Prosperity and Poison; How Green Shapes The Great Gatsby
Color plays an astronomical role in The Great Gatsby. Whether it be the red and white house that Tom and Daisy live in, or the yellow Rolls-Royce that Gatsby drives around town, each single color holds a greater significance and is handpicked by Fitzgerald to represent something greater. The green light from Daisy’s dock is an iconic part of the story and represents a multitude of presentations in the story. However, it is from this light that the reader can see Gatsby’s fate from the very beginning and how it impacts the story. The symbolism of green light is used by Fitzgerald to paint a tragic picture of what Gatsby yearns for, but will ultimately play a hand in his demise.
Green represents a multitude of symbols, from envy and jealousy to wealth and luck. Wealth encompasses Gatsby at the beginning of the story. At the time, the reader knows little about him, but what they do know is that he has a large fortune under his name and a giant mansion to go with it. Green also encourages hope according to Kendra Cherry, who writes how “Color influences not only our emotions but also our memories.”
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His desire for Daisy’s affections is what drives her away from him and himself to his death. Daisy’s attractive nature, while beautiful, is dangerous, and Gatsby’s imaginative and optimistic nature was a recipe for disaster all along: “I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. 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” (Fitzgerald 180). This deadly combination of clashing personalities made for a spark that unfortunately dwindled over time. The only thing keeping Gatsby interested, aside from his scrapbooking, was the green light at the end of Daisy’s