Suburban Man Essay

635 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The philosophy of composition by edgar allen poe

The main character in the story is a suburban man who lives with his wife and daughter, living in a painted house with a white picket fence. He had saved up enough money to move out of the city, into the ideal neighborhood. Based on the expectations of the society, he is portrayed as the ideal suburban man.

Similar to Poe's Philosophy of Composition, The Green Man has repetition, that set out the tone and the mood of the story. In this narrative, the word green symbolizes more than one thing. Repetition of the word green can be seen throughout the narrative. Green represents powerful emotions such as lust. jealousy, envy, anger and cunning. Green is an effective and certainly a dominant color. Green represents life through the color of nature. The story takes place in the protagonist's hometown, where a band of gypsies rolled up to this sanitized and idealistic area. The locale places a huge role in putting in motion the sequence of events. The sudden arrival of gypsies had led the reader to experience as if a gypsy has invaded their personal space. …show more content…

It sticks to the society's expectations, where a green lawn is what it sounds like. This enhances the ability of the protagonist to achieve certain goals to maintain his title as the ideal suburban man. Everyone is expected by everyone to act in a certain way. "The Green pol winked at us". Green here is used to humiliate the main character and put him in a tight spot. His daughter had realized her sensuality. In this sentence winked hints mischief and playfulness. The green pool represents the earthly connection between sensual desires, considering that the pool previously originated from the horse's appendages. The protagonist was cautious, however, at the end, he eventually surrendered to the mesmerizing charms of the

Show More
Related

  • “A Proud-Acting Bunch”: The Issues of Suburbanization and Class Stratification in “A Raisin in the Sun”

    1474 Words  | 3 Pages

    America experienced an explosive period of suburbanization after World War II. The suburban “home represented a source of meaning and security” (May 24) to those seeking refuge and comfort after a tumultuous time of war. Among those migrating from the cities to the suburbs were middle-class African Americans, who sought a suburban life that both “express[ed] and reinforce[d] their newly won social position.” (Wiese 101) However, this middle-class migration from urban areas left behind working class African Americans such as the Younger family of Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play “A Raisin in the Sun.” While the Younger family of “A Raisin in the Sun” finally realize the suburban dream of a home with “three bedrooms… and a nice big basement” (Hansberry 92), the decision to move from urban Southside Chicago is not encouraged by the other African Americans of the play; rather, the Younger family is met with disrespect and derision. Hansberry uses the characters of George Murchison and Mrs. Johnson to illustrate class stratification amongst African Americans during the post-war period. The scenes with these particular characters highlight the class conflict that occurred within the African American community throughout this period of suburbanization.

    Read More

  • gatcolor Great Gatsby Essays: Importance of Color

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    Apparently, green is the most prominently used color in the novel. The reason for this may be that green is the color used to describe the main character of the novel, Jay Gatsby. One of the possible meanings of green in this story is envy. Gatsby can be seen as an envious man for a few reasons. For one, he is extremely envious of Tom Buchanan because of the fact that he has the one thing he can’t buy, Daisy. Also, Gatsby is extremely envious of the people that he invites to his house. He knows that he is not old money like the people he invites to his parties. This makes him a man of who, is “Green with envy.”

    Read More

  • What Does The Color Green Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

    1216 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us”(Fitzgerald 171). Whenever Gatsby looks at Daisy’s green light, he thinks of a bright future with his love of his life. The color green symbolizes Gatsby’s desire for a future with Daisy. Green also symbolizes Gatsby’s desire for great wealth. Nick describes Gatsby’s car as a “green leather conservatory” because the interior is green (Fitzgerald 64).

    Read More

  • What Does The Water Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

    922 Words  | 2 Pages

    Green is a major symbol used in The Great Gatsby. This first example of Gatsby reaching out on his dock for the green light symbolises Gatsby trying to reach out for something he cant have; Daisy, old money, Tom’s

    Read More

  • Color Symbolism In The Great Gatsby

    1399 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout history, colors have been used as symbols in literature. When people see or hear certain colors, they automatically associate them with symbols and feelings. For example, red is love, blue is sadness, and purple is royalty. Many of these symbols are universal. You could go anywhere in the world and ask someone how yellow makes them feel, and they would say happy. Some great examples of color symbolism are in the novel The Great Gatsby. Well-known symbols as well as new meanings are used to enrich the story. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, he used the colors gold, white, green and blue to symbolize deeper meanings.

    Read More

  • Suburbanization: Roots Of The American Dream

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    Suburbanization, roots of the “American dream.” A house occupied by a man and woman and their three kids; the man is the breadwinner, and the woman is the stay-at-home wife. The husband would leave the house to go to work while the wife happily stay at home to cook, clean, and care for the kids. This was the imagine that were painted for consumers after World War II. This was how success was defined. However, at the other end of rainbow was not a pot of gold. Women were angry and frustrated from being confined in their homes all day. Furthermore, African Americans were excluded from this “picture perfect” dream when the government created “red lining” and made it impossible for people of color to get a house loan. The impact of suburban growth

    Read More

  • Symbolism of White and Green in The Great Gatsby

    683 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Great Gatsby is full of symbolism, colors, for example. Throughout the book the author uses them to represent different themes of the novel. Some of these colors are white, yellow, grey, green, pink, red and blue. However, I picked white and green for my commentary because I think these colors have a special meaning different from the others. White is mainly used to describe the character’s innocence, fakeness, and corruption. While green represents Gatsby’s hopes, ambitions, and dreams. In addition, sometimes green symbolizes the jealousy of certain characters.

