How Does Money Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Many people believe that money is the key to happiness and they seek it persistently in order to run away from poverty. Poverty alone is challenging but it becomes a bigger challenge when you become a victim of the corruption of money. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald the readers explore a story of ambition, tragedy, and betrayal;All because of money and reputation. In his novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes symbolism to reveal the drastic differences between the wealthy and the poor.

One of the most fascinating and effective symbols used by Fitzgerald throughout this novel is the colors he uses to represent each of the social classes. The colors that Fitzgerald wisely chose to enforce this theme allows the readers to get insight on how each class is being viewed. Tom and Daisy’s house contains French windows that were “glowing with reflected gold” (Fitzgerald 11). When Gatsby wanted to impress Daisy with his achievement of wealth he wore a

When Daisy and Jordan were laying down on the couch Fitzgerald describes them laying down “like silver idols weighing down on their own white dresses” (Fitzgerald 122). All of these colors (white, silver and gold) are considered clean and pure; Based on that idea, the reader can make the connection that the wealthy are “clean” in the sense that they don’t have work (“get their hands dirty”) in order to have a good life. On the other hand, When Tom and Nick went to the valley of ashes, a place where there are “grey cars..and ash-grey men” (Fitzgerald 27) working , they picked up Myrtle who later on changes her dark blue dress into a “brown figured muslin” (Fitzgerald 31) to go out with Tom. Unlike the clean colors used for the wealthy, it is evident that Fitzgerald used earth colors to