In the end of chapter one, Nick sees the mysterious Gatsby for the first time, and witnesses him extending his arms towards a green light across the water. Like many symbols in this book, the meaning of the green light can be interpreted in a variety of ways. The most obvious of these is soon revealed when Nick discovers Gatsby's love for Daisy (the light is coming from her house). But as Gatsby is delicately revealed throughout the novel, we find him a man of many struggles. Although Daisy is a love of his life, he also had an irresistible urge to acquire wealth, and live the American dream. In this sense, Daisy can be seen as the living embodiment of Gatsby's multiple desires. Furthermore, the green light can be seen as the American Dream itself. The idealistic notion of America was that you could achieve anything if you tried hard enough. But the closed-off aristocratic class, as represented by Tom and Daisy, prevent this from realistically happening. So what does the green light ultimately represent? It represents Gatsby's love for Daisy. It represents Gatsby's desire for wealth. It represents his futile attempt to achieve the American dream. This is just another demonstration of how incredible of a writer Fitzgerald is, as he can give something as trivial as a light a complex and deep meaning.
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