The Fading Green Light: A Review of The Great Gatsby

Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby is a classic criticizing the disillusioned American Dream in the Jazz Age. Narrated by Nick, the novel centers on Gatsby, a self-made rich man throwing grand parties to win back his old lover Daisy. The distant green light outside Daisy’s house symbolizes his unattainable dream of love and wealth. Though sincere and hopeful, Gatsby never gains acceptance from the cold, selfish upper class. He dies lonely after taking blame for Daisy’s crime, abandoned by everyone. Fitzgerald exposes the moral emptiness behind flashy wealth. The famous closing line about boats struggling against the current shows people’s endless, futile chase of lost dreams. Even after a century, the book still makes readers reflect on materialism and true happiness.