The Great Gatsby
Symbolism
Colors
 White
 Blue
 Yellow
 Grey
 Green
 Red
 Water
 Cars
 Eyes
 Eggs
White
 Represents:
– Façade behind which characters hide
– beauty, cleanliness, wealth, innocence,
virginity and laziness
White
 Examples
– Daisy and Jordan’s clothes
– Gatsby’s suit
– Buchanan’s mansion
Yellow (Silver & Gold)
 Represents:
– Wealth, corruption, dishonesty
Yellow (Silver & Gold)
 Examples:
– The golden haired girls at Jay’s party
– Daisy’s accessories
– Jay’s car
– Hair color
Green
 Represents:
– Hope, rebirth, to “go”, youth, longing,
choice, serenity
Green
 Examples:
– Daisy’s dock light
– The interior of Jay’s car
– Nick’s grass
– Nick talks about the green light at the end
of the book he says "It eluded us then, but
that's no matter- tomorrow we will run
faster, stretch our arms out farther...."
Blue
 Represents
– Heaven, fantasy, lost time, unhappiness
Blue
 Examples
– Jay’s lawn –escape from reality
– Tom’s car –unhappiness of marriage
– George’s eyes –dreams of escape
– T.J. Eckleberry’s eyes -God
Grey
 Represents:
– Industrialization, dreary, bleak, lifeless
 Examples:
– Valley of Ash
Red
 Represents:
– Death, abuse, violence, destruction
Red
 Examples:
– Tom Buchanan
– Tom’s carpets
– Myrtle’s nose
– Myrtle’s death
– Gatsby’s pool water
Water
 Represents:
– Barriers and boundaries
– Gatsby’s restraints from Daisy
– Abandonment
Water
 Examples:
– Oxford
– Tea Party rain storm
– Swimming pool
– Gatsby’s funeral
Eyes
 Represents:
– Observant, omnipresent, watchful, nonjudgmental
 Examples:
– Owl-eyes
– T.J. Eckleberry
– Nick
– Moon
Cars
 Represents:
– Industrialization, status symbol,
carelessness, recklessness
 Examples:
– The broken wheel
– Jay asking Nick to set up meeting
– Jay’s car
– Tom’s car
– The drive to NYC
Eggs
(White covered by yellow)
 Represents:
– Pure façade, while rotten inside
 Examples:
– Daisy’s clothes & accessories
– Jay’s suit & accessories
– New vs. Old Money
Prepared for
The Great Gatsby
Devon Christopher Adams
© 2002