There are very few things Greater than Gatsby and you’re participating in two of them at the same time: (1) Summer Vacation; (2) This podcast.
It’s already page 24 and we really haven’t met the titular man of the novel. Here’s how Nick describes his first (kind of) encounter with the Jay Gatsby:
Quote: He was content to be alone–he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward–and distinguished nothing except a single green light” (24).
Classroom Application
Analysis: Meet Jay Gatsby, Nick’s new neighbor. Gatsby stares at a green light in the distance. The green light he sees shines on the dock of Daisy Buchanan, whom Gatsby loves, even though they haven’t seen each other for five years. Today, we call this stalking. The green light, in a broader sense, symbolizes the American Dream and the pursuit of wealth–something, despite his immense riches–Gatsby never achieves.
The novel has many symbols. The green light is one of them. If you feel like teaching symbolism in The Great Gatsby, list important symbols, such as the green light, the Eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg, The Valley of Ashes, East Egg and West Egg, and Gatsby’s gaudy yellow car.
Life Lesson
What shiny object are we focusing on?
Gatsby was very successful. He had many opportunities for happiness and to enjoy his possessions. Instead he puts all his happiness in a futile quest to relive the past. Here are some takeaways:
- Appreciate what you have
- Don’t entrust your happiness to external factors
- Stop dwelling on the good old days and enjoy today
Links
- The Great Gatsby Unit Plan
- The Great Gatsby Blog Post
- Short Stories for Teaching Symbolism Lesson Plans
