What do you think it represents?
What do you think it represents?
“the sense of being which in calm hours arises, we know not how, in the soul, is not diverse from things, from space, from light, from time, from man, but one with them and proceeds obviously from the same source.... Here is the fountain of action and of thought....
I'm too tired to go searching for the quote right now, but it is pretty much stated in the book (either chapter 5 or 6?) what the light represents. It's a good symbol - but not necessarily a deep one. More interesting in the story is the colour yellow - more subtle.
(The vagueness of this reply is due to the fact that I am not sure if you are just fishing for answers, or are genuinely interested in the topic: perhaps try initiating discussion with your own thoughts first).
I wrote a poem on a leaf and it blew away...
I am generally interested. I haven't read the book since high school, but I saw the new movie adaptation today (which I realize may be inaccurate of course).
From what I can remember, the green light represents a few things. 1) Money, and 2) his love for Daisy. Unfortunately, he thought he had to gain all this wealth to obtain her. He did have to, in fact, because she was naive, but the point is, why be in love with someone who considers money so important?
Then, he lost his temper with Tom (before the car accident), which cost him his chance with his love, so it makes me wonder what was more important to him in the end: wealth, due to his upbringing, or love, due to his dream of having her.
I'm going to pick up a copy in a few days and reread it, but if you could provide an example of the explanation (in ch 5 or 6), that would be much appreciated!
Last edited by hypatia_; 05-14-2013 at 10:57 PM.
“the sense of being which in calm hours arises, we know not how, in the soul, is not diverse from things, from space, from light, from time, from man, but one with them and proceeds obviously from the same source.... Here is the fountain of action and of thought....
Good idea. As for the light: it is gatsby reaching for the unattainable and intangible. It is the optimistic hope for what is past the light (daisy). The light seems to disappear after ch. 5 when he meets daisy for the first time in the novel, the symbol of hope dashed by crushing reali
Why a green light? Money is a possibility. Or the sickly colour of the contemptible world gatsby finds himself in.
I wrote a poem on a leaf and it blew away...
According to Kathleen Parkinson in her book 'The Great Gatsby: A critical Study', green is only one of a number of symbolic colours in the novel.Originally Posted by Charles Darnay
She interprets the colour green as representing growth and life. When, after a five-year separation, Gatsby finally meets Daisy again he makes reference to the green light and it's as if its magic had already begun to fade. As Nick notes...' he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.
Great writing by any standard.
"L'art de la statistique est de tirer des conclusions erronèes a partir de chiffres exacts." Napoléon Bonaparte.
"Je crois que beaucoup de gens sont dans cet état d’esprit: au fond, ils ne sentent pas concernés par l’Histoire. Mais pourtant, de temps à autre, l’Histoire pose sa main sur eux." Michel Houellebecq.
Gatsby holding his hands out to the green light demonstrates the dream of repeating the past with Daisy. Gatsby continues his unobtainable fantasy of winning over Daisy with over-the-top parties, despite knowing he will not be able to reach it, like the green light. "He stretched out his arms toward the dark water", Fitzgerald's use of the "dark water" symbolises the five year gap between Daisy and Gatsby's last meeting, but it is because of this gap that Gatsby cannot repeat the past and therefore not be able to reach the green light. Moreover, the green light is a symbol of money and wealth that fueled 1920's America as it began its age of consumerism. Gatsby came from new money and because of illegal means and therefore did not fit into the higher class because his wealth was not inherited like Daisy and Tom's. Even though Gatsby may have just as much affluence as Tom and Daisy, because of the different backgrounds, his wealth is not as legitimate as those who inherited from family.
In my opinion the light represents Gatsby's hopes and dreams referenced at the beginning of the novel when Nick first sees him, the light may have represented achieving Daisy and the upper class status that he would need in achieving her. Even when meeting Daisy again and the two staring out over the bay when he points out her house and the light it may be representative of him still yearning for Daisy but the Daisy that he built up and fabricated in his mind over the 5 years of absence and not the Daisy in the present who is now married and a mother. The light is referenced again at the end of the book when Nick reminisces of Gatsby's dream and attaining own personal goals and the overall American dream which many would have thought unattainable except Gatsby.
