The Great Gatsby Symbolism Analysis Paragraph

Objective: Describe how author’s choices (symbolism) are used to develop a theme over the course
of a text.

Choose ONE of the symbols from The Great Gatsby, and in a well-developed paragraph, describe
how that symbol’s meaning contributes to a theme in the novel. (Remember, your analysis should
be specifically tied to the quote, utilize flow of ideas, and in this case relate to the overall “theme”
being discussed)

Possible symbols:
The green light
Cars
Houses (Gatsby’s, Nick’s, Tom’s)
The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg
Weather
Colors

*The language in this organizer is merely a suggestion. If it does not fit with your writing, then feel
free to make changes.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the
Topic Sentence:
reappearance of the Green Light is used to communicate
❏ Text title and author
Gatsby’s hope and desires for something he cannot yet reach.
❏ Claim that responds to the prompt

The Green Light first appears in Fitzgerald’s writing after Nick

Evidence #1:
returns home for. After Nick returns home from his visit with
❏ Integrate quote (provide context
the Buchanans, he notices someone standing out on the dock -
from the source to set up the quote)
Nick then states, “I glanced seaward-and distinguished
❏ Quote
nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that
❏ Citation
might have been the end of a dock” (Fitzgerald 26).
Analysis: The meaning of The Green Light is associated with Gatsby’s
desire and hopes to one day reunite with Daisy Buchanan, as
What is the significance of this evidence? they were once intimate, five years prior to when the book
How does it respond to the prompt? takes place. Fitzgerald’s purpose in having the Green Light
reoccur is sort of a status reminder of how close or how far
 Gatsby is from achieving his dream of one day being with
Daisy again.
Transition: This is further demonstrated when Daisy and Nick visit
Gatsby’s estate following a reunion of the two in Chapter 5.
Use phrases like: The green light is once more mentioned by Fitzgerald.
● This is further demonstrated
when…
● Similar to…
● Although...
Evidence #2: This instance of The Green Light, Gatsby states to Daisy that,
❏ Integrate quote (provide context “If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the
from the source to set up the quote) bay,” - “You always have a green light that burns all night at
❏ Quote the end of your dock” (Fitzgerald 98).
❏ Citation
In this example, The Green Light reflects how the Green Light
Analysis: isn’t at all present when Daisy is around. Fitzgerald’s purpose
is to convey a sense of reunion or something similar to that of
What is the significance of this evidence? a dream of love. As now that the original purpose of the green
How does it respond to the prompt? light, that being hoped to one day be beside Daisy again, had
practically been fulfilled.
Transition: Similar to the previous quote, The Green Light is once again
mentioned, following Gatsby’s boasting on the same page.
Use phrases like:
● This is further demonstrated
when…
● Similar to…
● Although...
Towards the end of chapter 5, The Green Light appears again,
following Daisy’s small breakdown in Gatsby’s bedroom. Nick
Evidence #3: remarks that, “Possibly it had occurred to him that the
❏ Integrate quote (provide context colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever.
from the source to set up the quote) Compared to the great distance that had separated him from
❏ Quote Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It
❏ Citation had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a
green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had
diminished by one” (Fitzgerald 98).
The Green Lights’s purpose illustrates the connection between
Analysis:
how close or far Daisy is from fully reuniting with Gatsby.
Fitzgerald’s purpose in using this symbol is to convey a sense
What is the significance of this evidence?
of hope for Gatsby’s character, as he longs for the day he can
How does it respond to the prompt?
once more be with the girl he lost 5 years ago.
Concluding sentence
How does the evidence you presented
respond to the prompt? How does it
develop a theme in the novel?
Fitzgerald’s use of The Green Light clearly highlights the
connection of desire and hope related to Daisy and Gatsby’s
relationship. What is most apparent is the evolution of how
the symbol once had little to no meaning, then changed into a
key point within the story.

Paste Paragraph Here:

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the reappearance of the Green Light is used to

communicate Gatsby’s hope and desires for something he cannot yet reach. The Green Light first

appears in Fitzgerald’s writing after Nick returns home for. After Nick returns home from his visit with

the Buchanans, he notices someone standing out on the dock - Nick then states, “I glanced seaward-and

distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of

a dock” (Fitzgerald 26). The meaning of The Green Light is associated with Gatsby’s desire and hopes

to one day reunite with Daisy Buchanan, as they were once intimate, five years prior to when the book

takes place. Fitzgerald’s purpose in having the Green Light reoccur is sort of a status reminder of how

close or how far Gatsby is from achieving his dream of one day being with Daisy again. This is further

demonstrated when Daisy and Nick visit Gatsby’s estate following a reunion of the two in Chapter 5.

The green light is once more mentioned by Fitzgerald. This instance of The Green Light, Gatsby states to

Daisy that, “If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,” - “You always have a green

light that burns all night at the end of your dock” (Fitzgerald 98). In this example, The Green Light

reflects how the Green Light isn’t at all present when Daisy is around. Fitzgerald’s purpose is to convey

a sense of reunion or something similar to that of a dream of love. As now that the original purpose of

the green light, that being hoped to one day be beside Daisy again, had practically been fulfilled. Similar

to the previous quote, The Green Light is once again mentioned, following Gatsby’s boasting on the

same page. Towards the end of chapter 5, The Green Light appears again, following Daisy’s small

breakdown in Gatsby’s bedroom. Nick remarks that, “Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal
 significance of that light had now vanished forever. 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. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by

one” (Fitzgerald 98). The Green Lights’s purpose illustrates the connection between how close or far

Daisy is from fully reuniting with Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s purpose in using this symbol is to convey a sense

of hope for Gatsby’s character, as he longs for the day he can once more be with the girl he lost 5 years

ago. Fitzgerald’s use of The Green Light clearly highlights the connection of desire and hope related to

Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship. What is most apparent is the evolution of how the symbol once had

little to no meaning, then changed into a key point within the story.

Skill Exemplary Proficient Emerging

Identifies the prompt and Identifies a symbol and a Identifies the book
makes a specific claim theme
about the connection
Topic Sentence between a symbol and a
theme

Includes specific and Includes 3 pieces of Includes two or

meaningful evidence evidence from the text fewer pieces of
evidence
Evidence

Explains the figurative Explains the figurative Summarizes the

significance of the significance of the symbol evidence and
symbol and how that and a theme in the novel. mentions an idea in
Analysis contributes to the the novel.
development of a
theme.
 Follows paragraph Follows paragraph Includes elements of
Organization organization and is organization, including a paragraph
organized to show how transitions between ideas
ideas build on one and a concluding sentence
another

All quotes are correctly Most quotes are correctly Shows evidence of
integrated integrated and cited basic proofreading

Shows evidence of careful All sentences are complete

Conventions proofreading
No personal pronouns used
(I, you, us, we)

Shows evidence of
proofreading

Tyler,
Good job on this. You do a solid job of bridging the connection between symbol and theme. I will say that
you should take some time to reread/proofread your work to make sure that it is completely clear. You
had some awkward phrasing and sentence that stopped mid-way through.