Gold In The Great Gatsby
In the novel, the color green is associated with Gatsby many times whether it be related to his envy, his money, or his thoughts. Gatsby is filled with jealousy when he is unable to attain Daisy since she already belongs to another man, Tom. Green also represents the power and influence of money, which Gatsby has plenty of. Later in the novel, Michaelis, the witness of the car accident that killed Myrtle, “wasn’t even sure of [the death car’s] color – [but] he told the first policeman that it was light green” (Fitzgerald 137). The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock is a significant symbol within the novel. To Gatsby, the green light represents his dream, which is Daisy. Nick first saw Gatsby out on the deck and witnessed Gatsby as “he
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stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way”, but the only object Nick was able to distinguish was “a single green light, minute and far away…”(20-21). The green light is described as ‘minute and far away’ which shows how it is impossible to reach. This will prove to be true for Gatsby since he will never obtain Daisy’s love. The green light also represents society’s desire and the seeming impossibility of achieving the materialistic American Dream. Like America itself, with its Franklininan image of a society in which there are no absolute barriers and a man can become what he wishes to become, Daisy gives Gatsby the green light to move on. Being green, the light summons Gatsby and his fellow Americans to go ahead--to run faster, stretch out our arms farther and reach for our dreams.
Gold and yellow are mentioned throughout the novel and are associated with old wealth and corruption.
The Buchanan’s wealth is depicted by the color gold since it is old money that has been in their family for generations. Gold is a well-known symbol of wealth. Anything gold or glittery grabs attention, which is something very important to the characters in The Great Gatsby. Most of the characters' actions in the novel are to make themselves look good and give themselves the image that they want people to have of them. It would only make sense that they would wear and own things that are gold because it makes them appear wealthy on the outside, whether they actually are or are not. However, yellow is fake gold; it is veneer and show rather than substance. We see that with the "yellow cocktail music" at Gatsby's party and the "two girls in twin yellow dresses" who aren't as alluring as the golden Jordan (40 and 42). Another time we see yellow in the novel is Gatsby's car, which is a symbol of his desire—and failure—to enter New York's high society. And if that weren't enough, T. J. Eckleburg's glasses, looking over the wasteland of America, are yellow. Gold and yellow was the color of Myrtle's death. It honestly is kind of the way she wanted to go. She wanted to be rich and live with the wealthy, which is why she had her affair with Tom. George was not wealthy in any way shape or form, so he was unable to appease to her desired lifestyle. Dying around the color of the riches shows how Myrtle never truly got what she wanted out of life, and the riches ended up killing
her.
In many ways, white can represent simplicity, and in other ways, it can represent wealth. White is a very luxurious color in this novel. Daisy has white everything in her house, along with a white car. They also describe her by using white a lot, such as her white neck or her white girlhood. The Buchanan’s house is “a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion," which could be a contrast between Tom and Daisy (6). The red represents Tom and the white represents Daisy. It could also show the contrast in the events to come, the relationship between Tom and Daisy, or the idea that everyone is full of both good and bad. Daisy’s name is a metaphor relating to the flower, which has white petals with a yellow center. Daisy portrays herself as innocent and pure in order to hide her past and current actions from the judgmental society she abides in. If everyone knew about her scandalous life, her level in society would decrease. These actions resemble the white petals of a daisy since she appears ‘white’ on the outside, and that is was people see first. But also like the flower, Daisy has a yellow core. Her morals and ideology are corrupt which lead her to damage each person she comes in contact with. She and Tom move around a lot because everywhere they go they cause destruction in that society.
stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way”, but the only object Nick was able to distinguish was “a single green light, minute and far away…”(20-21). The green light is described as ‘minute and far away’ which shows how it is impossible to reach. This will prove to be true for Gatsby since he will never obtain Daisy’s love. The green light also represents society’s desire and the seeming impossibility of achieving the materialistic American Dream. Like America itself, with its Franklininan image of a society in which there are no absolute barriers and a man can become what he wishes to become, Daisy gives Gatsby the green light to move on. Being green, the light summons Gatsby and his fellow Americans to go ahead--to run faster, stretch out our arms farther and reach for our dreams.
Gold and yellow are mentioned throughout the novel and are associated with old wealth and corruption.
The Buchanan’s wealth is depicted by the color gold since it is old money that has been in their family for generations. Gold is a well-known symbol of wealth. Anything gold or glittery grabs attention, which is something very important to the characters in The Great Gatsby. Most of the characters' actions in the novel are to make themselves look good and give themselves the image that they want people to have of them. It would only make sense that they would wear and own things that are gold because it makes them appear wealthy on the outside, whether they actually are or are not. However, yellow is fake gold; it is veneer and show rather than substance. We see that with the "yellow cocktail music" at Gatsby's party and the "two girls in twin yellow dresses" who aren't as alluring as the golden Jordan (40 and 42). Another time we see yellow in the novel is Gatsby's car, which is a symbol of his desire—and failure—to enter New York's high society. And if that weren't enough, T. J. Eckleburg's glasses, looking over the wasteland of America, are yellow. Gold and yellow was the color of Myrtle's death. It honestly is kind of the way she wanted to go. She wanted to be rich and live with the wealthy, which is why she had her affair with Tom. George was not wealthy in any way shape or form, so he was unable to appease to her desired lifestyle. Dying around the color of the riches shows how Myrtle never truly got what she wanted out of life, and the riches ended up killing
her.
In many ways, white can represent simplicity, and in other ways, it can represent wealth. White is a very luxurious color in this novel. Daisy has white everything in her house, along with a white car. They also describe her by using white a lot, such as her white neck or her white girlhood. The Buchanan’s house is “a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion," which could be a contrast between Tom and Daisy (6). The red represents Tom and the white represents Daisy. It could also show the contrast in the events to come, the relationship between Tom and Daisy, or the idea that everyone is full of both good and bad. Daisy’s name is a metaphor relating to the flower, which has white petals with a yellow center. Daisy portrays herself as innocent and pure in order to hide her past and current actions from the judgmental society she abides in. If everyone knew about her scandalous life, her level in society would decrease. These actions resemble the white petals of a daisy since she appears ‘white’ on the outside, and that is was people see first. But also like the flower, Daisy has a yellow core. Her morals and ideology are corrupt which lead her to damage each person she comes in contact with. She and Tom move around a lot because everywhere they go they cause destruction in that society.