In the book The Great Gatsby, Scott F Fitzgerald uses the green light across the water as a symbol. This object symbolizes the main character, Gatsby, always trying to obtain his unreachable dream, which is an illusion of the American Dream.
To begin, Fitzgerald’s use of the green light is extremely powerful to the reader. The green light is initially introduced in chapter 1 when Gatsby is seen reaching out into the bay for this green light. The overall idea behind the symbol is it shows Gatsby’s dream of reuniting with Daisy and recreating the past that he misses. Although, the green light doesn’t only represent his romanticized dream. The symbol is also used to show Gatsby’s belief that the American Dream can be accomplished through determination. Throughout the book Gatsby throws these extravagant parties hoping that Daisy will turn up and they will reconnect. This summarizes the belief within Gatsby’s mind that his determination will help give him his goal. Overall, the green light represents the hope that Gatbsy has, yet it also shows how naive he is. Daisy is more of an accomplishment that he is working for instead of a person.
To continue, as the book moves on, the meaning and symbol of the green light shifts to a new idea. The meaning behind the green light moves toward a symbol of disillusionment for Gatbsy.
When Gatsby is finally reunited with Daisy, his idea in his head is diminished. His interaction with the woman shows that reality isn’t as much as he had imagined his dream scenario. She is married and doesn’t possess the same feelings as she did before. Eventually Gatsby realizes how far away the green light truly is, and that his American Dream did not meet his expectations. The idea of the green light is furthermore explored by the narrator, Nick. At the end of the book, Nick dives into his understanding of Gatsby and what he sees. By this time Nick has spent plenty of time with Gatsby and understands him as almost a brother. Nick tells us that Gatbsy had fantasized about his American Dream and manifested it over and over. But in the end, the green light was prominent as a false promise. No matter how hard one strives, some dreams remain unattainable. Ultimately, Fitzgerald uses the greenlight to critique the American Dream, using it to show that dreams can be crushed when they’re foundation is an illusion instead of reality.
Through the use of the green light, Fitzgerald illustrates the unfortunate destiny behind Gatsby’s dream, what once was a symbol of hope becomes a reminder of how far away hsi American Dream truly is.