Symbol Analysis

The green light in The Great Gatsby symbolizes a dream – an ambition – and perhaps even represents the difficulty of satisfying one’s id. At the beginning of the novel Nick observed that “[Gatsby] stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way...[Nick] glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away” (Fitzgerald, 21). In a way, the sea separating Gatsby from the green light, and ultimately from his goal, demonstrates how in the novel, characters had difficult, if not impossible, ids to satisfy. Gatsby’s desperate attempts of reaching the green light in a figurative sense only demonstrates the sheer difficulty of the desires of his id. Gatsby’s id, the ultimate goal of winning back Daisy, fails on two fronts: Gatsby is not of an aristocratic family and Gatsby would have to immorally dismantle a family, which his superego seems to allow, to complete his goal. At the end of the novel, none of the characters really got what their id desired. Although only “Gatsby believed in the green light” (Fitzgerald, 182), every character imagined an “orgastic future” (Fitzgerald, 182) through their id. Like the green light that Gatsby saw, their dreams were visible enough to make it seem like the id was possible to satisfy when in reality, their “boats [were] against the current”.

The green light as a symbol also demonstrates, through Gatsby, the mental effect of hope. Gatsby is described by Nick as a man with “an extraordinary gift for hope” (Fitzgerald, 2). The green light located at the end of Daisy’s pier serves as a motivator for Gatsby, in a mental sense, it is a daily reminder that his goal is right in front of him. However, the green light motivates Gatsby to strive for something impossible. In the end, Gatsby was essentially “watching over nothing” (Fitzgerald, 146). The hope given off by the green light mentally deluded Gatsby. After every effort in impressing Daisy, Gatsby's mind was tricked into believing that he has gotten closer to his dream. However, even when it was clear that Gatsby and Daisy had nothing left between them, Gatsby continued to stubbornly believe in the green light.