Gatsby's disappointment

• '"It had seemed so close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock"'
• Fitzgerald's metaphorical language comparing Daisy to the moon and the green light to a star reveals how far removed from the scene Gatsby and his dream feel. The green light no longer symbolises Daisy. Gatsby's nostalgic dream and idealisation of her is over. The contrast between the metaphorical and the ordinary highlights the deflation Gatsby feels because the magical, enchanted quality of his dream is gone.
• Daisy is no longer an abstract concept. He feels confused in this moment, he has dreamed of this moment, but now it is falling short of his expectations. five years of imagining this moment through the filter of nostalgia leaves Gatsby feeling dissatisfied in real time. This feeling of deflation highlights that Gatsby loved the Daisy from 5 years ago, and now she no longer exists. Therefore, the theme of the futile 'American Dream' is explored as Gatsby's dream is unattainable.