The Great Gatsby: Key Quotes Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Key Quotes

Depictions of Setting:

“There were the same people, or at least the same sort of people…the same profusion of champagne, the same many-coloured, many-keyed commotion”: This quote indicates a sense of continuity and timelessness about Gatsby’s parties, suggesting that Gatsby’s lifestyle – and the atmosphere that it creates – is both persistent and invariable.
“He hadn’t once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes.”: This portrayal of Gatsby’s mansion shows the significant influence Daisy has on Gatsby, indicating his desperation for her approval.

Development of Characters:

“[Jay] Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water…“ This quote highlights Gatsby’s vulnerability and intense emotion upon reuniting with Daisy.
“They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand; Gatsby didn’t know whether to shake it or kiss her on the mouth.” These lines reveal the developing relationship between Gatsby and Daisy and Gatsby’s continued uncertainty on how to behave around her.

Emerging Themes:

“Comparing [Daisy’s] with his former possessions merely to settle on them, transferred to them that smouldering hilarity that was his…“ This statement strongly communicates one of the novel’s central themes: materialism and its relationship to personal identity and love.
“The day-coach—he was penniless now—was hot. He went out to the open vestibule and sat down on a folding-chair…“ This quote reflects the theme of the American Dream, and how it can be unattainable for some, leading to disillusionment and despair.

Employment of Symbolism:

“There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams—not through her own fault but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion.” This symbolises Gatsby’s infatuation with Daisy, and the central theme of reality versus illusion in the novel. The “colossal vitality of his illusion” suggests that Gatsby’s dream is larger than reality could ever be.
“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…“ This famous quote symbolises Gatsby’s indomitable hope, his relentless pursuit of the future (the American Dream), and the inevitable disillusionment that comes with chasing an elusive goal. The “green light” becomes a metaphor for something consistently out-of-reach yet ceaselessly pursued.