In society, different things have been forced into the brains of people throughout their lives. Animals are labeled, races are stereotyped, different colours are conditioned into people’s brains with different archetypes. Knowing this, authors use this technique to enhance their writing and even to foreshadow the plot. Colours are used mainly to decipher what group a character belongs in, what happens to them further on, and what their wants are. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the use of symbolism and imagery are used as main tools for Fitzgerald to foreshadow Jay Gatsby’s desires and ultimately are key factors leading to his death. The first colour that Fitzgerald uses to portray Gatsby's desires is yellow; a fake gold representing Gatsby’s desire to become part of New York’s high class society. This desire for high-class status is one of the main causes for his downfall, and Fitzgerald shows this through the yellow car, mainly his car; “I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it. It was a rich cream colour, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns.” (Fitzgerald 64). This car is Gatsby’s gateway into the higher society, but also leads to his downfall. It is a very unique car, with it’s yellow color and it’s huge size, which is perfect for a member of the ‘New Money’ society, but also can be very dangerous for the owner. It is because of …show more content…
This color thus represents an orgiastic future or romantic reunion which Gatsby continues to believes in. (Olesen)
Gatsby’s desire is clouding his judgement and beliefs and is responsible for his downfall, which was foreshadowed by Fitzgerald using this