Journal #20

Journal 20 – The Great Gatsby Conclusion Read the novel’s last passage (beginning with, “Gatsby’s house was still empty when I left”) and discuss the use of imagery and symbolism that is being employed by Fitzgerald. In your response, specifically address what Nick is saying about the green light and the connection that he is making between Gatsby and the Dutch sailors who “discovered” Long Island. Fitzgerald uses a great amount of symbolism in the last passage. He describes the last visitor to Gatsby’s house, not knowing that the “party” was over. This was similar to Gatsby’s life. Gatsby, like the guest, did not know that the past, or party, had ended. Nick reminisces about Gatsby’s old parties. He continues to look over at Gatsby’s house, remembering everything he knew about his time in West Egg. He began to realize that there was less commotion than there had been before. Like Gatsby, Nick, started to picture the past as some grandiose dream from long ago. Unlike Gatsby, Nick looked at not the past, nor the future, but at the present. This is a contrast from how Gatsby thought about life. He was never in the moment. Gatsby was like the Dutch sailors that sought the fertile green land, much like how he sought the green light of Daisy’s dock. The sailors were always thinking about the future, and they came close to achieving their goal. Both of their goals were memories of the past. In the end, their dreamer-like ambition both influenced their actions and desire to achieve their final goal.