My favorite book is The Great Gastby, end of discussion. An image from the book that haunts me is that of the green light:
And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.
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 one fine morning ——
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
When we traveled to the Ozarks this summer, I was on the lookout for a green light at a dock’s end. What I found was a green light underneath a dock.
I did some research on the color green to go more in-depth with my analysis on what green means.
Life
Because of green vegetation, the color symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, fertility, and hope. Most religions value green as a symbol of eternal life. Then again, almost-dead things can be green if there is…
Illness
Skin complexion and pus associate green with deterioration and rotting. But then green can be used for…
Healing & Safety
Did you know that green is considered the most restful color for the human eye, and can even help you see better? This is also why green is used for night-vision goggles. Green lights are a global signal for getting the go-ahead or all-clear. Some therapists use the color to alleviate depression and anxiety. Absinthe was originally touted as a cure-all, but that’s not a good idea. It shows…
Inexperience & Youth
Phrases like “green behind the ears” go back to nature’s green season, but winter and hardship destroy it. In the words of George R.R. Martin, green people are sweet summer children. But youth can exhibit bravery and innocence, and that becomes…
Honor and Virtue
The English associate heroes like Robin Hood and King Arthur with green. The Scottish have historically worn it as a sign of honor. Because of its beauty, Chinese Jade represents virtue. The Aztecs consider green royal because it’s the color of the quetzal plumes worn by their chieftains. Unfortunately, with honor comes power, which can result in…
Greed
Because money in the U.S. is green, people associate the color with ambition and jealousy. In North Africa, it symbolizes corruption. So is prosperity good or bad? Maybe it’s just…
Luck
In general, Western cultures consider green to be representative of the luck ‘o the Irish, but the color is an unlucky pick for race cars, Australian circus folk, and English weddings, even though green represents…
Love & Harmony
Green is in the middle of the color spectrum, which means it emphasizes balance. Green represents the Heart Chakra, the connection of our physical and spiritual selves. A good Heart Chakra enables you to love. It’s also associated with Venus, the goddess of love.
In The Great Gatsby, Jay is so sick with love for Daisy, the flower of his youth, that he wants to heal their relationship using a dangerous combination of honor, greed, and luck. The task claims his life. For better or worse, I’m fixated with that green light underneath the dock, till death do we part.
Further Reading
Jennifer Brinkmeyer 