The Great Gatsby is a novel popularly considered a literary classic. The book is consistently ranked among the greatest works of American literature, but what makes this novel so remarkable? The answer is simple: the green light. Located at the end of Daisy's East Egg dock is a green light that has a much greater significance than it first appears. The green light represents the desire to realize the “American dream”. The “American Dream” can be explained simply as a better life achieved through hard work and determination. It is supposed to bring happiness to the one who realizes his dream. However, this “American Dream” can mean different things to everyone. This includes two of the main characters from The Great Gatsby: Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. Each character had a distinct interpretation of the “American Dream.” The main character of the novel, Jay Gatsby, is introduced to the reader as a mysterious man who is extremely wealthy. He is famous for the extravagant parties he throws every weekend, but no one knows where he comes from, what he does or how he made his fortune. As the novel continues, Nick, Gatsby's new neighbor and narrator of the novel, learns that Gatsby was born into a very poor family in North Dakota. He had always been in love with the idea of ​​being rich, especially when he worked for a rich man named Dan Cody. Jay Gatsby's abundant wealth can be attributed largely to his ambition. As described, many would think that Gatsby's lifestyle represented the "American Dream", right? Well, that's not the case, at least not for Gatsby. The first time the green light appears in the novel is also the first time Nick sees Gatsby. Fitzgerald writes: “He stretched out his arms... in the middle of a paper... failure of at least one person's dream? Perhaps this is why the “American Dream” is sometimes not achievable for some people, regardless of their definition of the “American Dream.” This is perhaps the greatest similarity between the "American Dream" of the 1920s and the "American Dream" of today: only a few lucky people will make it through the bay of challenges and finally reach the green light . "American RadioWorks - A Better Life." American RadioWorks - A Better Life. Np, and Web. December 5, 2013. “The Great Gatsby.” , by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Np, and Web. December 5, 2013. “The Great Gatsby: Analysis of the Major Characters.” SparkNotes. SparkNotes and Web. December 5, 2013. “The Great Gatsby: list of characters.” » SparkNotes. SparkNotes and Web. December 5, 2013. “The Great Gatsby; symbols and patterns. » The Great Gatsby; Symbols and patterns. Np, and Web. December 5. 2013.