    Read More

  • How Is Nick Carraway A Green Character In The Great Gatsby

    547 Words  | 2 Pages

    Part of being a “green” character so to speak would include multiple trait one being the enjoyment of the big picture process. Though there are many examples in the novel the most obvious or most out there would be the rekindling between Daisy and Gatsby with Nick Carraway being involved with the set up. Through the whole scene Nick had debated if the future for them was a bright one in a way given the signs like Daisy’s overwhelming facial expressions and

    Read More

  • gatcolor Color Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

    806 Words  | 2 Pages

    Color Symbolism in The Great Gatsby & nbsp;      Colors can symbolize many different things.  Artists use colors in their paintings when they  want you to see what they are trying to express.  Like if an artist is trying to express sorrow or death. he often uses blacks, blues, and. grays. Basically he uses dreary colors.  You automatically feel what the artist is trying to express.  When the artist uses bright colors you feel warm and you feel happiness.  In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald is like an artist.  He uses colors to symbolize the many different intangible ideas in the book.  He uses the color yellow to symbolize moral decay, decadence, and death. Then he uses the color white to symbolize innocence.  He also uses the color green to express hope.  Fitzgerald's use of the color green the strongest.

    Read More

  • Use of Color in The Great Gatsby

    584 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fitzgerald’s use of symbolism and colors in The Great Gatsby is prominent in every chapter of his novel.  To fully understand the meaning of his color use, a reader must recognize the situations in which these colors are used.  Throughout the novel Fitzgerald uses the color green.  Green has many possible interpretations, and its’ use to reveal insight into Gatsby’s character is probably the most meaningful.

    Read More

  • Seventeenth Facts About The Great Gatsby

    1012 Words  | 3 Pages

    Generally, people thinks that ‘green’ represents the plants or earth. In this book, ‘green’ represents an ideal world that Nick wants to live. Nick is one who traveled around to have better life. For example, he moves Midwest to West where he met Gatsby. At the end, he is tired with it, and decided to go back to Midwest. ‘Green’ also represents spring which refers the new beginning or hope.

    Read More

  • Nick's Quotes In The Great Gatsby

    1707 Words  | 4 Pages

    The green light signifies Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. Nick thinks back to when Gatsby observes the green light across the bay from West Egg and says, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us” (180). The “orgastic future” represents the American dream in which everyone has the equal opportunity to live in prosperity and happiness through hard work and success. Gatsby’s dream is full of potential, but the memories in his past end up against him and his potential diminishes as his life

    Read More

  • gatcolor Great Gatsby Essay: Imagery of Colors

    502 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fitzgerald used green most frequently to symbolize Gatsby's love for Daisy Buchanan.  Daisy rejected Gatsby because "rich girls don't marry poor boys", so her philosophy compelled him to become wealthy.  Gatsby described Daisy's voice as "full of money" and he acquired millions of green dollars in the hope that Daisy would love him again.  Also, Gatsby moved into his mansion so that he could live near the Buchanans, and at night the millionaire watches "a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been at the end of a dock.

    Read More

  • Corruption of the American Dream in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    Though success lies at the heart of the American dream, Fitzgerald deftly portrays the ease with which this sacred idea can become tainted by commenting on the corruption of wealth. Gatsby exemplifies the American dream in his ideals, in this case the desire for success and self-substantiation; however, this dream become corrupted because he is not able to distinguish the acquisition of wealth from the pursuit of his dream, embodied by Daisy, and is tainted by the illicit foundations of his wealth as well as his desires for an unsuitable married woman. Fitzgerald uses the symbol of the green light at the beginning of the novel to represent Gatsby’s dream and even uses the light to introduce him for the first time. “He [Gatsby] stretched his arms out towards the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward- and distinguished nothing but a single green light, minute and far away”(Fitzgerald 26). The author uses the light to represent the American dream; initially the color green represented fertility, which plays a prominent role in the dream, but as the story progresses the green light grows to symbolize money. In his essay “Money, Love, and Aspiration”, Roger Lewis discusses the means by which Gatsby amasses his wealth and poisons his dream.

    Read More

  • Use of Color in Crane's The Red Badge of Courage

    1652 Words  | 4 Pages

    Crane's use of color allows for layers of meaning within each hue. Green, red and gray are used to describe the everyday physical objects in the text's world, and also the landscapes and metaphysical objects and ideas in Fleming's mind. Green is literally the color of the grass, but figuratively the freshness and youth of the soldiers and the purity of the natural world. Red is, overwhelmingly the color of battle, of courage and gunfire and bloodshed. Gray, however, becomes the color of human defeat. Because Crane uses each so carefully and selectively, creating for each several meanings, they take on a significance of their own; each can stand alone to have its own charged meanings.

    Read More

More about Suburban Man Essay

Open Document