Lawrance Yousif
Color Analysis
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Ms.Randolf
Senior English
4-15-14
In Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, the use of multiple colors are used to represent
major themes and various meanings throughout the novel. One color in particular that signifies
deeper meaning is the color, white. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the color white to
symbolize purity and innocence and to help develop the character connection.
The novel had a few good examples on how white was used as innocence in the
beginning. “The woman next to me perspired delicately for a while into her white shirtwaist, and
then, as her newspaper dampened under her fingers, lapsed despairingly into deep heat with a
desolate cry.” (Fitzgerald 114) This quote is a good example as how white was used as pure and
innocence in the book. As the book continues there is an example that shows how white is used
as a connection to purity. “Like silver idols weighing down their own white dresses against the
singing breeze of the fans.” (Fitzgerald 115) This quote has a character connection to both Daisy
and Jordan. Both these quotes are good examples because they both show how white is used as
purity and innocence in the begging of the book.
As the book continues, white is still showed as pure and innocence. There’s a connection
to Jordan because she’s rich and she’s pure. “Jordan’s finger, powdered white over their tan,
rested for a moment in mine.” (Fitzgerald 116) However as the book continues you can start to
see how the color white is starting to change to false purity and false innocence. “Her face bent
into the single wrinkle of the small white neck.” (Fitzgerald 117) This quote is a character
connection to Pammy. Pammy is rich and innocent but doesn’t seem to know what’s going on
with her parents. This is showing how white is changing to false purity and false innocence.
In The Great Gatsby there are a few examples as how white is used but however both
examples have a connection and that connection is money and wealth. Also there is a connection
with Gatsby and how he is wealthy. “A few days later he took him to Duluth and bought him a
blue coat, six pairs of white duck trousers, and a yachting cap.” (Fitzgerald 100) This quote tells
how Gatsby not only likes luxury but has the money as well. There is also another quote with a
character connection to Gatsby. “His gorgeous pink rag of a suit made a bright spot of color
against the white steps, and I thought of the night when I first came to his ancestral home, three
months before.” (Fitzgerald 154) This quote connects to money and also Gatsby’s innocence.
Now as we get closer to the end of the book you can start to see how the color white starts to
change into different meanings instead of just purity and innocence.
The book had two good examples to show what the color white meant throughout The
Great Gatsby. “High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl….” (Fitzgerald 120)
This quote is a connection to Daisy. Now as the book continues things start to change. There is a
character connection to Jordan. “Aunt Jordan’s got on a white dress too.” (Fitzgerald 117) This
quote is a perfect example of false purity and false innocence because the little girl thinks Jordan
is pure when she is not.
From the begging of The Great Gatsby till the end there were a lot of changes. Some
involving relationships, trust, and even the meaning of colors. Some things changed for the better
while others changed for the worst. The meaning of the color white in The Great Gatsby was one
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of the things that changed for the worse. In the beginning of the novel white symbolized pure and
innocence but it changed to false purity and false innocence by the end of the book.
Work Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner 1925. Print.
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