Symbolic Meaning of Green Light in The Great Gatsby

In the novel the "green light” appears three times, and respectively, the three positions are: in the beginning of the novel, in the midway and in the end. That is to say, the "green light" runs through the whole story as an important symbol, and gives us the appearance that Gatsby's fate has always been closely linked to it.

Fi rst the green light is the source of Gatsby’s faith and hope. Traditionally people always associate green with youth, vitality, spring and hope to contact. However, in this novel, Fitzgerald, the author, gave the green some new symbolic meanings .The "green light" is first seen in the end of the first chapter: “Involuntarily glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except single green light, minute and far way, that might have been the end of a dock.” Situated at the end of Daisy’s East Egg dock a nd barely visible from Gatsby’s West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future, for at that time Gatsby is only animpoverished retired soldier ,down-and-out, cannot afford even new clothes. Nevertheless he fall in love with Daisy and try to seek his fortune, hoping to match her status and to win her favor. Gatsby often stare at it in the alone night, and spread out his hands to embrace it, from which we can see the green light represents youth ,ambition and becomes the sy mbol of love. Gatsby’s faith comp lete rely on it; he reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead

him to his goal.

Second, the green light becomes the incarnate of Daisy. Gatsby regarded it as Daisy. For Gatsby, "he and Daisy are so far away, in contrast, the green light will appear from her very near, just like the moon next to a small stars Daisy snugly in Daisy's side”, his boundless miss and deep feelings for Daisy are on the green light, even the "arms creative passion into reverie, also continue to be dotted and rendering, with each floating feathers to decorate your dreams." At that time Daisy is so dignity, noble and unreachable, while he is humble and low. He has no chance to win her love back and be with her, so he images the green light as her lover and then he can see “her” whenever he misses her.

Third, the green light symbolizes the American dream. In this article the author mentioned the green light again at the end, thus corresponding with the beginning and the end, also, the author gives it more symbolic meanings. It is not only a symbol of Gatsby's personal ideal, hopes, goals and direction, but also a symbol of the United States of America n’s dream,which is actually vanity and fragile. Gatsby’s individual pursuit process exposes the vain and worthless American Dream, the distorted human relationships and the serious social and ecological problems in modern society. The beginning and collapse of Gatsby’s dream is miniature of the disillusion of “American Dream.

Forth, the green light also symbolizes the more generalized ideal. In

Chapter 9, Nick compares the green light to how America, rising out of the ocean, must have looked to early settlers of the new nation. Reading that last sentence, "so we continued to struggle, the boat like current, borne back ceaselessly into the past", one word comes up to my mind -- disillusion. The vague green light arouses hope, love and faith, but it can hardly distinguished, just like American dream, vanity and easily broken.