Green in the Great Gatsby
In The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald uses the color green in regards to many different aspects of the novel. The color green is associated with the American dream in the 1920’s, which was to be successful and have money. At that time, all that mattered was if you could make money, be successful, and be able to fulfill your dreams, all of which the color green is associated with the novel. Throughout the novel, Gatsby is in pursuit of this green light, which is Daisy’s love, but it is only at the end of the novel is when he realizes that this dream of acquiring Daisy was not a reality and that it could not come to pass. Even so, the green light leaves the readers with hope that all their dreams can be achieved if they pursue them, characterizing the book as both realist and romantic and thus, thoroughly modern. The American dream in the 1920’s revolved around having money and living a good, rich lifestyle. Although Gatsby obtains his money through illegal business, he still achieved this American dream in many ways. People look up to him and he becomes powerful and important because of his money and his abilities to carry out anything he wants to. With his money, Gatsby can accomplish anything he sets his mind to and he
“He saw me looking with admiration at his car.” "It's pretty, isn't it, old sport?" He jumped off to give me a better view. "Haven't you ever seen it before?" Gatsby had not been born rich, but started out poor, and later in his life became rich. The following quote illustrates Gatsby’s transformation through the use of the color green: “James Gatz--that was really, or at least legally, his name. He had changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment that witnessed the beginning of his career--when he saw Dan Cody's yacht drop anchor over the most insidious flat on Lake Superior. It was James Gatz who had been loafing along the beach that afternoon in a torn green jersey and a pair of canvas pants, but it was already Jay Gatsby who borrowed a rowboat, pulled out to the TUOLOMEE, and informed Cody that a wind might catch him and break him up in half an hour.” (104) This quote is taken from the reporter’s narration, which says that Gatsby changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby. The reporter tells the story of Gatz’s childhood and adolescence. The usage of the color green in this quote is about Gatz’s torn shirt, which he possessed before he changed his name to “Gatsby”. Before Gatsby became successful, his green shirt was torn; the shirt represents money, and the fulfillment of dreams. Before Gatz changed his name into Gatsby and became rich and powerful, the green, which represents all his success and dreams, was torn. The purpose is to show that Gatsby transformed from being Gatz, with a torn green shirt, that had dreams that could not be fulfilled, into Gatsby, whose shirt is not torn, who is successful, and who has achieved many of his dreams.
Some topics in this essay:
Scott Fitzgerald,
Daisy Gatsby,
West Egg,
Jay Gatsby,
Miss Baker,
Basically Fitzgerald,
Inside Gatsby’s,
color green,
green light,
James Gatz,
Gatsby Daisy’s,
Dan Cody's,
daisy’s love,
green leather,
usage color,
usage color green,
american dream,
fitzgerald color green,
light vanished,
changed name,
fitzgerald color,
win daisy’s,
win daisy’s love,
green leather conservatory,
significance light vanished,
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Approximate Word count = 1898
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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