Gatsby Color

F. Scott 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.

The color green is traditionally associated with spring, hope, and youth. One possible meaning of the color green is envy. Gatsby can be seen as an envious, jealous character. He once had the love of his life, Daisy, but now she is married to another man. He spends all of his time and effort in an attempt to win back Daisy. It is also probable that Fitzgerald uses green to symbolize money and it’s power in society. Money rules the lives of the people in the story. Gatsby needs money to live the life that he does. Gatsby also feels he needs the money to win back Daisy’s love. The color green can both symbolize envy and money; however, the most reasonable meaning would have to be one of future hope, especially in Gatsby’s case. The use of a green light at the end of a landing stage to signal a romantic reunion, is intriguingly similar to the green light at the end of Daisy's Buchanan' s dock, which becomes a key image in The Great Gatsby. The initial appearance of the green light occurs when Nick sees Gatsby for the first time, standing in front of his mansion and stretching out his arms to "...a single green light, minute and far away that might have been the end of a dock." The light becomes, for Gatsby, the symbol of a reunion with Daisy. This reunion seems justifiable, yet it is so far away from coming true.

Gold and yellow are colors that symbolize old wealth. The colors green and gold contrast in a significant way. In old times people used gold as a means for exchange,

but as a national currency was established green money replaced the gold and gold no longer even backed the dollar. So, gold represents the old money and green represents the new. In the same way, gold symbolizes Daisy and Tom’s old money and green symbolizes Gatsby’s new money. One might say that Gatsby is "green." To contrast this Tom is gold. In the same way that green and gold contrast so do Gatsby and Tom. Jordan and Daisy are also represented by gold. "...Jordan’s slender golden arm resting in mine..." "...high in the white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl..." The golden girl is, of course, Daisy.

Daisy's character