Obtaining the Unobtainable Many people attempt to obtain the American dream, but end up disappointed at the end of the process. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby tries to achieve the American dream but in the end is left upset with the result. The author of the novel, Fitzgerald, demonstrates the loss of the American dream through a variety of symbols. Firstly, Fitzgerald uses the green light as a symbol; the green light’s meaning is constantly changing throughout the story. Next, Gatsby’s mansion provides insight in his journey towards the American dream. Finally, the various colours used in the story all have different meanings, which represent the different feelings that are felt between characters. The green light
…show more content…
Firstly, Gatsby’s mansion itself, symbolizes his wealth and stability, a factor of the American dream. At the beginning of the story Nick describes Gatsby’s mansion, “…It was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion.”(5) This shows Gatsby has enough money to complete another aspect of the life he aspires to have because he has a large house, meaning he has wealth and with wealth comes stability. Next, Gatsby’s bedroom symbolizes his true self instead of the facade he portrays himself to be. As Gatsby shows Nick and Daisy around his room Nick says, “His bedroom was the simplest room of all.” (91) His bedroom reflects who he really is as a person, he is simple. Gatsby is pretending to be someone he is not to show Daisy and his peers that he is part of the upper class, and if he is apart of this class he and Daisy can be together. Thirdly, the people who attend Gatsby’s parties symbolize moral decay of society. As Nick recounts the night he was invited to Gatsby’s party he spends some time commenting on the type of people who went to Gatsby’s parties, “Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its …show more content…
First and foremost, the colours silver and gold represent money and wealth. When Gatsby goes over to Nicks house to meet with him and Daisy, Nick describes what Gatsby is wearing, “…Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold coloured tie, hurried in.” (84) Gatsby is trying to show Daisy that he is now wealthy and apart of her class by wearing colours that represent money. Secondly, white represents false purity. As Nick visits Jordan and Daisy at the Buchanans’ house, Nick says, “Jordan’s fingers, powdered white over their tan,”(116). At the beginning of the novel, when Nick first sees Jordan and Daisy, he states what they are wearing, “They were both in white.” (8) When Jordan powders her fingers with white, it represents the false portrayal of innocence. Both Jordan and Daisy are always associated with the colour white, a colour that is supposed to mean morality, their actions suggest they are trying to show they are innocent when they are not. Moreover, the colour blue represents unrealistic dreams of romance. The colour blue is mentioned many time throughout the story, for example, Gatsby has, “blue gardens” (39), Dan Cody, “bought him a blue coat”(100), Gatsby has a, “blue lawn” (180), and a blue lake is separating him from Daisy. Gatsby is surrounded by the colour blue because he is constantly dreaming of achieving the life he
Firstly, Gatsby’s mansion itself, symbolizes his wealth and stability, a factor of the American dream. At the beginning of the story Nick describes Gatsby’s mansion, “…It was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion.”(5) This shows Gatsby has enough money to complete another aspect of the life he aspires to have because he has a large house, meaning he has wealth and with wealth comes stability. Next, Gatsby’s bedroom symbolizes his true self instead of the facade he portrays himself to be. As Gatsby shows Nick and Daisy around his room Nick says, “His bedroom was the simplest room of all.” (91) His bedroom reflects who he really is as a person, he is simple. Gatsby is pretending to be someone he is not to show Daisy and his peers that he is part of the upper class, and if he is apart of this class he and Daisy can be together. Thirdly, the people who attend Gatsby’s parties symbolize moral decay of society. As Nick recounts the night he was invited to Gatsby’s party he spends some time commenting on the type of people who went to Gatsby’s parties, “Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its …show more content…
First and foremost, the colours silver and gold represent money and wealth. When Gatsby goes over to Nicks house to meet with him and Daisy, Nick describes what Gatsby is wearing, “…Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold coloured tie, hurried in.” (84) Gatsby is trying to show Daisy that he is now wealthy and apart of her class by wearing colours that represent money. Secondly, white represents false purity. As Nick visits Jordan and Daisy at the Buchanans’ house, Nick says, “Jordan’s fingers, powdered white over their tan,”(116). At the beginning of the novel, when Nick first sees Jordan and Daisy, he states what they are wearing, “They were both in white.” (8) When Jordan powders her fingers with white, it represents the false portrayal of innocence. Both Jordan and Daisy are always associated with the colour white, a colour that is supposed to mean morality, their actions suggest they are trying to show they are innocent when they are not. Moreover, the colour blue represents unrealistic dreams of romance. The colour blue is mentioned many time throughout the story, for example, Gatsby has, “blue gardens” (39), Dan Cody, “bought him a blue coat”(100), Gatsby has a, “blue lawn” (180), and a blue lake is separating him from Daisy. Gatsby is surrounded by the colour blue because he is constantly dreaming of achieving the life he