I think the light can be seen as an unobtainable dream of Gatsby's. it is generally accepted that the green light represents Gatsby's dream of daisy. however in the first chapter when nick sees the light he describes it as 'minute and far away' which is representative of how Gatsby never obtains his dream. the light could also represent money- hence the green colour- and by extension, the american dream. but its distance shows how unobtainable this is for the ordinary man or woman.
I think the green light symbolises the American Dream. At the beginning of the novel, Gatsby is standing at the dock, with his arms stretched out towards the American Dream. This symbolises him trying to attain it through his wealth and popularity. However, Gatsby's death represents that the American Dream is an unobtainable fantasy. Gatsby worked his way out of poverty to become a very rich man - which is the very ideals of the American Dream. However his death emphasises that no one can obtain the American Dream for long - it is a dream dreamt by the hopeless. This symbolism theoretically could foreshadow the Great Depression that followed soon after this was based.
When reading the first few chapters in ‘The Great Gatsby’, readers begin to question what the symbolic Green Light could represent. To begin with, we may imagine it to be a symbol of all the people that go to the ‘land for the free’ for the American Dream. Gatsby “trembling” whilst reaching out towards the green light, may represent what the people may have had to give up to move to America, so that they could reach this irresistible dream that everyone wanted. However, when the chapters progress, it started to create another interpretation whereby, the green light is at the end of the dock at Tom and Daisy’s house. This could represent the way Gatsby has the feelings of love towards Daisy and he is “trembling” because he knows that this is not a realistic dream he will be able to obtain; the dream being unrealistic however does not stop Gatsby from trying to get back the time he spent with Daisy in the past.
When reading the first few chapters in ‘The Great Gatsby’, readers begin to question what the symbolic Green Light could represent. To begin with, we may imagine it to be a symbol of all the people that go to the ‘land for the free’ for the American Dream. Gatsby “trembling” whilst reaching out towards the green light, may represent what the people may have had to give up to move to America, so that they could reach this irresistible dream that everyone wanted. However, when the chapters progress, it started to create another interpretation whereby, the green light is at the end of the dock at Tom and Daisy’s house. This could represent the way Gatsby has the feelings of love towards Daisy and he is “trembling” because he knows that this is not a realistic dream he will be able to obtain; the dream being unrealistic however does not stop Gatsby from trying to get back the time he spent with Daisy in the past.
Personally I believe that the green light represents Gatsbys resent and jealousy towards Tom and Daisy's marriage , the connotations of green give the reader a sense of growth and this idea of old and new money. Alternatively, the idea of the green light may represent Gatsby as being "outstretched" for Tom's wealth and status in order to gain Daisy'a approval. From this the social roles within a 1920s society have been reversed through Gatsby going against the dominant ideals of a male character, this may suggest the character of Gatsby represents all those who are an outcast from the societal upper class marriage/family. Furthermore, presenting Gatsbys plea for Daisy as being much more sympathetic as he could be seen to be a victim of Daisy's changing of character into a typical shallow 1920s hedonistic women controlling those with her beauty and charm. Fitzgerald may have presented this to show those reading that the green light is a microcosm for the societal flaws and the way in which they change character perception.
I believe that in the beginning of 'The Great Gatsby' the green light symbolises Gatsby's American Dream, and this could possibly be his dream of being back together with Daisy. He believes he can be together with Daisy how he used to be in the past, and build his way up to being with her, becoming new money and buying a house across the bay from her. However it could later represent the how unobtainable the American Dream is as in the end Daisy chose Tom amd his old money rather than being together again with Gatsby. Overall showing that now matter how hard you try to achieve the American Dream, it is unobtainable.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
