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Similarities Between Myrtle And Daisy In The Great Gatsby

449 Words2 Pages

Krissy Gear
Mrs. Jones
IB English III
29 September 2015
Myrtle vs. Daisy and the Use of Color Imagery
The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In this essay I will be contrasting the characters of Myrtle Wilson and Daisy Buchanan, paying close attention to Fitzgerald’s use of color imagery to characterize them. The Great Gatsby takes place in New York; primarily in two cities know as East and West Egg, which lie opposite from each other, separated by a river. The book is Nick Carraway’s recollection of his time spent in New York after moving there to start in the bond business. He mainly associates himself with Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. (He even spends some time with Myrtle Wilson and a couple of her and Tom’s friends at a small party.) …show more content…

Her blonde hair closely resembles a golden color, signifying money and material success— and her desire and reliance for both. Fitzgerald describes Daisy with the line(s): “Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a passionate mouth,” describes her light, joyful personality that also masks her underlying sadness (Fitzgerald 9).
Myrtle Wilson, on the other hand, is more of a bold and vivacious woman. When we have our first encounter with Tom Buchanan’s mistress, she is wearing a “spotted dress of dark blue crepe-de-chine”, which is fitting considering the color of blue symbolizes dreams, aspirations/hopes, and the ultimate bliss (Fitzgerald 25). Myrtle dreams of a life with Tom, where she falsely hopes and believes they will both be able to live “happily ever after” together. Her red lips match her red hair; a red that symbolizes the gaudiness of her

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