How Do the Symbols in the Great Gatsby Tie into the Theme of the American Dream?

Aye Thadar Swe

David Burton

English 11

September 21, 2016

How do the symbols in the Great Gatsby tie into the theme of the American dream?

        The Great Gatsby is known for its immense amount of themes portraying the lifestyle of the Roaring Twenties, especially the concept and downfall of the American Dream. The definition of the American Dream has changed throughout history, and in this case of the 1920’s, it was all about hard work and ambition, in pursuit of happiness. However, the novel depicts how the American Dream transitioned from working hard and having hopes, to consumerism and materialism rather than moral values. F. Scott Fitzgerald succinctly displays how the social status, enjoyment of prosperity, and the hunger for power led to the failure of the new vision of the American Dream. The demise can be seen through rich symbolism in The Great Gatsby, particularly the green light, the automobiles, Myrtle’s death, and Daisy being the “golden girl” (Pg. 195).

        The green light symbolizes Jay Gatsby’s undying love for Daisy Buchanan. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses this light to represent Gatsby’s desire and hopes. When Nick sees Gatsby for the first time, the quote “Involuntarily I glanced seaward–and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away…” (Pg. 39), suggests how Daisy cannot live up to be the perfect girl Gatsby wants her to be. However, the green light does not only represent Gatsby’s longing love for Daisy, it also represents his desire for the past he shared with her. Gatsby’s inability to move on from the past is what keeps him wanting more. Gatsby throws lively parties and is placed on a societal pedestal due to his materialistic wealth and reputation. He is inclined to ostentation, all for the sake of Daisy. He wants his life to be complete; all the money and success is not enough, he needs Daisy, the “golden girl” (Pg. 195) to fill up the void. The movement Gatsby makes when he stretches his arm out towards the green light epitomizes his efforts to achieve his dream; nonetheless the inability to touch the green light represents his failure to get Daisy back. The American Dream of wanting happiness from materialistic wealth being unattainable is shown when the novel is concluded with “It eluded us then, but that’s no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Pg. 292). The struggle of humans being unable to move on from the past can be interpreted from the metaphoric language used to describe the current drawing backwards.  Humans struggle to transform their dreams into reality, in pursuit of a goal that moves farther away. The metaphor in turn exemplifies both Gatsby’s struggle and the American dream. The novel is about how the American Dream is unattainable, and the inevitability of its downfall. Gatsby’s dream is destroyed by its object (Daisy), just as the American dream in the 1920’s was (money and pleasure).