The Great Gatsby
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F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby introduced life during the 1920s where color was represented to serve ideal purposes of expressions and ideas. Fitgerald added symbolism to the novel by introducing symbolic values to the colors green and white. Fitzgerald uses green to allude to Gatsbys choices, attitudes, and thoughts; while white represented a social facade behind every characters action.
The green light at the end of the dock was introduced as a vision in the first chapter, but later became the factor of Jay Gatsbys love life. Gatsbys intention of reliving the past was represented by the reflection of the green light situated at the end of Daisys dock at East Egg with Nick Carraways insight: “I could have sworn he was trembling. I glanced seaward–and distinguished nothing except a single green light [] When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished.” (
During the 1920s, living high and fast was the order of the day. Many women of the time, feeling a new sense of independence brought on by money and society, became very active in social circles. The color white is a representation of a womens “social personality”, the facade presented at parties or other events. Daisy, for instance, is mainly seen dressed in white, symbolizing her innocent and proper appearance. Daisys uses her status of innocence as a back door from her wild adventures in her life. Her image is revealed during a car ride with Nick as she confesses: “I hate careless people. Thats why I like you.” (