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Literary analysis essay
Symbolism in the things they carried literary criticism
Use of Symbolism
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Literary analysis essay
Symbolism in the things they carried literary criticism
Use of Symbolism
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Green is archetypally associated with wealth, envy, and life. One example of green being used in the novel is that it is the color used for furnishing Gatsby’s car. Although the outside of his car is yellow to certify that everyone is aware of his wealth, the area that he inhabits while driving is green to remind him of the wealth he had built himself. When Nick is in the car, he describes it as a, “green leather conservatory” (47). The use of the word conservatory reveals to the reader that Nick feels like it is something of a spectacle seeing how a conservatory holds things that should be looked at.
In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Firzgerald, Nick Carraway represents the qualities of the green color. He is curious, calm and collected, intelligent, and describes others meticulously. Nick observes the other characters actions and judges them based off of those in precise ways. Nick also possesses qualities from the blue color because of how everyone confides in him. Nick is the first person that everyone goes to when they need to talk.
Throughout the book, and especially emphasized in the last page, is the idea that green is full of hope for the future. The green light that Gatsby gazes out at represents his dream of life with Daisy. On the last page, the “fresh, green breast of the new world” is mentioned, full of hope for the people landing their ships on the east coast centuries ago. Even the green interior of Gatsby’s car, earlier in the book, promotes this symbolism, as Gatsby has been hanging on to hope for the future, keeping this inside his flashy yellow exterior for so long. But for his hope to become reality, he must first overcome the hopelessness in his way.
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, deploys color symbolism in order to further develop characters and the plot. Fitzgerald’s use of color symbolism within The Great Gatsby not only defines the characters but adds depth to them. The most recognized color within the novel is “the single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock” (26). In addition to the green light, there are many other colors within the novel that embody characters, objects, and ideas. The most significant and memorable colors, other than green, are white and yellow, both of which are intertwined in Fitzgerald’s fictional world of materialism and scandal.
The green represents money at an extremely rich and fancy nightclub. Lastly, “the green color runs throughout the whole novel, and it is closely related to Gatsby’s short life. So it symbolizes Gatsby’s original dream and hope” (p. 41) Gatsby lived a short but luxurious life filled with potential and hope originally, until his encounter with Daisy, Tom, George, and many other characters, who got him into trouble with already married
The color green symbolizes many different people and the different mindsets characters had throughout the novel.. Green is mainly known for symbolizing Gatsby’s dream of marrying Daisy and officially becoming old money. At one point in the story Gatsby starts talking about the green light
The symbolism of the color white appear several times in the book. But, there was one scene that stood out. The author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about the color of white in the scene where Nick is visiting Tom and Daisy Buchanan. Fitzgerald described what happens when Nick was going on a trip with Gatsby in his car, “-only half, for as we twisted among the pillars of the elevated I heard the familiar “jug-jug-spat!” of a motor cycle, and a frantic policeman rode alongside. “All right, old sport,” called Gatsby.
The green light was the one thing which kept him going to achieve his dream- Daisy, as if it was a “yes” symbol for Gatsby. Gatsby in chapter six says, “I'm going to fix everything just the way it was before," he said, nodding determinedly. She'll see.” (Fitzgerald 110). On the other hand, green light also symbolizes money and how Gatsby had to use money to achieve his dream-Daisy.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby takes place in the 1920’s, an era of emerging new wealth and a desire to exploit the new wealth through exuberant displays. The main indicator of individual success became the classification of individuals into social strata. Individuals born in an elite stratum do not need to exploit their wealth. Gatsby’s newfound wealth in turn forces him to exploit his wealth. In the midst of his lavish displays, he becomes more aware of the difference between newfound and preexisting wealth.
The green light is used to represent multiple things. The first thing it represents is Gatsby’s desire, his dream which is Daisy. To win Daisy would help Gatsby accomplish his American dream. The first time the green light is seen in the novel is when Nick sees Gatsby for the first time, Fitzgerald describes it as, "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.
Color is everywhere. Although color may not seem important, they might have a greater, deeper meaning. Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is set back in the Roaring 20’s, when the economy was booming. A newly rich man named Jay Gatsby is one of the richer people in this time that enjoys his money. He throws overgenerous parties, hoping that the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, attends.
Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald continuously references a green light that Gatsby keeps on reaching for. The green light was significant by representing the theme of greed, being a symbol of Gatsby’s desire for Daisy, and serves as a motif for the American Dream. The color green in itself already illustrates the idea of greed and money. Gatsby already has everything anyone could dream for counting a house in West Egg, fame, and fortune, but still he is chasing after this light or in other words, chasing after the love of his life, Daisy. The light is a literary metaphor for Daisy since during the novel, once Gatsby reunites with Daisy the light begins to fade and reframes from reaching out for it.
One of the most significant and well known symbols throughout this novel is the green light. This green light is an allusion to Gatsby’s “American Dream” or Daisy. “I decided to call to him. Miss Baker had mentioned him at dinner, and that would do for an introduction. But I didn 't call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone—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.
John A. Pidgeon says that, “The theme of Gatsby is the withering of the American Dream”(Pidgeon 179). The prime example of this is Gatsby, who “believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther” (Fitzgerald 180). The green light symbolizes Gatsby’s dream to be upper class with Daisy, but he can never reach it. Furthermore, it is frustrating for him that when he does attain wealth, Daisy is still out of his reach.
Fitzgerald uses color to add mod and symbolize different things throughout the novel. The novel uses many different colors to provide imagery for the readers to understand and to live as if they are truly in the novel. The color blue represents Gatsby’s illusions his deeply romantic dreams of unreality. He’ had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”