Color Symbolism In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Ezekiel Lewis
Mrs.Tollet
American Literature
24 April 2023
Gatsby Essay
F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a novel that explores the flashy lifestyle of the wealthy in the 1920s, and the pursuit of the American Dream through the character of Jay Gatsby. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses colors as symbols to convey deeper meanings about the characters and themes. The color symbolism in The Great Gatsby adds depth and complexity to the novel, allowing Fitzgerald to explore themes such as the desire for wealth, the corruption of the wealthy, the moral decay of the people, and the longing for wealth or relationships. The color symbolism in The Great Gatsby involving the colors green, white, yellow, and blue, ultimately contributes to

It represents both purity and corruption. Daisy Buchanan is introduced as a beautiful and charming woman, exuding an aura of purity. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Daisy is a corrupt and selfish character. “ ‘Her voice is full of money,’ he said suddenly. That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money . . . High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl. . . .” (Fitzgerald 120). White is used to contrast Daisy's appearance and true nature. Fitzgerald writes, “. . . white dresses and their impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire” (Parkinson 76). Daisy's pure appearance is so different from her cold and calculating

It is used to represent sadness and obscurity. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are described as blue, and they are said to symbolize the eyes of God watching over the sinful lives of the characters in the novel. Fitzgerald writes, "The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high" (Fitzgerald 23). He stares down at them like a frightening presence of God in the lives of the characters.
In addition, the color blue is also used to describe the Valley of Ashes, a lonely and depressing place where the poor and oppressed live. The Valley of Ashes represents the corrupt nature of wealthy society and the suffering of the poor. Fitzgerald writes, "This is a valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens" (Fitzgerald 27). The color blue, therefore, represents the sadness and obscurity that pervade the lives of the