The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is filled with symbolic colors that represent the personalities and themes within the novel. Fitzgerald uses color motifs to convey certain ideas and connect various elements throughout the story. By analyzing the specific colors Fitzgerald uses and how they are employed, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the symbolic importance of color in The Great Gatsby.
Green
The color green is strongly associated with the character of Jay Gatsby. It represents his longing for a better future and his sense of hope. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock is frequently described in the novel and is symbolic of Gatsby’s yearning for Daisy and the future he dreams they will share.
Green also represents Gatsby’s ambitious nature and his boundless hope and optimism. He believes anything is possible through hard work and determination. The green light is like a beacon guiding him towards his goals and vision for the future. However, the green light is also unattainable and always out of reach, reflecting the impossibility of Gatsby’s dream and his failure to achieve everything he desires.
White
The color white in The Great Gatsby symbolizes innocence and purity. Daisy Buchanan is often associated with white, which represents her outwardly innocent appearance. She is always seen dressed in white, which reflects her ethereal charm and beauty. However, beneath Daisy’s white exterior lies moral corruption, as she is revealed to be vain, shallow, and careless.
White is also used to describe Daisy’s home with Tom, full of bright white spaces adorned with lavish white curtains. This demonstrates the couple’s privileged lives, yet it contrasts with the true darkness beneath. The motif of white ultimately forms an ironic juxtaposition between the appearance of purity and the underlying immorality of certain characters.
Yellow
In The Great Gatsby, yellow symbolizes moral decay, corruption, and death. The Valley of Ashes, depicted as a run-down, gloomy wasteland that must be passed through on the way to New York City, is described as yellow. This emphasizes the lifeless quality of the setting and its symbolic moral decay.
Yellow is also prevalent in Gatsby’s mansion after his lavish parties. Despite the raucous gaiety, yellow suggests rot and corruption beneath the glamorous facade. After Myrtle’s death, yellow is powerfully used to describe the destructive aftermath, as “menacing yellow cars” zip dangerously through the Valley of Ashes.
Gray
The color gray is associated with dreariness, detachment, and isolation. The Valley of Ashes is gray, covered in ashes, representing the moral and social decay of people like Myrtle and George Wilson. It also symbolizes the divide between the working class who live among the ashes and the indulgent lives of the wealthy elite in East and West Egg.
Gray is also used to describe characters who seem detached from their emotions. Jordan Baker is introduced as a cynical young woman dressed all in gray. This lack of color represents her bored, indifferent attitude as she drifts through life.
Blue
Blue in The Great Gatsby connotes grief, loss, and the darker moods associated with dreams lost and hopes destroyed. After Gatsby’s death, Nick notes the “blue smoke of brittle leaves” and the “blue shock” of police officers’ uniforms, using blue to convey the coldness and despair surrounding his death.
The East, where common people pursue practical dreams, is also portrayed as blue-gray. This represents the mood and mentality of those with modest ambitions. Blue contrasts with the brighter illusion of yellow and white to demonstrate the divide between classes and experiences.
Gold
Gold and yellow are closely linked in the novel as representations of wealth and status. Gatsby hosts extravagant weekly parties catered with yellow drink and yellow food to exhibit his newly acquired wealth after rising up from an impoverished Midwestern background. His yellow Rolls Royce, yellow trousers, and abundance of yellow flowers all symbolize his conspicuous consumption.
However, yellow’s association with decay ultimately reflects the emptiness and worthlessness of such lavish living. Gold represents fleeting earthly pleasures that prove hollow at the core. For Gatsby, his golden persona and possessions fail to bring lasting fulfillment or win Daisy’s heart.
Conclusion
Color motifs play a vital role in The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses colors symbolically to reinforce major themes, provide social commentary, reveal deeper character motivations, and heighten the emotions set forth in the novel. Analyzing the shades and hues that color the story provides critical insights into the true meanings beneath the surface of Fitzgerald’s celebrated work.
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | Hope, longing, ambition |
| White | Innocence, purity |
| Yellow | Moral decay, corruption, death |
| Gray | Detachment, isolation |
| Blue | Grief, loss, despair |
| Gold | Wealth, status, emptiness |
