Some symbolism in novels is as memorable as the green light in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Shining at the end of Daisy Pier, it's close enough to see, but too far to reach. Yet, Gatsby, an eternal optimist, stares at him at night, as if showing him that all his distant dreams are about to come true. The green light in The Great Gatsby is the symbol of hope, a source of inspiration, and a representation of the American dream for Gatsby and the novel's readers. Gatsby's aspirations reflect the time period. The “Roaring Twenties,” as they are called, were a time of prosperity, and Americans were obsessed with acquiring wealth and thought that “those who have wealth should be splendid and happy people” (Gross 5). Gatsby embodies this mentality: born into a poor family he considered himself superior and his pursuit of the American dream led to his destruction. Gatsby was so fixated on his dream, money and Daisy, that he decided to acquire it by any means possible. His obsession with Daisy is actually an expansion of his obsession with money. Represents Gatsby's dreams: money, luxury, status (Rimmer). Some may mistakenly believe that The Great Gatsby is a love story, that everything Gatsby ever did was to win Daisy's love, but the truth is that he desires her for her status. , he wants her as the last piece of the puzzle to finally transform himself into Jay Gatsby, the man of Oxford's high society. “The tawdry romance with Daisy is the means Fitzgerald uses to show Gatsby the intolerable meanness of his dream and illusion” (Bewley 26). In the novel, the first time Nick sees Gatsby, he is looking for "a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a... middle of paper... ams, even if it means dying for it Works Cited Bewley, Marius. "Fitzgerald's Vision of Class and the American Dream." Class Conflict in F. Scott Fitzgerald the Great Gatsby. Ed. Claudia Johnson. 29. Print.Danzer, Gerald, et al. “The Roaring Twenties.” Eveston: Mcdougal Little, 2003.638-657. Print.Fitzgerald, F. Scott. 2003. Print.Gross, Dalton and Maryjean Gross. Understanding The Great Gatsby Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998. Print.Kazin, Alfred. “Gatsby and the Failure of the American Dream.” Bloom's Notes on the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Harold Bloom , Sara. "Gatsby's Green Light Attracts a New Set of Fighters." February 17, 2008. Web. May 2, 2014.