Toward the end of chapter five in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Gatsby mentions a green light hanging on the Buchanans dock across the water. The light obviously held a great importance to Gatsby. I believe the green light symbolized the previous seperation of Gatsby and Daisy. To Gatsby, the space between his dwelling and the green light was the space between him and Daisy. This point is supported by Gatsby's refusal to visit or call upon Daisy, despite pining for her just a few house away. Instead, he throws lavish parties, hoping to draw her attention and for her to visit. However, Daisy, like the green light, remains firmly within her property. Gatsby was afraid to close the gap between he and Daisy and, as a consequence, Daisy and the green light remained forever out of reach. Gatsby began to equate the green light with Daisy, as something he would never reach. "Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever" (Fitzgerald, 93).
Now that he and Daisy have been reunited, Gatsby has realized that the importance of the green light has vanished, but has his infatuation with Daisy? Could this "love" simply be a case of wanting what one cannot have?
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