Consider this passage from the very end of the novel. Finish the sentence after the dash and defend your answer.
Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning—
Time catches up with you. Gatsby seemed to not fully understand the concept of time. Continuously throughout the book Gatsby just does not realize that time has passed him by. He still believes he would have the same relationship with Daisy as he had in the past. Gatsby even states that he could turn back time. However, Gatsby eventually realizes he cannot have the same relationship with Daisy. They have changed over the years and Daisy is not the same person he envisioned her in. After the time "catches up" to Gatsby and he realizes it is time to move on, he is killed. Gatsby enjoyed a life of luxury in his later years that made his vision of the world distorted. Eventually, one fine morning, time caught up to Jay Gatsby.
ReplyDelete"...so we beat on, boats against the current, bourne back ceaselessly into the past."
ReplyDeleteAmericans tended to maintain their optimism, especially during the roaring 20's, to believe at some deep level that eventually their dreams will come true if they just worked hard enough for them. In reality (says Nick, and probably Fitzgerald speaking through him), we're on a figurative treadmill that keeps us from reaching the goal.
My Name is Mud
ReplyDeletewe understood the necessity of moving on from the past, and the separation of wealth from happiness.
ReplyDeleteI believe the sentence could have ended this way because i believe these were the two ideas Fitzgerald was trying to convey when he wrote The Great Gatsby. If Gatsby had have been able to move on from the past and live life in reality, he would not have been as hurt and disapointed when Daisy did not warm to him like he had imagined. Because Gatsby had dreams of 5 Years previous Daisy and how she acted and looked then, she would have never been able to fulfill the dream he had invisioned. I also think that the seperation of wealth and happiness was necessary for Gatsby and other members of the East and West Egg, because many of the people were unhappy or did not have good feelings towards Gatsby, however everyone still attended his parties. Gatsby threw all of his parties and boasted his wealth, all in an effort to lure in Daisy so they could continue thier relationship. When his plan did not work out, what really is the true meaning of his wealth and success?
"and one fine morning...we will rejoice in the epicenter of our dreams"
ReplyDeleteWe learn that the green light symbolizes Gatsby's goal/dream of finding Daisy, convincing her that she never loved Tom, and restarting the last five years of his life. I understood this passage as not necessarily motivational, but definitely reflective. Throughout the course of the story we see that Gatsby's dreams were not accomplished; he lost Daisy and was murdered. Nick says "but that's no matter" after he explores Gatsby's lack of accomplishment. This shows Nick too believes in chasing the green light, or his dreams. Overall i believe this passage is saying Nick will never give up on his dreams. He is going to "run faster, stretch out our arms farther". Whether this be Fitzgerald implying readers to never give up in their personal endeavors our in pursuit of the american is also up for discussion. But nonetheless, i believe this passage to be portraying the idea that despite Gatsby's flaws and downfall, dreams can still be and should still be chased after.
----you recognize reality.
ReplyDeleteThe green light symbolized Gatsby’s dream of getting to spend the rest of his life with Daisy. Nick understands that Gatsby’s version American Dream is unattainable because he is living in the past. No matter how far away he is from reaching his dream, he will remain optimistic and wont give up, but it will always remain shy of his grasp. Gatsby can’t seem to face the fact that Daisy is no longer that girl who he feel so deeply in love with five years earlier. She had already moved on with her life. Gatsby’s desire and infatuation is blinding him from the truth of the situation. Nick can see Gatsby’s downfall and that is why he will wake up to face reality unlike Gatsby who unfortunately dies while wasting his time living in the past. The only way to reach your life goals is to understand your place in the world and adapt to reality.
"we reflect on our goals and find a new dream to chase"
ReplyDeleteThe sentence could have ended this way because had Gatsby realized that his dream of his relationship with Daisy being the same way it was 5 years prior was unrealistic, he could have begun to move on with his life. Being set on achieving an unrealistic goal left Gatsby disappointed. He was unable to accept the fact that Daisy loved Tom in the time that Gatsby was away. If Gatsby had reflected on his dream, he may have seen that erasing the past is simply something that cannot be done. Instead he kept high expectations for him and Daisy, which ultimately kept him from having her in the end.
