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Corruption In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

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In the thrilling novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it depicts the dreams and reality of The Jazz Age through the major characters. During that period of time, the American Dream, social status, and money were all important and powerful to people. Despite a time of corruption, there was hope to achieve all of that and become successful. The author uses colors throughout the story to develop a theme of the American Dream, identify the character’s true personalities, and distinguish social class and its corruption. One of the reasons Fitzgerald uses colors as a symbolism, is to create and develop a theme with the American Dream. In the novel, the color green holds a very significant meaning that the author tries to exhibit. …show more content…

In this novel, money holds a great value for the characters and the significance of the story. Everything revolves around social class and money- specifically old money. Gold represents old money and corruption. One of the characters who tries to fit in with old money and is a result of corruption, is Gatsby. In the middle of the book, Gatsby talks to Nick about arranging a meeting with Daisy. Nick describes Gatsby, “An hour later the front door opened nervously, and Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold colored tie, hurried in,” (84, Fitzgerald). Gatsby showing up with a gold colored tie when he is about to meet Daisy for the first time in five years, is symbolic. When Gatsby is associated with gold or yellow, he is usually trying to fit in with old money; He wears a gold tie when he meets Daisy, his extravagant parties are sometimes described with yellow objects (cocktails), and his car is yellow. In result of all of this, it is what leads him to his death later. Gatsby’s yellow car and his death are used to connect to the other meaning of gold- which is corruption. Although he earns his new wealth, he simply doesn’t belong to old money because he comes from a poor background. The author exemplifies the social status Gatsby wants to belong to compared to the one he actually belongs to. He distinguishes social statuses and its corruption by using the color

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Fitzgerald uses color to differentiate the social classes of the by describing them with color. In The Great Gatsby Nick states that Daisy is the “Golden Girl…” (120). this description of Daisy shows that she is a girl of money and status because gold has a symbolic meaning of money and wealth. On the other hand Fitzgerald describes the man selling Airedales to Tom as a “Gray old man” (27). Basically what Fitzgerald is suggesting is that the man selling Airedales is a man of a low social status because gray symbolizes depression, and the man is trying to find a way to make money so he can climb the social ladder.

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981 Words | 4 Pages

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1218 Words | 5 Pages

This shows that gatsby believes the green light to follow the American dream and it has a significant meaning and gave him hope. However, at one point in the novel, Fitzgerald didn't use green to symbolize hope, here green symbolizes jealousy or envy. George Wilson said "In the sunlight his face was green" (Fitzgerald 117). The symbolism here the author shows the envy George sees in the face of a man by using the color

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1909 Words | 8 Pages

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1261 Words | 6 Pages

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