Chapter1+2

Whenmostpeopleseethecolorwhite,theybelieveitshowspurityandcleanliness.There
aremanywhiteobjectsintheGreatGatsbythehouse,thepeople,andtheclothes.Theelaborate
menandwomenofEastEggbelievethemorewhiteapersonis,thegreaterandbettertheyare.I
understandthecolorwhitesymbolizesDaisy.Daisyisassumedtobemorallyunblemished.Tom
alsobelievesthatthewhitecolorprovessuperiorityandpower,"Theideaisifwedon'tlookout
thewhiteracewillbewillbeutterlysubmerged"(13).Therichdrapedinwhiteusedthecolor
toprovesuperiorityandclass.
WhentheydrivefromWestEggtothecity,thelandscapesuddenlybeginstoturnintodull
gray.Whentheytraveltothecity,NickandTompassupthedesolatevalleyofashes.Themen
aregray,theskyisgray,andthelandisconsumedlydustandsmoke.Thefirstcolormentioned
areT.J.Eckleberg'sblueeyesandyellowglasses.Theeyesarethefewcolorsthatpopoutofthe
gray,"Butaboutthegraylandandthespasmofbleakdustwhichdriftsendlesslyoverit,you
perceive,afteramoment,theeyesofDoctorT.J.Eckleburg.TheeyesofDoctorT.J.Eckleburg
andblueandgigantictheirretinasareoneyardhigh.Thelookoutofnoface,but,instead,
fromapairofenormousyellowspectacleswhichpassoveranonexistentnose"(23).Thevivid
blueeyescomingfromthegraysymbolizeGod,watchingoverthememergingfromthegray
creatinganoverseeingeyes.

Chapter3

VariouscolorsswarmthepartyatGatsby'smansion.Onecolorthatshinesisyellow.The
yellowsymbolizesyouthfulnessandreckless.Italsosymbolizesnewmoneysimilartogoldbut,
notthelavishlycoloredcoinsinthesensethatnewwealthsurroundsGatsby'sparties.The
yellowwaswornalloverthepartyondresses,food,andcars.Themusicwassymbolizedby
yellow,"Thelightsgrowbrighterastheearthlurchesawayfromthesun,andnowtheorchestra
isplayingyellowcocktailmusic,andtheoperaofvoicespitchesakeyhigher.Thewomen
dressedinyellowhaveasenseofluxury"(40).

Aftertheparty,adrunkdrivertriestoleavetheparty.Hefailsandblowshistireoff,the
otherguest,standinaweofhisfoolishness.Thecarisnotyellowbutfromthelightsfromthe
otherguest`scars,createsayellowishglow.Alloftheguestleavingthepartyarestunnedbythe
crashandcreatedascene,"Thesharpjutofawallaccountedforthedetachmentofthewheel,
whichwasnowgettingconsiderableattentionfromhalfadozencuriouschauffeurs.However,as
theyhadlefttheircarsblockingtheroad,aharsh,discordantdinfromthoseintherearhadbeen
audibleforsometimeandaddedtothealreadyviolentconfusionofthescene"(53).Thedriveris
drunk,anditisnotsafeforhimtodrivebutcontinuestodrivebecauseofappearance.The
yellowconsumestherichandcreatesanideaofalavishandcarefreelifestyle,butthe
consequencesaretragic.

Chapter4
Inthischapter,DaisyandGatsby`spastrelationshipisintroduced.DaisyandGatsbyfall
inlovebut,Gatsbyhastoleaveherforwar.Afterafewyears,DaisymarriesTomBuchanan,a
richandselfishman.Shemarrieshimforhismoneybutbeforethewedding,Daisygetsastring
ofpearlsvaluedat$350,000andalsoaloveletterfromGatsby.Daisyhadtomakeadecision
overherdeeploveofGatsbyorTom`smoney.Daisyisdrunkanddecidesshewantstomarry
Gatsby,"Here,dear'."Shegropedaroundinawastebasketshehadwithheronthebedand
pulledoutthestringofpearls."Take'emdownstairsandgive'embacktowhoevertheybelong
to.Tell'emallDaisy'schange'hermind.Say:'Daisy'schange'hermine!'"(76).Daisy,aftershe
becomessoberinthelightofday,marriesTom.Daisy'spearlnecklacesymbolizespowerand
moneyandherchoiceofmoneyoverlove.
Gatsbydrivesanobnoxiouscarwithapearllikethecolor.Nickbelievesthecarisflashy
andoverbearing,"Idseenit.Everybodyhadseenit.Itwasarichcreamcolor,brightwith
nickel,swollenhereandthereinitsmonstrouslengthwithtriumphanthatboxesand
supperboxesandtoolboxes,andterracedwithalabyrinthofwindshieldsthatmirroredadozen
suns.Sittingdownbehindmanylayersofglassinasortofgreenleatherconservatory,westarted

totown"(64).GatsbyusesthecolortoproveDaisyhismoneyandclass.Nickbelievedthecar
wastooflashybut,Gatsbywasnotanobsceneperson.WhenitcametohimtoDaisy,he
assumedDaisywouldseeitandfallinlove.GatsbybelievedDaisywouldnothavetochooseshe
couldgetbetweenmoneyandtheloveofherlife.Gatsbyusingthepearllikecolorsymbolized
his"newmoney"andthegaudymaterialismofDaisy.

