The Power of Color Colors are used many different ways by many different people, but are
used mainly as a reflection of the way one feels or his or her own personality. This idea is depicted through the different characters created in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, set in the post-World War I era. The novel evinces the major themes through the use and explanation of many diverse colors. Jay Gatsby, the most significant character in the story, leads a very materialistic lifestyle. Hoping to gain back his old love, Daisy, Gatsby uses his money to impress her, hopefully leading to their settling down together. Daisy's second cousin once removed, Nick Carraway, is the link that helps to connect Gatsby and Daisy. Nick "deliberately dedicates himself not only to observing Gatsby's action but to telling Gatsby's story" (Minter 82). However, Nick finds himself developing feelings towards Daisy's best friend, Jordan Baker. Although many feelings are being tossed around, colors create the misleading pretense of these characters. Through the use of colors, characters are uniquely portrayed, using gold and silver, gray and white, to show the truth behind their deceiving facades.
One major theme of the story includes the importance and effect of money, which is symbolically, represented using the colors of money, gold and silver. Gold and silver both have a literal meaning of rich, happy, successful or valuable, which apply to all the characters in some sense. "After obtaining the wealth through corrupt means, he returns...to fulfill his 'incorruptible dream' by attempting to repeat the one golden moment of his life when he possessed that 'elusive rhythm...'(Inge and Solomon 3). Jay Gatsby happens to be that character. "A romantic dreamer, he believes that beauty and youth can be held forever if one only has enough money" (Fitzgerald-Infotrac 2). Every weekend, he throws a party at his own home, which is found to be a tactic to getting to Daisy. His parties always... [continues]
used mainly as a reflection of the way one feels or his or her own personality. This idea is depicted through the different characters created in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, set in the post-World War I era. The novel evinces the major themes through the use and explanation of many diverse colors. Jay Gatsby, the most significant character in the story, leads a very materialistic lifestyle. Hoping to gain back his old love, Daisy, Gatsby uses his money to impress her, hopefully leading to their settling down together. Daisy's second cousin once removed, Nick Carraway, is the link that helps to connect Gatsby and Daisy. Nick "deliberately dedicates himself not only to observing Gatsby's action but to telling Gatsby's story" (Minter 82). However, Nick finds himself developing feelings towards Daisy's best friend, Jordan Baker. Although many feelings are being tossed around, colors create the misleading pretense of these characters. Through the use of colors, characters are uniquely portrayed, using gold and silver, gray and white, to show the truth behind their deceiving facades.
One major theme of the story includes the importance and effect of money, which is symbolically, represented using the colors of money, gold and silver. Gold and silver both have a literal meaning of rich, happy, successful or valuable, which apply to all the characters in some sense. "After obtaining the wealth through corrupt means, he returns...to fulfill his 'incorruptible dream' by attempting to repeat the one golden moment of his life when he possessed that 'elusive rhythm...'(Inge and Solomon 3). Jay Gatsby happens to be that character. "A romantic dreamer, he believes that beauty and youth can be held forever if one only has enough money" (Fitzgerald-Infotrac 2). Every weekend, he throws a party at his own home, which is found to be a tactic to getting to Daisy. His parties always... [continues]
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