Symbols

The Youngers' apartment plays a rather large role when it comes to the book's whole atmosphere and feel. The apartment itself is a small, one window, trapped dungeon for the family who feel as though they cannot escape their lives and poverty, especially Walter. The lack of light in the residence resembles their sense of confinement-a situation in which someone is forced to stay in a place, especially a prison, and not allowed to leave. The small speck of light that does make its appearance in the apartment is a reminder of the family's dreams. Like the family itself, the furniture was originally chosen with pride but now old and worn. It provides a symbol for the Youngers family over time. The "old and worn" feel to the furniture shows the tired and strained conditions of everyday life. Many symbols are provided in this book, in which they explain much of the family. Their characteristics and lives are shown in depth and detail with the apartment, furniture, and light. With this it better explains the main theme of the book; The struggles and hardship of an African American family during the 1950s while they keep a sense of pride, not like many at the time.

Same Yet Different

F. Scott Fitzgerald has a tendency to use the same plot with his pieces. With the two pieces "The Great Gatsby" and "Winter Dreams" it is shown.
Both main characters, coming from little to no money, share a common dream of wanting wealth and fortune as well as a high society leading lady. Both ladies are flirtatious and hard to get. They marry someone else and have their child, realizing too late when they see or talk to the main characters again that they could've had a better life. Yet, when the main characters attempt to regain their past love with their ex's, it fails miserably and they end up alone.
Now there are differences to these two stories, obviously, or else they would be the same one. Dexter in "Winter Dreams" isn't involved in an illegal way of making money as Gatsby from "The Great Gatsby" is. Gatsby makes money by illegally selling alcohol during the prohibition era while Dexter owns a laundry service, which he later sells. Also, Dexter's view of his "love" Judy changes when he realizes how much her beauty has deteriorated while Gatsby always finds his "love" Daisy beautiful.
In all, the two pieces are both still very identical, but there are ways in which they differ.

Gatsby

We all have a natural attraction to wealth, power, and beauty. This proves to be the reason as to why most people attend Gatsby's lavish parties. Yet there's another reason for attending a "Gatsby party" and that's to find out things about this character.
Gatsby is perceived to be this self made man when in reality he comes from no money. His past is embarrassing to him so he creates this persona of a wealthy man. He changes his name, going to war, and then becoming involved in a shady business to get him rich. Ultimately, he does this all for a woman he loves names Daisy. His obsession with her since the war has motivated him to throw parties, hoping she will come one day, and buy a house across from her where he can watch. He tries extremely hard to rebuild what he and Daisy once had when they were young. But, as time passes by it shows that that relationship they once shared is gone. In the end we see that he's stuck not being able to go back to the past and recreate that life but stuck not being able to move forward without her either.