The novel, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is set in the roaring twenties. The story revolves around Jay Gatsby, a mysterious and wealthy man, who becomes obsessed with winning back his first love of Daisy Buchanan, who married another man when he went off to war. In his relentless pursuit of Daisy, Gatsby strives to transcend his modest origins by ascending his social class, through illegal means, and purchases an ostentatious residence across the bay from Daisy’s traditionally wealthy home. Daisy’s dock has a green light that Gatsby views every day. Fitzgerald purposely introduces the green light three times throughout different stages in the story, extending the symbolism of Gatsby’s dream to the readers. With many other elements in the book, the green light highlights the illusory and unattainable reality of dreams, reminding us that even if we try our best to pursue our dreams, we still may fail.
The first mention of the green light is at the end of chapter one, where Nick, Gatsby’s next door neighbor, Daisy’s cousin, and the narrator, sees Gatsby standing firmly at the far end of his own dock. The green light here serves as a personification of Gatsby’s dream - Daisy. It implies the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy and leads to the introduction of Gatsby’s story. Later in the book, we learn that with unwavering determination, Gatsby spares no effort to get close to Daisy. He spends his life trying to climb to the upper class and accumulates great wealth that enables him to acquire a luxurious residence positioned opposite Daisy’s home. Given his poor background, Gatsby faces significant challenges in attaining such prosperity, particularly within the context of the United States. He has just met someone he loved so much, so to win her affection, he makes up his mind to become wealthy. This determination exemplifies the extraordinary lengths to which Gatsby is willing to go to win Daisy’s affection. As Gatsby stretches his arms longingly toward the sea, a green light emits from the dock of Daisy’s mansion across from him:
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 away, that might have been the end of a dock. (Fitzgerald, 20-21)
Gatsby’s relentless pursuit is not without its emotional toll. The vivid descriptions in the passage reflect that, in the depths of his heart, a desire burns earnestly for Daisy, illuminating the strength of Gatsby’s longing. His outstretched arms symbolize his desire to reach his dream, separated by the dark water. On the other hand, the dark water serves a mysterious role, indicating that he doesn’t know what is waiting for him. The trembling that Nick perceives suggests both his anticipation and anxiety in pursuing his dreams. This moment reveals Gatsby’s vulnerability and the intense emotion he feels while trying to achieve his goal. Fitzgerald’s varied diction for Nick suggests the green light represents a hopeless dream, adding poignancy to Gatsby’s pursuit. For example, Fitzgerald characterizes the light as “a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock.” The term “single” emphasizes the uniqueness and solitude of the green light, underscoring the isolating and obscure nature of Gatsby’s dream. “Minute” denotes the light’s diminutive size and highlights the fragile nature of Gatsby’s vague and mysterious dreams, showing how he sees Daisy as such an unachievable goal. Furthermore, the phrase “far away” emphasizes the considerable physical distance between Gatsby and the green light, symbolizing the vast separation from his dream and evoking a sense of unattainability and grandeur. The specific scene and careful choice of the words implies that Daisy is unachievable to Gatsby.
When the green light is mentioned again in chapter five, Gatsby has finally reunited with Daisy. The green light still represents Gatsby’s dream, but Gatsby has now indulged in an illusion and mistakenly believes that he has accomplished his goal; he thinks he no longer needs the green light. Fitzgerald conveys the illusory and deceptive nature of dreams and the potential of disillusionment when dreams are pursued relentlessly by introducing mist and comparing the green light to a star and moon. To relieve the tension with Daisy and to make a good impression on her to get her approval, Gatsby begins to show Daisy around his villa. When Nick, Gatsby, and Daisy are standing inside, overlooking the sea, Gatsby mentions the green light:
“If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,” said Gatsby. “You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock.”
… Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy [the green light] had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. (92-93)
The green light, now rendered invisible by the mist, signifies Gatsby’s shift in focus from the distant dream to the tangible presence of Daisy. Additionally, the mist adds uncertainty to the narrative, reminding the readers that the pursuit of dreams can often be clouded by illusions and misconceptions. Fitzgerald skillfully employs the fog as a symbol to suggest that once a beacon of his aspirations, the green light is no longer necessary or relevant in his pursuit of Daisy’s affection. In addition, Fitzgerald compares the distance between Daisy and the green light to be “as close as a star to the moon.” A star and moon are celestial bodies separated by immense space, but from Gatsby’s perspective on Earth, the star and the moon seem to be close. This suggests that Gatsby remains under the illusion of their proximity and does not recognize the reality of how far away she truly is. Moreover, Fitzgerald intentionally chooses to compare it to the stars and the moon rather than something else because the green light — Gatsby’s ultimate goal — symbolizes the guiding light, just as a star shines brightly in the darkness, compels Gatsby to pursue his dream. Throughout history and across cultures, stars represent a guideline, and the moon is often a symbol of romance. In contrast, the moon represents Daisy, who is romanticized and idealized in Gatsby’s mind. The moon’s position of prominence aligns with Daisy’s charm in Gatsby’s world. The comparison also emphasizes the unattainability and distance between Gatsby and Daisy.
The third and last time the green light appears is at the end of chapter nine, which is also at the end of the novel. After Gatsby’s death, Nick feels disappointed with life on the East Coast and decides to move back to the Midwest. The night before his departure, he recalls the green light. Different from the previous two times, the green light is no longer something unique to Gatsby after his death and his dreams are shattered, rather, it takes on a universal quality, shifting its significance to all readers. He writes:
Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter — tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…. And one fine morning ——
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. (179)
Fitzgerald deliberately repeats comparative words here, such as “faster” and “further,” to highlight Gatsby’s ambition and determination. The em dash (——) used at the end of the paragraph further symbolizes the incompleteness when he pursues his dream, as it is used at the end, leaving the statement “and in one morning” unfinished. This implies that although there are failures as Gatsby runs toward his dreams, he is still willing to put more effort along the way. While these words convey the spirit of perseverance in the face of disappointments, with the next sentence, Fitzgerald comes back to reality, implying that even with undying hope, we are maybe going to fail, as Gatsby did. The image of boats “borne back ceaselessly into the past” serves as a reminder that despite our best efforts, we may find ourselves trapped in a cycle of longing and regret, unable to fully escape the grasp of our past. All the choices made by Fitzgerald above imply that the result of pursuing our dreams will likely be unsatisfactory.
So overall, why is it a “green” light at the end of Daisy’s dock instead of a yellow or blue light? The symbolism behind the green light is significant, evoking a possibility and propelling the characters toward their dreams. In the role of traffic lights, the green light means “go.” Our natural inclination when seeing it is to proceed forward. Green is also a symbol of hope, representing optimism and the potential for a brighter future. Positioned at the end of the dock, it acts as a guiding force, inspiring us to progress and strive toward our goals. It remains stationary, patiently waiting for us to approach it. Regardless of the distance or time it may take, we are encouraged to progress as long as we can perceive the green light. However, while the green light may provide motivation and direction, the green light may have a fog or mist surrounding it that reminds us achieving our dreams may not always align with our idealized visions. Gatsby died, and he didn’t end up with Daisy; Nick ultimately returned to the Midwest, unable to fully adapt to East Coast life. Fitzgerald conveys that while everyone dreams of success, the likelihood of its realization is very small. Thus, we must be prepared for the possibility of failure and live in reality.