Colors In The Great Gatsby Essay

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Jay Gatsby, as described in The Great Gatsby, is a very vibrant character. Throughout every chapter, Fitzgerald uses symbolism and colors to depict certain details. The use of colors in the novel represents Gatsby’s personality. In the novel, Gatsby is a difficult character to understand, but the colors help illustrate a deeper meaning to his character. Blue is a color that signifies serenity, honesty, loyalty, and youth. The color blue is a quiet and reserved color, just like Jay Gatsby. Much about Gatsby is not said in the beginning of the novel, but as the story progresses, the reader learns that Jay Gatsby is a very nostalgic man. He wishes for the past to repeat itself and a specific part of his past is Daisy Buchanan (Fitzgerald …show more content…

The color green represents life, safety, and wealth. In the novel, the color green also represents hope. Gatsby hopes to restore his past relationship with Daisy. A symbol of Gatsby’s hope is the green light at Daisy Buchanan’s home. It is a repeated reference throughout the chapters in The Great Gatsby. The first time it is mentioned in the novel is when Nick glances out seaward while he was looking for Gatsby (Fitzgerald 21). The second time that the green light, the green light of hope for Gatsby, was mentioned in the book, was when Gatsby took Daisy to show his house (Fitzgerald 99). “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.” (Fitzgerald 193). The green light was a representation of hope and the future for Gatsby. The color green also portrays vitality and life. For example, on page 90 in the book, it discusses a greenhouse. That greenhouse is important because of the life it represents. Another way that green is discussed in the novel, is wealth. It is quite obvious that Mr. Gatsby is wealthy man and is not afraid to flaunt it. Between the green shirt and the green luxurious leather seats, the color green embodies the term “wealthy.” In The Great Gatsby, wealth is common theme, in fact, it is very hard to miss while reading (Fitzgerald 69.99). Within the wealth, it also implies the term safe. Although Gatsby’s wealth came about for illegal reasons, his wealth is supposed to serve as a safe place for

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