Issue 35 - Green

Hello and welcome to my weekly email newsletter, Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five, where I share five things I’m enjoying, thinking about, and find interesting. I hope you enjoy issue 35 and feel free to share your own reflections.

Here’s my Friday Five this week.

1. What I’m Reading

The Great Gatsby. By F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Great Gatsby stands as a major contender for the title of the ‘Great American Novel’—a term conceived by American Civil War novelist John William De Forest, who described it as the novel that “paints the American soul.” Set during the summer of 1922 in Long Island, New York, Fitzgerald’s iconic work is a richly symbolic contemplation of the disintegration of the American dream amid a society obsessed with wealth and status.

1920s America was characterised by the Roaring Twenties, a period of material excess fueled by a post-war economic boom. Fitzgerald portrays this era as a decay of social and moral values, with greed, hollowness, and an empty pursuit of pleasure. It was a time of recklessness that led to wild parties and wild jazz music. And it’s through this blue haze of exuberance that we meet the eponymous Jay Gatsby.

On a basic level, The Great Gatsby is a story of lost love. Gatsby’s violent pursuit of opulence and status stems from his longing to win back the love of his life, Daisy, a high-society figure. Gatsby’s mansion, extravagant parties, and the elusive green light across the bay all symbolise his aspirations. Yet, the Daisy he desires is an illusion—a perfect ideal she neither embodies nor deserves. Gatsby’s dream is flawed because of the unworthiness of its object, paralleling the same downfall of the American dream in the 1920s, corrupted by money and pleasure. Just as the nation yearned for a bygone age in which their dreams had value, Gatsby aches to recapture a vanished past that remains both elusive and futile—a theme still relevant today.

Among the many powerful symbols in the novel is the use of the colour green. The green light across the bay serves as envy and desire, reflecting Gatsby’s craving for everything Daisy respresents. The light is distant and always seemingly out of reach, much like Gatsby’s aspirations. Beyond its personal significance to Gatsby, the green light also encapsulates the broader American dream. The novel’s narrator, Nick, likens the green light to the vision of America that greeted early settlers. Through the tragic rise and fall of Gatsby, Fitzgerald suggests that the dream, while alluring, may be both an unattainable and unwise goal.

2. What I’m Watching

The Pursuit of Happyness. Directed by Gabriele Muccino.

While The Great Gatsby evokes visions of opulence set against the iconic green light symbolising unattainable dreams, The Pursuit of Happyness interprets the American dream through a more earthy shade of green—a color of hope and tenacity in the face of adversity. Rather than a tale of excessive wealth or social status, this film’s narrative is rooted in the basic struggle for survival. It’s inspired by the real-life story of Chris Gardner, who experienced hardship and homelessness before finding success. This version of the American dream is more about grit and the pursuit of a stable life for both Gardner and his young son.

In an understated and affecting performance, Will Smith depicts a man barely keeping his life together. As a salesman striving to make ends meet, Gardner’s world crumbles when his wife leaves him and he’s evicted, forcing him to live on the streets with his son. The film doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of poverty and we feel the importance of every dollar earned or lost.

Gardner’s story isn’t just about overcoming and defeating poverty, it’s also a commentary on how easily the middle classes can get sucked into the crippling cycle of poverty. (Significantly, the film’s release in 2006 was only a few months before the start of the Global Financial Crisis, which would have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of many middle-class families). Through these challenges, Gardner’s determination, integrity, love for his son, and an attention to standards—he complains about the misspelling of ‘happiness’ on the mural near his son’s playschool—become his guiding lights. He puts them to use by focusing only on the present and immediate future.

The Pursuit of Happyness is another poignant reminder of the sacrifices made and the perseverance demanded in pursuit of the American dream. While the film broadly takes a more hopeful view (demonstrated by the eventual success of Gardner), it subtly reminds us of the many shades of despair that others have to confront in their own pursuit.

3. What I’m Contemplating

There’s a line from The Great Gatsby that really stood out:

“There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired.”

In just twelve words, Fitzgerald beautifully captured the essence of human endeavours and emotion. Reflecting on each in the context of today’s world:

• The Pursued—Think of those constantly in the spotlight: celebrities, influencers, and others scrutinised by society. Instead of focusing excessively on them, we can shift our gaze inwards, on ourselves. By honing our skills, expanding our knowledge, and embracing our responsibilities, we position ourselves to be pursued for the right reasons.

• The Pursuing—This is timeless. Throughout history, we’ve chased dreams, passions, love, and ambitions. In today’s world, this might be the pursuit of a career, a relationship, or a personal milestone. Yet, as with the pursued, we need to exercise judgement in what we pursue, especially in our era of instant gratification. This relentless chase often defines our modern lives. Is our pursuit truly meaningful?

• The Busy—Since the birth of the Industrial Revolution, we’ve equated busyness with worth. Production lines, mechanisation, and now, digitalisation, have transformed the way we work and what we value. Today, endless to-do lists and a relentless cascade of meetings often characterise work. Busyness often masquerades as accomplishment. But is this busyness always productive or just a disguise for appearing important?

• The Tired—Exhaustion can be both physical and emotional. Historically, physical exhaustion from manual labour was common. Today, while many still face physical exhaustion, there is a rising trend of emotional and mental fatigue. Our age of distraction, the blurring of work-life boundaries, and the pressure to be always ‘on’, can leave us drained. Addressing this requires intentional choices—from the technology we choose to the boundaries we set.

These roles aren’t static; they’re fluid. We move silently between them, sometimes occupying multiple ones at once. By recognising which role we find ourselves in and questioning if that’s where we truly want to be, we learn important insights into both our current state and our future aspirations.

4. A Quote to note

“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. Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness.”

- Nick Carraway, character and narrator in The Great Gatsby.

5. A Question for you

Which of the roles—the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, the tired—do you currently identify with most, and based on this reflection, what is one concrete step you can take this week to either embrace, shift, or find balance within that role?

This week’s image is an award-winning design by Alyssa Scott, created for an art contest celebrating The Great Gatsby.

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Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

James