Great Gatsby Passage Analysis Essay

Submitted By brycec23
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1. “Green Light” Chapter 1, page 19
"… He stretched his arms out toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock."
2. “Social classes” Chapter 2, page 20
”This is a valley of ashes — a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air."
3. “Misconception” Chapter 2 page 29
"I married him because I thought he was a gentleman . . . I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe.
4. “Smile” Chapter 3, page 39
“He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it that you may come across four or five times in life.”

1. In the end of the first chapter, this event occurs as Gatsby is reaches out to the green light. The green light is located where Daisy's currently is. He reaches out because he wants her, and the relationship he would love to renew. The trembling that ensues in my opinion is his unsure nature of whether Gatsby wanted to dive back in the relationship that was ended when he left for war leaving him heartbroken. But, because the light is so far away, it is a significant symbol that foreshadows how Gatsby cannot ever have her as his girlfriend or spouse.
2. Starting off the second chapter opens with a vivid quote full of imagery of the Valley of Ashes and how it signifies poverty and desperateness. The lower classes who inhibit this region all want to escape but they cannot. This illustrates how the American Dream is impossible to achieve. This correlates to almost every major city in the United States. There are the extremely wealthy individuals like those from the East and West Egg. Also, there are those just like in the book live in complete poverty and don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Having these two distinct social classes as well in real life also shows that unless you’re born from riches the American Dream is a long shot to obtain.

3. In this quote Myrtle is referring to her husband George B. Wilson. Myrtle is a woman from a lower class who is urgently desiring to be in the higher classes. She married George thinking that he would be all rich and important (the references to him being a "gentleman" and knowing "something about
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