Beaten Black and Blue Turned Me Green with Envy

Beaten Black and Blue Turned Me Green With Envy

It should come as no surprise that The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the best pieces of American literature. The book encompasses incredible characters, exciting confrontation and most importantly an interesting and engaging storyline. One of the most famous parts of the book is the many symbols throughout, most specifically the importance of color. Green and blue especially play important roles, the green light, money, water and those astonishing eyes of doctor TJ Eckleburg are all significant in the novel. The importance of color in The Great Gatsby is one of the reasons why it is so great.

Green could represent money, youth, nature and hope; all of these different representations are in The Great Gatsby. The first time Nick see’s Gatsby is after his first dinner party with Tom Buchanan and Daisy: “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward — and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock”(21). We later find out that this green light is actually Daisy’s house on the opposite side in East Egg. Gatsby purposely bought his house so that he could not only keep an eye on Daisy, and to have parties at his house to hopefully entertain Daisy and have her notice him again. Gatsby bought his house and hosted the extravagant parties only to hope that he could one day join the world of the old rich over in East Egg. Living in West Egg, Gatsby is classified as having new money, which is not at the same level as old money. Gatsby believes that the only way to get into this higher social class is to be with Daisy again, and yes repeat the past. Daisy being across the lake reminds him of his goal and the hope that one day he can reach his objective as a member of the highest social class. Green is the money in which Gatsby wants from Daisy, he is “green with envy” of Tom not only because of Daisy, but because of his social class of old money which has been Gatsby’s life long dream. Even if Gatsby were to fulfill this dream of old money, will it be enough to satisfy him or will he continue to, “beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past”(180).

The color green also represents the youth in Gatsby and all of his impulsive decision making. Gatsby catches the eye of his mentor Dan Cody and from that point on was basically on the yacht, “A few days later he took him to Duluth and bought him a blue coat, six pair of white duck trousers, and a yachting cap. And when the Tuolomee left for the West Indies and the Barbary Coast Gatsby left too”(100). Gatsby never took the time to examine what would happen if he left and was very spontaneous by going on such a whim. In a lot of ways,