The Great Gatsby is a novel popularly considered a literary classic. The book is consistently ranked as one of the greatest works of American literature, but what makes this novel so extraordinary? The answer is simple: the green light. Located at the end of Daisy's East Egg Pier, there is a green light that has a much greater meaning than it appears at first glance. 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. The outcome is supposed to be happiness for whoever achieves the dream. However, this “American dream” can have different meanings for 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 novel's title character, Jay Gatsby, is introduced to the reader as an extremely wealthy mysterious man. He's 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, discovers 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 wasn't the case, at least not for Gatsby. The first time we see the green light in the novel is also the first time Nick sees Gatsby. Fitzgerald writes: “He stretched out his arms... into the center of the paper... the dream of at least one person? This may be why the “American Dream” is sometimes not achievable for some people, regardless of what their definition of the “American Dream” is. This may be the greatest similarity between the “American Dream” of the 1920s and the “American Dream” of today: only a few lucky people will be able to cross the chasm of challenges and finally reach the green light."American RadioWorks - A Better Life." American RadioWorks - A Better Life. Np, nd Web. December 5, 2013. “The Great Gatsby.” , by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Np, nd Web. December 5, 2013. “The Great Gatsby: Analysis of the Major Characters.” SparkNote. SparkNotes and Web. December 5, 2013. "The Great Gatsby: Character List." SparkNote. SparkNotes and Web. December 5, 2013. “The Great Gatsby: Symbols and Motifs.” The Great Gatsby; Symbols and motifs. Np, nd Web. 5 December. 2013.