“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-to-morrow 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“ (Fitzgerald 180)
This quote was spoken by Nick at the very end of the book as he reflects upon his stay in New York. The quote contains the symbol of the green light that has been eluded to many times during the novel. When the green light was brought up before in the novel, it represented Gatsby's dream and often had a positive connotation to it as Gatsby got closer and closer to his dream, however, after Gatsby's tragic death it represents an unattainable dream. Furthermore, the quote is significant because it summarizes the main theme of the book about the American Dream. It uses Gatsby's extreme efforts of recreating the past with Daisy as a demonstration of the failed American Dream, however, no matter how hard Gatsby tried he was "against the current, borne back ceaselessly into past."