or associates show up for his funeral. Nick feels let down and decides to go back to the Midwest.

The 7 Major Themes of The Great Gatsby

1. Money and Materialism

Money and a materialistic mindset are one of the major themes of 'Great Gatsby.' More or less, every character in the story is kind of obsessed with money. This is true irrespective of whether the character enjoys inherited wealth or they have, over time, acquired the wealth.

1. Society and Class System

The story shows the difference in the lifestyles of people from two different social classes. The lifestyles of the wealthy people, who live on Long Island and have easy access to commute to Manhattan, are vastly different from those of the working class, who are confined to Queens.

1. American Dream

The American Dream is the notion that, with enough effort and willpower, anyone can succeed in America and achieve fame, money, and success. Here Jay Gatsby can be considered an example of that dream.

1. Love and Relationships

Out of the five significant relationships and affairs in the book, only Tom and Daisy's marriage endures. All of the main characters are motivated by love, want, or both. Even then, a lot of events in the story revolve around these relationships.

1. Failure and Death

The book has a somber and introspective tone because Nick narrates the story of Gatsby two years after the events, fully aware of the tragic fate that awaits Gatsby, Myrtle, and George.

With this information, it will be easier for you to understand the symbolism of the green light in the story. But before that, you have to understand what symbolism is.

What is Symbolism?

The principle of symbolism suggests that certain things can represent other things. For example, the color red can signify passion, love, or devotion. It could also represent infidelity or blood, indicating stopping at a traffic light. In some cases, it may even be associated with communism.

Now you may wonder whether there is a set of symbols that carry universal meanings. While it's true that white is often associated with purity and innocence, it's important to note that it can also represent paleness, bloodlessness, and even death. It's important to delve deeper into the literature to fully understand the symbolism at play.

For example, the storm approaching in the distance could symbolize the main character's emotional turmoil. Similarly, the main character's black car may foreshadow his impending death. However, it's important to remember that sometimes a storm is simply bad weather and should not be interpreted as a symbol.

Here are a few more examples to help you understand symbolism better –

• The metaphor of comparing life to a rollercoaster highlights the similarities between the highs and lows of both experiences. Even though there are many differences between the two, the symbolism remains the same.
• You are a hero, embodying one of the most common archetypes (a type of symbolism). Typically, a fictional character starts out in a normal setting before being called to embark on an adventure. Through facing their biggest fear, they undergo a transformation during a climactic battle towards the end of the story.

The Symbolic Literature of Green Light in Great Gatsby

Green Light from Chapter 1 –

In the opening chapter of the book, the image of the green light at the end of Daisy's dock is

Introduced for the first time, Gatsby is depicted as reaching out his arms as if trying to grasp something, even before we are formally introduced to him. The appearance of the green light is especially fascinating due to its mysterious quality. Nick seems unsure of the light's exact location or purpose.

The mysterious green light's arrival is intriguing due to its enigmatic nature. Nick appears unsure of its location and purpose. The light is described as extremely small, almost insignificant, and surprisingly distant despite being limited by the bay's breadth. Though we later discover that the light is always on, Nick only seems to see it when Gatsby points in its direction. Once Gatsby departs, Nick is left in darkness...”

The novel effectively uses the ambiguity and mystique of light to symbolize not only the physical object, but also an idea within the story. In the next section of this essay, I will provide further details about the plan.

Green Light in Chapter 5

When Gatsby takes Daisy on a tour of his estate in chapter five, which happens to be the exact halfway point of the book, we are again confronted with the image of the green light. However, it appears vastly different this time than when we were first introduced to it. The green light no longer holds the same enchantment or symbolic value as before, and Gatsby no longer feels the need to reach out to it as he is now physically close to Daisy. This second appearance of the green light is equally as important as the first.

It's disheartening that the symbolic importance of the green light has been lost. Gatsby doesn't seem to care when Daisy puts her arm around him because he's too focused on the fact that obtaining the green light has become ordinary. It's worth considering how many special things we have in our lives, especially since Nick believes that Gatsby has fewer of them now. Is this a cause for sadness?

Green Light in Chapter 9

By now, the green light has completely vanished from sight. Gatsby has passed away, and Daisy is gone forever. Nick has left Long Island, and the green light only exists in memories and philosophical ponderings. It has become nothing more than a symbol.

However, it is not the same intimate symbol as it was in the beginning. Notice how Nick's language changes from referring to the green light as "something Gatsby believed in" to use it as inspiration for all of us. Now, we all reach our arms towards this symbol, hoping to achieve it soon. Gatsby is not alone in his pursuit anymore.

The green light, which initially represented Gatsby's aspirations to be with Daisy again and relive their past love, has lost its symbolic significance throughout the book. Gatsby's deluded belief that he could ignore five years of events and Daisy's personality to acquire what he wants is revealed as his dream. As a result, the green light is no longer something exclusive to Gatsby but has become a universal symbol of unattainable dreams that everyone hopes to achieve.

Nick's language also changes from referring to the green light as "something Gatsby believed in" to use it as inspiration for all of us, indicating that Gatsby is no longer alone in his pursuit.