What Does The Color Green Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, deploys color symbolism in order to further develop characters and the plot. Fitzgerald’s use of color symbolism within The Great Gatsby not only defines the characters but adds depth to them. The most recognized color within the novel is “the single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock” (26). In addition to the green light, there are many other colors within the novel that embody characters, objects, and ideas. The most significant and memorable colors, other than green, are white and yellow, both of which are intertwined in Fitzgerald’s fictional world of materialism and scandal. The colors white, yellow, blue, and green shape the novel’s characters and plot, resulting in a vivid story of love and blind pursuance.
As mentioned earlier, the color green is one of the most recognized colors symbolically. The color green symbolizes future, or the American dream, and is most associated with Gatsby himself. This is what Gatsby is pursuing throughout the novel until he tragically perishes, his dream never becoming a reality. The reader first meets Gatsby in chapter one, when he is described as looking toward the green light, “stretch[ing] out his arms towards the dark water in a curious way… trembling” (25). As to why his behavior is so

The typical colors of a daisy are white and yellow- white petals with a yellow center. Similarly, Daisy is portrayed as “the white flower- with a golden center” (Color Symbolism 248). She appears to be innocent and pure, such as in Gatsby’s fantasy world, yet deep inside is corrupted and influenced by money. Gatsby is unaware of her golden center, only seeing her pure facade. However, Nick is fully aware of her superficial nature, noting that her voice is “full of money” (127) and that she is “the king’s daughter, the golden girl”