gatsby: illusion and false hope

[Veronica]

question of the week: The novel is filled with illusions and symbols that represent false hope — like the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. What are some other examples of these illusions in the story, and how do they show Gatsby’s dream was based on something that was never real?

[Elizabeth]

Gatsby’s home and parties are all part of a grand illusion, just like the green light. He throws them, hoping Daisy will show up, but she never does. Even Daisy herself is part of the fantasy; he sees her as perfect, but the real Daisy doesn’t match his dream. His whole vision is built on a past that never existed the way he remembers it, which makes it heartbreaking and doomed from the start.