The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock (93).

Green means go. Yellow means maybe slow down. Red always means stop. We learn this from a young age by a game. Then it’s enforced when we learn to drive. This green light on Daisy’s dock signifies Gatsby’s hope. He wants to go to her and rehash the relationship that they had before he left. As long as the light burns, he still has a hope that he can steal her from Tom Buchanan. The chance may be infinitesimally small like when the Sound has fog. However, he knows that the light is still burning.