Chapter5+6
InChapter5GatsbyandDaisytalkforthefirsttimein5years.NickinvitesDaisyover
fortea,butGatsbymeetsthemsohecanconnectwithhislostlover.Gatsbyinthefirstchapter
wasseenlookingintothegreenlightontheBuchannan'sdock.Thegreenisasymbolofhope.
GatsbygraspsforitashetriestoreachDaisy.GatsbypointsouttoDaisythathecanseethe
greenlightfromtheirdock,"'Ifitweren'tforthemistwecouldseeyourhomeacrossthebay,'
saidGatsby.'Youalwayshaveagreenlightthatburnsallnightattheendofyourdock'"(92).
Gatsby`sreconnectionwithDaisremindshimofhishopetorecreatethepast.

Inchapter6wediscoverGatsby`sactualhistory.HewasapoorboywhohelpedDan

Cody,awealthymetalmogul.Gatsbybecamehisassistant,andonceCodydied,Gatsby
inheritedhismoney.Gatsbyearnedhiswealthwithhardwork,andselflessness,"ItwasJames
Gatzwhohadbeenloafingalongthebeachthatafternooninatorngreenjerseyandapairof
canvaspants"(98).GreenalsorepresentstheAmericanDream.TheIdeaofGayGatsbyisalso
representedbygreen.TheideaofGatsbyistheideaofperfectionandhappiness.Thegreen
representshardwork,andtheIdeahappinessandmoneycomefromhardwork.

Chapter7
ItsthehottestdayoftheyearandGatsby,theBuchannan's,Nick,andDaisygoesinto
town.Frequentlywhenthecolorredappearsconnectedtoangeranddestruction.Whenthecolor
whiteappears,itmeanspurityandinnocence.Oneofthecolorsthatsticksoutisthemixofred
andwhite.Pinksymbolizesthecorruptnessandangerarehiddenbythewhiteinthepink.
Gatsbywearsapinksuitinchapter7andTomcommentsonGatsby,"'Likehellheis!Hewears
apinksuit.''Nevertheless,he'sanOxfordman''Oxford,NewMexico...orsomethinglikethat'

"(122).TheRedinpinkrepresentstheillusoryoftheAmericandreamandwhiterepresentsfalse
innocence.
Thepinkcoloralsosymbolizesfailureandstrangeness.Thedestructionishiddenbythe
whiteinthecolorpink.AfterGatsby,Nick,Jordan,andtheBuchanans,Gatsbyisstanding
outsideoftheBuchanan'shouselookingatthepinkglowfromDaisysroomontheground
floor(146).HeknowsthatTomnowknowsofhisaffair,butheholdsontohisdream.His
dreamisdead,buthestillholdsontotheidea.Heholdsontothelastpieceofallhe'sever
knownasheisstandingguardoutsideDaisy'shouse.

Chapter8
InChapter8alotofthesymbolismisuseddealingwiththedarknessofthenight.After
theargumentinthecity,GatsbywaitsforhourswaitingforDaisyhopingshewouldruntohim.
Instead,thedarknessofthenightconsumeshim."Nothinghappened...Iwaited,andaboutfour
o'clockshecametothewindowandstoodthereforaminuteandthensheturnedoutthelight"
(147).ByDaisyturningoffthelight,itshowsthatthedreamGatsbyandDaisybeingtogetheris
dead.Thereisnomorehopeforwhatwillneverbe.
Gatsby,nomatterhowDaisyfelt,Daisy`sloveforGatsbyconsumedhislife.Afterthe
fight,hestilldreamedabouttheideaoftheirlove.Gatsbywasalwaysinlovewiththeideaof
Daisy,butthedarknessthatDaisybringsconsumeseveryoneandeverything.Whenthe
Buchanan'sor"WestEgg"theymakemistakesandwhenitbackfirestheyusetheirmoneyto
coveritup.GatsbygotlostinDaisyandwasconsumedbythedarkness,"Nowandthenshe
moved,andhechangedhisarmalittle,andoncehekissedherdarkshininghair"(150).The
Buchanan'sarenegativepeopleandareconsumedbydarkness.

Chapter9

AfterGatsby`sdeath,theBeautifulandLavishhomeofJayGatsbyTurnsadistortedblue
andgray.TheillusionthatGatsbyhascreatedoverthepastfiveyearsisover.TheperfectHouse,
yard,andlifewasoverGatsbydiedalongwithhishopeofhappiness."Sowhenthebluesmoke

ofthebrittleleaveswasintheair,andthewindblewthewetlaundrystiffonthelineIdecidedto
comebackhome"(176).Thecolorblueisasymboloftruth.NickseestherealityofEastern
societyintheleaves.
Gatsbybelievedinadeepromanticlove,thatwasunrealistic.Hehadlotsofhope,and
hisfaithrepresentedbyhisbluelawnthatwasprecisefortheideaofGatsby`sperfection.
Gatsby`sbluegrasssymbolizestheillusionGatsbycreatedduringthefiveyearperiodhelivedin
WestEgg.Gatsbycreatedadreamofaperfectionwhichwasnowdistortedafterhisdeath"He
hadcomealongwaytothisbluelawn,andhisdreammusthaveseemedsoclosethathecould
hardlyfailtograspit"(180).Gatsby`shopesanddreamswerenowdestroyedbyhisattemptto
winbackDaisyandbeacceptedandloved.