The Color Red In The Great Gatsby Analysis

In F. Scott Fitzgerald novel The Great Gatsby red is seen as power which many people do not have but they will try to mimic it to the best of their abilities. In actuality, they are just trying to run from the fact that everything around them is yellow which reality is. Then on top of running from reality and trying to hold such power that they can never reach many people will try and act very innocent like they have never done a terrible thing in their entire life, however they are doing exactly what the people who do not power are doing, running from their reality. Fitzgerald uses the colors red, white, and yellow to show the significance of why people do certain, say certain and act a certain
In the novel red means power, but many people …show more content…
The first time meeting Daisy and Jordan the concept of fairy tales is shown when Nick says, “cool as their white dresses” (12). The American Dream is having a lot of money, having a wife and two kids, a white picket fence and a dog, so with Daisy wearing a white dress it shows that she is a part of the American Dream. Daisy is married to Tom who has a lot of money and a big house. Both Daisy and Tom shows that they have the American Dream. When Nick is describing Tom’s house he says, “The widows (of Tom’s house) gloom white” (8) Toms house represents the American Dream but while it represents American Dream it also represents a false American Dream. In the American the husband is only suppose to have a wife and Tom has a wife and mistress so with his windows being white it shows that his house is build on a false American Dream. While Tom’s house has glooming white widows, Nick characterizes Gatsby house a little different. Talking about Gatsby’s house Nick says, “A wafer of a moon was shining over Gatsby’s house, making the night fines as before, and surviving the laughter and the sound of his glowing garden” (55) the moon is shining over Gatsby 's this idea of false American Dream is all over Gatsby 's house. Gatsby did not inherit his money he got it through the under grounds of the streets, this means that his American Dream is not real …show more content…
George Wilson is anemic which means he was born without red blood cells, which mean he was born without power. With his lack of power George Wilson loses control in house and keeps him from knowing that his wife is cheating on the Tom Buchanan who is powerful. Tom Buchanan’s house is red and white. Tom Buchanan has the American Dream and is very powerful. Unlike Wilson lack of power Tom is has more of a cruel power to him. While is very apparent that he is racist, by being with him his mistress Myrtle gains power but when she speak of Daisy Tom hits her relinquishing her from any power that she thought she had. White in the Great Gatsby means something extremely different than red. White is the American or a false American. Jay Gatsby was born poor, unlike Daisy and Tom Gatsby got his money from “bootlegging” therefore he is not one of them. When Daisy is in white is represents her American Dream and purity but when Gatsby is seen in white is represent a false American Dream. Since Gatsby was not born into money he is not considered to be one of the people in West Egg as by Daisy when she explains why she can not marry Gatsby. While the concept of power and the American are strong in Fitzgerald’s novel yellow or reality is very big also. In the valley of Ashes there is