by Mr. Smith

Created on: June 06, 2008   Last Updated: June 07, 2008

The Great Gatsby and Color Symbolism

Vibrant, deadly, deceiving, innocent - colors are the dominating symbols utilized by F. Scott Fitzgerald in his masterpiece The Great Gatsby. Daniel J. Schneider, the Chairman of the Department of English for Windham College, states, "The vitality and beauty of F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing are perhaps nowhere more strikingly exhibited than in his handling of the color symbols in The Great Gatsby." Throughout the book characters, places, and objects are given "life" by colors, especially the more prominent ones. The colors of white, yellow, and green are the most eminent, easily distinguishable from the rest, and representing purity, death, and hope. Such strong symbolic colors are seen continually, and exist to provide a higher and more in depth meaning to the book.

"White is one of the main symbolic colors in The Great Gatsby, representing purity, innocence, and honesty" (Adam H.). Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Jordan Baker, and Daisy Buchanan all directly exemplify Adam's statement. Nick considers himself the only truly honest person he knows (Fitzgerald 60) and often wears white, such as when he attends one of Gatsby's parties for the first time. This event being considerably significant, Nick wanted to make the best impression he could - that is, appearing untainted and honest - for Gatsby and the other guests. Gatsby also adorns himself in white when he finally reunites with Daisy after five years of separation. "and Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in" (Fitzgerald 84). Obviously this meeting was astronomically important to Gatsby, and he chose to wear a white flannel suit for a reason - to appear pure, innocent, and honest in order to appease Daisy, and gain back their lost love. Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchanan are two other characters that accurately portray the color white's symbolic meaning. Fitzgerald introduces Daisy and Jordan for the first time in white dresses simply sitting on a couch. Nick seems to be mesmerized by the sight of them as he says, "I was almost surprised into murmuring an apology for having disturbed her [Jordan] by coming in" (Fitzgerald 8). Clearly the women seemed extremely pure and delicate to Nick if he were to desire apologizing for merely walking into a room causing a "disturbance." Furthermore, Nick is a very judging individual, and his attraction to both Daisy and Jordan indicates that he regards them as respectable individuals meaning pure, innocent,

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