In The Great Gatsby many people believe that the green light represents the American Dream. This is the most obvious interpretation; however, it can be argued that the green light also represents physical and emotional unattainability and distance. The perfect example of this is when Nick sees Gatsby on the water after dinner, “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling” (Fitzgerald Chapter 1). This scene shows both physical and emotional distance, Gatsby is sitting on the dock reaching out for the green light but is just slightly out of reach from grasping it just as he is out of reach from becoming a genuinely wealthy man. Nick is also physically distant from Gatsby as he is approaching him at the dock Nick decides to stop and not call out to Gatsby. This is symbolic because he is not only physically distant from Gatsby but is also emotionally distant because he is failing to make that human to human connection with Gatsby. Furthermore on emotions Gatsby is not able to make his dreams come to winning Daisy back and being the ideal man she wants. He has fabricated this persona for himself that portrays him as the ideal wealthy man that could give Daisy everything she wants; however, it is metaphorically like a stack of chairs that isn’t quite tall enough to reach the green light and when Gatsby tries to lean to grasp the light all of the chairs come crashing down.