“... You realized that time has passed and things have changed.”
ReplyDeleteGatsby was living in the past, creating this hope for an ideal life with Daisy. However, it was with the Daisy he used to know, the Daisy that she no longer was. He was living inside his mind, not realizing that time was moving around him. He thought that he could just go back to his life he used to have before he went to war and studied at Oxford. He did not realize that time doesn’t stop for anyone, even if your name is Jay Gatsby. He thought that he could leave Daisy for years and she would just put her life on pause and sit at home waiting for him to return to her, but everyone needs to keep living their lives, no matter how much it hurts you in the end. The day that Gatsby started to enjoy his fortune by sitting in his pool for the first time, was the day he was killed. Gatsby had finally returned to reality, but at that moment, he could no longer enjoy his riches and fortune that he had made for Daisy, because he was shot by Wilson.
...we wake up and are thrown back into reality.
ReplyDeleteLike many of you have already touched upon, Gatsby didn't seem to live in reality till the very end before he is murdered. He lived in the past where he and Daisy were in love and had a perfect world, something that he finally realized was no loner possible.
...we separate the past from the present and move on with our lives.
ReplyDeleteGatsby clearly was living in the past and was continually dwelling on the relationship he once had with Daisy well over 5 years ago. Until the big fight with Tom and the night of the murder Gatsby couldn't separate reality and the past. Unfortunately it is too late and Gatsby is murdered without ever really moving forward with his life and the relationship he once had with Daisy.
"...we no longer live our memories."
ReplyDeleteGatsby has been living in his memories. He could only remember the times he had with Daisy long ago. This is what destroys him because he can not get over the fact that Daisy has changed. Gatsby has a tough time grasping the fact that he is living in his own memories with Daisy. The past controls his mind and his current feelings when really all he needed to do was to move on and live in the present. With moving forward Gatsby could have built a new relationship with Daisy and enhanced the friendships he made in order to get to Daisy.
"...we face reality." During the whole novel Gatsby couldn't face reality and realize that he and Daisy were no longer in love. He lived in the past, he only thought about the memories that him and Daisy shared and he avoided the thought that she might not love him again. He thought that he could repeat the past, but it became evident that that was not possible. Gatsby was stuck in the past and this prevented him from moving on with his life.
ReplyDelete...We realize the past has happened and have to face reality
ReplyDeleteGatsby is stuck in the past and had unrealistic dreams when it came to his relationship with daisy. He is stuck in a time when they were in love and cannot come to terms with the fact that daisy also loved another man. In his mind time has stopped to when they were 18 or 19 years old. As life moved on for Daisy, Gatsby's dream became to get Daisy back. Everything he did was to win back Daisy including moving to west egg and throwing big outrageous parties. He was never able to live in reality because he was to busy trying to recreate the past and achieve an unrealistic goal. When Gatsby finally returned to reality and realized that what he wanted from daisy is not possible, it was to late. He was killed before he could live and enjoy his life in reality.
one fine morning... we grasp reality and let go of the past
ReplyDeletethroughout the whole novel Gatsby is determined to make Daisy love him like she once did. He's stuck in the past and doesn't want to move forward because he fears that he will be unable to obtain the fact that Daisy has moved on and he hasn't. Gatsby revolved his whole life around Daisy hoping that the same feeling will resurface once he has transformed into someone she has always wanted. At the end of the novel Gatsby does come to terms with the concept of his harsh reality and his perfect idea of his life with Daisy is now ruined, it is too late. He didn't have a chance to start over and live without the constant need of trying to be someone he's not just to impress someone else.
Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning—
ReplyDelete"We wake up and realize our whole life was a dream"
Gatsby spends his entire life chasing after a dream, an invention of his mind, after someone who no longer exists. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between dream and reality that you don't realize you're dreaming. Gatsby was like this in chasing after Daisy.
...We go back to reality and learn to forget the past.
ReplyDeleteThe sentence could have ended this way because in the story Gatsby lived his life trying to get Daisy to like him again but he dousn't realise that she is not the same person she was 5 years ago. Gatsby beleives he can acheive this and makes it his only goal in life, but in reality he is only living a dream.