15235 Mrs. Harper AP Literature 14 March 2014 Symbolism Within Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby follows the path of a young man who claws his way from rags to riches in attempt to revel in the pleasures awarded to those born into the “superior” class. Throughout the novel, the titular protagonist endeavors to reclaim a lost love and throws lavish gatherings every weekend in hopes of crossing paths with his former lover. Fitzgerald’s employment of multiple symbols such as the green light, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and the swimming pool solidifies the theme that achieving the American Dream does not guarantee the happiness it promises and can ultimately lead to self-destruction. The green light that haunts Gatsby’s dreams and pushes him to remain hopeful to his re-acquaintance with his past lover Daisy emphasizes that the American Dream can prove to be destructive rather than jubilant. To Gatsby, the green light represents daisy and everything he hopes to obtain, succeeding in recapturing her heart would be fulfilling Gatsby’s adaptation of the American Dream. The green light’s first introduction in the novel arrives at the same time Nick first sees Gatsby on the lawn. Fitzgerald’s description of the distance between Gatsby and the light as “minute and far away” produces the image that it is near impossible for Gatsby to grasp, which will prove accurate for Gatsby later in the novel. Although the green light represents Gatsby’s desire to revive his and Daisy’s dormant love, it also signifies society’s insatiable aspiration of attaining the materialistic aspect of the American Dream. Five years previously, when Gatsby was a young penniless soldier and madly in love, Daisy was the epitome of materialistic and des... ... middle of paper ... ...ld warm world" when all his desires perished, and was incapable of finding another reason to continue living (161). Wilson's killing of Gatsby represents the death of his life long dream, however in one final attempt to fulfill his dream he allows himself to be murdered in Daisy's place. Gatsby’s careless lounging in a pool that has gone unused all summer symbolizes his acceptance of the fate that awaits him. Up until his dying breath Gatsby remains a dreamer despite his defeat. The symbols that encompass the novel underscore the theme that the American Dream, corrupt and unjust, eventually concludes in anguish. Money, greed, and lust overtake everything in their lives to the point of nothing else being of importance. The characters in this novel lost themselves to a fruitless dream that eventually brought and end to the “holocaust” that embodied their lives (162).
By acknowledging Gatsby’s fixation for his future with Daisy, Nick conjoins Gatsby’s boundless desperation with the novel’s theme that the power of hope cannot determine a dream, or in this case, Gatsby’s dream. Because he is so consumed with his delusion, Gatsby does not realize that his dream is unreachable whereas no amount or power of hope can create his perfected fantasy of the future. In continuation to the green light’s relationship with the theme, not only does the green light illustrate Gatsby’s desperation for the dream but the light furthermore acts as a symbol of Gatsby’s hope for the future. Gatsby’s longing for the light affirms and “embodies the profound naïveté of Gatsby’s sense of the future” as he pursues this unattainable relationship
out towards a green light. At the time it is not revealed to us that this
In novels, the use of symbols makes the story interesting and essential to the readers. Symbols are messages that the author uses to communicate with the reader for a deeper understanding, although sometimes it can only be discovered if analyzed. Fitzgerald connects the different symbols throughout the novel to pinpoint an elaborate meaning towards the story yet it does indicate a pleasant meaning. A symbol such as “color” or “money” can be less complex than it seems. Whereas a symbol as complicated as the “eye” can mean more than it’s suggested for. Throughout The Great Gatsby symbolism represent color, the existence of eyes and money.
During the course of the novel, Gatsby’s dream is revealed to be delusional and unrealizable, so the symbolic meaning behind the green light collapses. Finally, as Gatsby’s dream is dashed, the green light stops being something that is his alone, and is a torch passed to us instead standing for the unreachable dream of an “orgastic future” that is constantly getting farther and farther away and that we keep trying to grab for. Gatsby has spent his whole life longing for something better. Money, success, acceptance, and Daisy. And no matter how much he has he never feels complete. Even when he has his large house full of interesting people and all of their attention, he still longs for Daisy. He created in his dreams for the future a place for her, and he will not be content to have that gaping hole. So the green light stands for all of Gatsby 's longings and wants. The American dream was initially about individualism, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In the novel, dishonesty and greed have corrupted this ideal, and this is shown through the life of Gatsby, who’s dream to be with Daisy is ruined by the differences in social and economic statuses between them, and rampant materialism in her life. As Gatsby’s dream vanishes and is no longer a possibility the green light vanishes as well.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is about a man named Gatsby and his struggle to attain the American Dream in 1920’s Long Island. He fights to get his dream woman and to do so, he must first become rich. Unfortunately, he doesn’t really go about it the right way; he takes part in some illegal activities with some quite sinister characters, such as Meyer Wolfshiem. The corruption of Gatsby’s dream and his struggle to attain his dream are shown by F. Scott Fitzgerald through the use of symbolism, such as Gatsby’s car, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, and Gatsby stretching his arms out towards the green light across the bay.
