《了不起的盖茨比》中绿灯的象征意义

《了不起的盖茨比》中绿灯的象征意义TheMirageinTheGreatGatsbyTheGreatGatsby,writtenbyF.ScottFitzgerald,isabookofloveandtragedythatallleadsbacktodreamsandideas,butneverreality.Gatsbyisamanofgreatwealthandistrulyrich.Orishe?TheGreatGatsbyhasmanydisguisesthatplayamajorroleinseveralcharacters'lives,butmostlyGatsby's'.Gatsbybelievesthathewillbeverysuccessfulandgetwhathewants,includingDaisy,ifheisrich.Hesucceededingettingmoneyandlivingalifeofluxury,butisnevertrulyrich.Heisalwayssosetonthefutureandwhatthingscouldbeifthis,orifthathappens,thatheneverlivesinthepresent.BecauseGatsbyneverlivesinthepresent,heendsupdoingthatpermanently,andbytheendofthebook,helivesnomore.WhenGatsbywasalive,heseemednevertobehappy,becausehewasneversatisfiedwithhimself;Gatsbytriedtochangehimself.Healwaystriedtoreachforhisvision,whichisrepresentedbythegreenlight,butneverseemedtoachieveitbecausehedidn'teverliveinthelifehehad;Gatsbylivedinthelifehewanted.F.ScottFitzgeraldusesgreenlighttorepresenttheunreachabledreaminthefuturethatisalwaysbeingsoughtafterandwantedbyGatsby,butneverobtained.InTheGreatGatsby,thegreenlightisvisibletomanyandalwaysdistant.Tosome,likeTom,itisjustalight,buttoothers,likeGatsby,itistheirhopefulfuture.AsTomsaidinchapterone,"Iglancedseaward-anddistinguishednothingexceptagreenlight,minuteandfaraway,thatmighthavebeentheendofthedock.WhenIlookedoncemoreforGatsbyhehadvanished,andIwasaloneagainintheunquietdarkness"(Gatsby26).Hesawagreenlight.Thatisall,justalightthatmayhavebeenattheendofthedock.WhenGatsbyvanished,thisrepresentedhimapproachingandtryingtoattainthegreenlight,whichwashisfuturehesoughtafterandbelievedin.AsMariusBewleyagrees,thegreenlightrepresentshisfaith,"Animageofthatgreenlight,symbolofGatsby'sfaith,burnsacrossthebay,"(Bewley24).SincethegreenlightrepresentsGatsby'sfaith,itishardforhimnotbelieveinitandreachforit.Inaway,thegreenlightrepresentassurance,andhereliesonit;itishisfaith.ToGatsby,hisidealisticfuture,hisgreenlight,isassociatedwithDaisyandsosheishisdreamthatwillneverbereached.Itislaterinthebook,inchapterfive,whenthegreenlightstartstorelatetoDaisy,becauseDaisybecomespartofGatsby'sdesiredfuture,"Ifitwasn'tforthemistIcouldseeyourhomeacrossthebay.Youalwayshaveagreenlightthatburnsallnightattheendofyourdock,"(Gatsby98).Eventually,Gatsbywantstoarriveatthatgreenlight,graspit,anddevelophislifeintoit,withDaisy.AsMariusBewleysays,"ForGatsby,Daisydoesnotexistinherself.Sheisthegreenlightthatsignalshimintotheheartofhisultimatevision,"(Bewley19).InviewofthefactthatthegreenlightisGatsby'swantedfuture,ifheassociatesDaisywiththegreenlight,thenobviouslyhewanthertobeinhisideallifelateron.Gatsbyneverfulfilledhislifebyarrivingatthegreenlight,hisunreachabledream,becausehewastooinvolvedinhisfuturetoworryabouthiscurrentsituation.ThefurtherandfurtherGatsbyreached,thefurtherthegreenlightseemed.Hisromanticandimpracticalfuturethathesoughtafterbecamelessandlesslikelytooccuroneday,"Gatsbybelievedinthegreenlight,theorgasticfuturethatyearbyyearrecedesbeforeus.Iteludedusthen,butthat'snomatter-tomorrowwewillrunfaster,stretchoutourarmsfurther...andonefinemorning-Sowebeaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast"(Gatsby189).Gatsbyjustcouldn'tgrasptheideathatDaisywouldnotendupwithhimnomatterhowheenvisioneditorhowmuchmoneyhehad,bynowyouknowheisnottrulyrich.FromthedayGatsbystartedplanninghisscheduleasaboy,becausehehada"bigfuture"infrontofhim,untilthedaythathedied,healwayshadconfidenceofgettingwhathewanted.Heneverdidgetwhathewanted,hisgreenlight,buthebelievedinitandneverstoppedreachingforit,"Thegreenlightissuccessfulbecause,apartfromitsvisualeffectivenessasitgleamsacrossthebay,itembodiestheprofoundnaivetéofGatsby'ssenseofthefuture,whilesimultaneouslysuggestingthehistoricityofhishope,"(Bewley21).Gatsbywasguiltyofdreamingandbelievingtherecouldbealifebetterthenhehadatthattime,sohedidn'treallylivethroughthatlife,inthepresent,hehadhope,thatisit.Healwaysconsistentlyreachedforthegreenlight,andeachtimehewouldreach,hewouldbepulledfurtherandfurtherfromreality,untilhewasfinallyoutofreality,andhadhislifetakenawayfromhim.