The Great Gatsby Quote Analysis

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” This quote from the “Great Gatsby” is probably the most famous quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald. But, what exactly does it mean? To understand this quote, a deep understanding of the “Great Gatsby” is required as well. The novel is told in first-person by the main character, Nick Carraway. Throughout the course of the novel, Nick becomes friends with Jay Gatsby, hence the title Great Gatsby. During their friendship, Nick learns quite a bit about Gatsby’s lifestyle and learns about his origins. Gatsby is a man who has lived the american dream. He has dreamed his way out of poverty and is now very wealthy. Unfortunately, Gatsby does not quite realize his dream. In his …show more content…
“Gatsby believed in the green light.” To Gatsby, the green light represented the promise of a better future. So this part means Gatsby believed in a better future. “The orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.” This means that the future ahead of us look exciting but, it always comes faster than we are prepared for. “It eluded us then, but that’s no matter.” This is saying that we missed our bright future, but it is still available to us. “Tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… And one fine morning.” This means that we will always have an optimistic view of the future no matter what is happening. “So we beat on.” This means that we will continue that never-ending struggle that is life. We will continue to try and fail and then try again and maybe succeed this time. “Boats against the current.” As any sailor would know, it is hard to go back up the river against the current. In the case of a sailboat, it can only go upstream at a 45 degree angle, often zigzagging. It is also hard to row against the current. This ultimately means that no matter how hard we try, we end up at or near where we started. “Borne back ceaselessly into the past.” In this, Fitzgerald is saying that no matter what we do, we will constantly be looking back at the past or even reliving it. To summarize what Fitzgerald is saying, the quote basically means that …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s beliefs on the american dream can be concluded. Fitzgerald’s generation is often called the lost generation and it easy to see why in this novel. They have a very bleak outlook on life. By what he says in the last paragraph, Fitzgerald believes the american dream is a nearly unattainable goal that very few realize and it is basically a lost cause. The common definition of the american dream worldwide is that you can be whatever you want, no matter where you come from. Fitzgerald, throughout the novel, argues that no matter how hard you try to move up in society, you will never be truly accepted and in that sense you will never truly live the american dream. While trying to live the american dream, you will look up and realize you really aren’t that far from where you started. Fitzgerald illustrates this by using Gatsby. Gatsby grew up as a poor boy and fought his way from rags to riches. Even with the amount of wealth that he has amassed, he is never accepted by the wealthy class because he is “new money.” He did not inherit his wealth, so he is not accepted even though he dreamed his way to the position that he is in. Fitzgerald is saying that it is ineffective to try to move up in the world. Perhaps, he is drawing on his own experience because he was not wealthy enough to marry Ginevra King. Fitzgerald paints a negative view of the american