The Great Gatsby is about the wealthy Jay Gatsby who is in pursuit of reconquering Daisy Buchanan’s love. Each of the character’s decaying morality, however, has led to the collapse of the American dream like that of Gatsby’s. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scotts Fitzgerald manifests the religious aspects and symbols of degeneration throughout the Roaring Twenties.
One day Nick and Gatsby are invited to lunch with Daisy and Tom and the group end up going to the city to escape the bore of the incredible August heat. The heat is causing tensions to rise and at one point Gatsby explodes at Tom saying how Daisy loves him and how she has actually never loved Tom. Tom does not believe a single word and both look to Daisy for approval. When Daisy is unable to choose between the two Tom suggests that they be on their way home. Once Gatsby gets home he anxiously waits for Daisy’s call to confirm that she has explained to Tom how she never loved him and she was ready to be with Gatsby again. Only the call never came. Nick goes to Gatsby’s house to inquire his next move. He narrates “No telephone message arrived, I had the idea that Gatsby himself didn’t believe it would come, and perhaps he no longer cared”(161). This is a colossal turning point in the book because it shows just how impossible the American dream is to achieve. Gatsby, the literal impersonation of the dream has failed to obtain his own dream. The realization that he will never get the call is completely contradictory to his previous belief that he is could not possibly fail with his ability to change the past. Now that Gatsby’s entire life’s work is purposeless his death is easily foreshadowed. Fitzgerald
“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 out our arms farther. And then one fine morning— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (180). Situated at the end of Daisy’s East Egg dock and barely visible from Gatsby’s West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and in Chapter 1 he reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal. Fitzgerald illustrates Daisy as a symbol of wealth, success, dreams, beauty, marriage, motherhood, and she ultimately encompasses the idealistic American Dream. However, t...
Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby - Symbolism and the Truth That Lies Between
Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Symbolism is what makes a story complete. In "The Great Gatsby" Fitzgerald cleverly uses symbolism. Virtually anything in the novel can be taken as a symbol, from the weather, to the colors of clothing. characters wear. There are three main symbols used in The Great Gatsby, they are The East and West Egg, the green light at the end of Daisy's dock, and the eyes of Dr.T.J. Eckleburg.
What is unknown is often talked about as being mysterious, perhaps even ominous. Naturally, many people become curious and want to find out what lurks about in the dark and be able to say that they know what others do not. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, the main character, Jay Gatsby is quite enigmatic. Seclusion and isolation are well known to Gatsby, especially when it comes to his personal life and his history. Throughout the novel, except when with Nick or Daisy, Gatsby asserts himself as an observer, who would rather watch others than to join in with the crowd.
Furthermore, Daisy’s decision to go along with Tom’s plan and allow Wilson to kill Gatsby exemplifies the power of the desire to have a purpose. This can be seen from Nick’s description of his view of Daisy and Tom, which was that “there was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together” (145). The day after Nick saw them conspiring, Gatsby was killed by Wilson, who somehow found out that Gatsby owned the yellow car. Daisy’s agreement with Tom’s idea to have Gatsby killed demonstrates her lack of value for human life. In addition, it shows the recklessness with which Daisy lived, which was a symptom of her not having a purpose in life.
The American Dream is about happiness, hope, and love. The American Dream is about making unattainable dreams or goals coming true of the Great Gatsby characters. Symbolizes the basis of an old dream as it is an incredible goal and constant search for the opportunity to reach for the goal. It can never be satisfied and will always strive for something more than what they already have. Nick wants a new beginning and happiness for everyone, Gatsby hopes Daisy would fall in love with him again, and Daisy wants to love Gatsby more than Tom Buchanan.
Though success lies at the heart of the American dream, Fitzgerald deftly portrays the ease with which this sacred idea can become tainted by commenting on the corruption of wealth. Gatsby exemplifies the American dream in his ideals, in this case the desire for success and self-substantiation; however, this dream become corrupted because he is not able to distinguish the acquisition of wealth from the pursuit of his dream, embodied by Daisy, and is tainted by the illicit foundations of his wealth as well as his desires for an unsuitable married woman. Fitzgerald uses the symbol of the green light at the beginning of the novel to represent Gatsby’s dream and even uses the light to introduce him for the first time. “He [Gatsby] stretched his arms out towards the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward- and distinguished nothing but a single green light, minute and far away”(Fitzgerald 26). The author uses the light to represent the American dream; initially the color green represented fertility, which plays a prominent role in the dream, but as the story progresses the green light grows to symbolize money. In his essay “Money, Love, and Aspiration”, Roger Lewis discusses the means by which Gatsby amasses his wealth and poisons his dream.
The idea of the American Dream is achievable although most often is hard to accomplish and everyone’s own interpretations and expectations make it a near impossible task. Social class and status is also emphasized through the barrier that exists between East Egg and West Egg which symbolise “old money” and “new money” effectively, and the corruption of morals as witnessed and expressed by the narration of Nick Carraway. Fitzgerald shows that for all the lavishness of society there is ultimately unfulfilled dreams, corruption and separation, and in the case of Gatsby a tragic end to a tragic hero of the lower class. “Show me a hero and I 'll write you a tragedy” F. Scott Fitzgerald