GG the way to go Essay

Submitted By ggtheway
Words: 691
Pages: 3
Open Document
One of the key symbols in “The Great Gatsby” is the green light. This multi-faceted piece of symbolism is exploited by author F.Scott Fitzgerald who uses it to construct the traits, actions and goals of major characters in his novel. 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. Daisy Buchanan is part of his dream as he strives to win her back and recapture their lost love. Gatsby’s failure to do so reiterates the illusionary future that the green light represents. The green light is first mentioned in chapter one of the novel. Narrator Nick Carraway sees Gatsby stretching his arms out towards the water. When Nick investigates the reason for Gatsby’s action he sees “nothing except a single green light, minute and far away” (p. ). The light at which Gatsby gazes so wistfully across the water represents his unattainable and illusive dream. For Gatsby, it is a beacon, a north star that points to his great love, Daisy. The green light’s significance for Gatsby is later evident when, standing with Daisy at one of the windows in his mansion, he remarks "You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock" (p. ). Gatsby’s belief in the green light made his dream seem attainable. FIX… However, upon meeting Daisy again, after a five-year separation, Gatsby discovers that sometimes attaining a desired object can bring a sense of loss rather than fulfilment. It is when Gatsby makes this discovery that the green light is no longer the central image of a great dream.
Since parting from Diasy, recapturing their past love has been the focus of Gatsby’s life. However, despite his wealth and extensive possessions he still longs for Daisy. Therefore, the green light stands for all of Gatsby's longings and wants. Gatsby is also portrayed as an optimistic character, however, it is clear that he is focused do much on pursuing his dream, when in reality, that dream is moving further and further away. This is shown in the last page of the novel, when Nick states. “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes us.” This quote page 94exhibits the illusionary nature of the green light, and Gatsby’s stubbornness to continue to believe that he and Daisy will be together, when in actual fact, they are moving further and further away from each other.
Throughout the book, Fitzgerald uses the green light to symbolise Gatsby’s goal of achieving Daisy. However, once
Show More

Related Documents: GG the way to go Essay

Star of the Sea, what kind of man is Lord Kingscourt Essay

turned bankrupt, land owner and his family who flee to America, the promised land, in search of a new life. They are joined on this journey by a range of other passengers whose previous lives are in entwined together in a past that won’t let them go. The book has been written as…

Words 2084 - Pages 9

Figurative Language

the two loves, comfort and despair, to two spirits. On a, somehow, even deeper level of literary language the whole poem is one huge, in a way, metaphor as the poem describes these two spirits, or voices, in which the evil spirit, a woman “colour’d ill”, is trying to woo the good spirit, a man “right fair”, to switch to the “dark side” so that the author can go to hell. This is a situation in which…

Words 180 - Pages 1

Separation of Powers Essay

Politics and Law Study Notes Constitution Constitution: a written document outlining the process, principles and procedures of government Federal constitution: a written document that defines the official powers and regulations involving state and central governments Key Features (generally) * Codification: USA = codified (written in a single document), Saudi Arabia = un-codified (fully written, multiple documents), UK = un-codified (some unwritten conventions) * Entrenchment: if entrenched…

Words 5525 - Pages 23

Christopher Columbus Research Paper

to find a safer way to India. They were making a safer way to India because you can only use the silk road. It cost a lot to go in and the second thing is they needed to get half of what they had. There were lots of bandits in the process to shift things.Then he began to ask the queen and king of Spain for a sponsor. It took him years and years. Finally, the queen and the king finally gave him a sponsor to make a safer way to India. When he found the new land he got the three gg. Which were god,…

Words 454 - Pages 2

Final Paper English 101

Spenserian sonnet, and the English (Shakespearean) sonnet. In a sonnet, you show two related but differing things to the reader in order to communicate something about them. Each of the three major types of sonnets accomplishes this in a different way. There are, of course, other types of sonnets as well. In class, we have focused mostly on the English or Shakespearean form which will be mentioned in the following paragraphs. In shakespearean sonnets, the scheme is very important and gives the sonnets…

Words 1912 - Pages 8

global warming Essay

absorbing IR & UV. They transmit visible light. Other planets Venus – 10 x denser – 700 – 800 * F Mars – thin atmosphere Trapped infrared light When IR attempts to radiate back, much is trapped by GG and warms Earth’s lower surface Earth avg. temperature is 45* F with GG Would be 10-20 * F without GG As greenhouse gasses are emitted into the atmosphere by humans, the average temperature will rise. 02 - Human Activity & The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Indisputable…

Words 2664 - Pages 11

Solitary Confinement Research Paper

victims who have been in solitary confinement. We apply the right resources to help inmates in various places. We can change the viewpoint of solitary confinement and show everyone there could be other ways to reform inmates. According to the article “A case study of solitary confinement,” it states, “ways to motivate incarcerated persons to engage in programming and mental health care.” This shows how there could be programs put together to help inmates do better in prison instead of constantly putting…

Words 1152 - Pages 5

Essay on Sonnet: Poetry and Sonnet

unstressed. Lines four and eleven are perfect patterns of alliterations. Line four states “If hair be wires, black wires grow on her head.” The same “h” consonant is revealed, as well as in lines eleven, the hard “g” in the words grant, goddess, and go. Overall I fell that Shakespeare might have used these sounds patterns in his sonnet to give readers an enhanced image of what his disgusted mistress looks like. There were a few words in this sonnet that I didn’t understand such as “reeks.” According…

Words 932 - Pages 4

Doctor Who modern era Essay

the metaphor of rhyme scheme as “Sandals more interwoven and complete / to fit the naked foot of poesy” (5/6), suggesting something not oppressive but rather useful, and perhaps beautiful. Sandals are protection for that “naked foot,” allowing it to go places it might not otherwise be able. The speaker goes on to argue that the careful inspection and measurement of the mechanics of the poem and attention to every detail is needed to create a rhyme scheme, or sandals, which are fit for poesy. Poesy’s…

Words 963 - Pages 4

jamie oliver spoken language Essay

lmknjhbgvfdcfvghnjmk,l nbcfvgbhnjmk,mjnhbgvfdcfghnjmk,kmjnhbgvfdcfvghnjmjnhbgvfxsdcfvgbhn jmnbvcfxdcf vfccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccjjdfijfgjhgfjhgfdjkg- fjkgfjkgfjfgjkgjgjjhfgdjjhfjfdgjjdfgfgdfgdfgd gfgffgdfgd fg g ggf g g g gg g g g g g g gg g g g g gf f hf f h g ffggmklmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm- mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm- mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm- mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm-…

Words 1801 - Pages 8