Time And Decay In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

David Mamonov May 25th 2023

Mrs.Hill-Carbone English 12

In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author illustrates the theme of time and decay over the course of the novel. The novel includes symbols such as the defunct mantelpiece clock and the green dock which represents Gatsby's dreams.

In the novel there is a character by the name of Gatsby. Gatsby is in love with this girl named Daisy. They’ve been split apart for five years and Gatsby tries to reconnect with her from the help of Nick. The author uses the theme of time and decay. In the novel it states “They were so engrossed in each other, His name was Jay Gatsby and I didn’t lay eyes on him again for over four years, that was nineteen-seventeen. By the next year I

In the novel it shows “His head leaned back so far that it rested against the face of a defunct mantelpiece clock, tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place” (Fitzgerald 93). This clock symbolizes Gatsby trying to recreate the past in the present with Daisy but won’t be successful because their past relationship is broken.

To continue on, the symbolism of the green light at dock slowly diminishes due to Daisy being unphased by Gatsby's desperate efforts. The author illustrates “Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever.” (Fitzgerald 100). This shows that Gatsby's dream is coming to an end because the dock light is vanishing. Gatsby's dream is to be with Daisy and the light represents the dream and the light is disappearing so the light means nothing now to