"He stretched out his arms 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 way, that might have been the end of a dock." (p. 21)
From Context:
Nick had said this when he arrived home and saw Gatsby standing on the dock, slowly raising his hands and reaching out for this green light that was so far away. It is a weird sight to see, really, your neighbor you really do not know at all, reaching out to what looked like nothing with trembling hands, but turns out to be a green light at the end of someone's else dock on the other side of the water.
Literary Importance: SYMBOL
Gatsby is seen reaching out for this green light. This green light belongs to the Buchanan's and shines from the end of the Buchanan's dock. Knowing that, along with Gatsby's history with Daisy, we can therefore classify this mysterious green light as a symbol. It is a symbol of Daisy. Daisy is hope, Daisy is dreams, Daisy is the future that they will have together. The green light symbolizes all of that, and once the green light goes out, so does everything Gatsby has ever yearned for, for the past "five years next November". The green light can also be a symbol for "go" such as the green light in traffic light means go. When the green light was still lit, it was an okay symbol for Gatsby to pursue his dreams, but once it went out, it was like a stop symbol, telling him to give it up because there is no use anymore.
Further Exploration on this topic:
- What happened between Gatsby and Daisy before the green light went out? What happened afterwards?
- http://thegreatgatsbysandm.blogspot.com/2011/05/green-light.html
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DISCLAIMER: MEME ABOVE BELONGS TO RACHINA SOVAN AND NOT US. WE HAVE PERMISSION! :D
A/N: btw Happy Halloween y'all!
Nick had said this when he arrived home and saw Gatsby standing on the dock, slowly raising his hands and reaching out for this green light that was so far away. It is a weird sight to see, really, your neighbor you really do not know at all, reaching out to what looked like nothing with trembling hands, but turns out to be a green light at the end of someone's else dock on the other side of the water.
Literary Importance: SYMBOL
Gatsby is seen reaching out for this green light. This green light belongs to the Buchanan's and shines from the end of the Buchanan's dock. Knowing that, along with Gatsby's history with Daisy, we can therefore classify this mysterious green light as a symbol. It is a symbol of Daisy. Daisy is hope, Daisy is dreams, Daisy is the future that they will have together. The green light symbolizes all of that, and once the green light goes out, so does everything Gatsby has ever yearned for, for the past "five years next November". The green light can also be a symbol for "go" such as the green light in traffic light means go. When the green light was still lit, it was an okay symbol for Gatsby to pursue his dreams, but once it went out, it was like a stop symbol, telling him to give it up because there is no use anymore.
Further Exploration on this topic:
- What happened between Gatsby and Daisy before the green light went out? What happened afterwards?
- http://thegreatgatsbysandm.blogspot.com/2011/05/green-light.html
-
DISCLAIMER: MEME ABOVE BELONGS TO RACHINA SOVAN AND NOT US. WE HAVE PERMISSION! :D
A/N: btw Happy Halloween y'all!