1. The Great Gatsby
Symbolism

2. Colors
♦ White ♦ Blue
♦ Yellow ♦ Grey
♦ Green ♦ Red
♦ Water ♦ Cars
♦ Eyes ♦ Eggs

3. White
♦ Represents:
– Façade behind which characters hide
– beauty, cleanliness, wealth, innocence,
virginity and laziness

4. White
♦ Examples
– Daisy and Jordan’s clothes
– Gatsby’s suit
– Buchanan’s mansion

5. Yellow (Silver & Gold)
♦ Represents:
– Wealth, corruption, dishonesty

6. Yellow (Silver & Gold)
♦ Examples:
– The golden haired girls at Jay’s party
– Daisy’s accessories
– Jay’s car
– Hair color

7. Green
♦ Represents:
– Hope, rebirth, to “go”, youth, longing,
choice, serenity

8. Green
♦ Examples:
– Daisy’s dock light
– The interior of Jay’s car
– Nick’s grass
– Nick talks about the green light at the end
of the book he says "It eluded us then, but
that's no matter- tomorrow we will run
faster, stretch our arms out farther...."

9. Blue
♦ Represents
– Heaven, fantasy, lost time, unhappiness

10. Blue
♦ Examples
– Jay’s lawn –escape from reality
– Tom’s car –unhappiness of marriage
– George’s eyes –dreams of escape
– T.J. Eckleberry’s eyes -God

11. Grey
♦ Represents:
– Industrialization, dreary, bleak, lifeless
♦ Examples:
– Valley of Ash

12. Red
♦ Represents:
– Death, abuse, violence, destruction

13. Red
♦ Examples:
– Tom Buchanan
– Tom’s carpets
– Myrtle’s nose
– Myrtle’s death
– Gatsby’s pool water

14. Water
♦ Represents:
– Barriers and boundaries
– Gatsby’s restraints from Daisy
– Abandonment

15. Water
♦ Examples:
– Oxford
– Tea Party rain storm
– Swimming pool
– Gatsby’s funeral

16. Eyes
♦ Represents:
– Observant, omnipresent, watchful, non-
judgmental
♦ Examples:
– Owl-eyes
– T.J. Eckleberry
– Nick
– Moon

17. Cars
♦ Represents:
– Industrialization, status symbol,
carelessness, recklessness
♦ Examples:
– The broken wheel
– Jay asking Nick to set up meeting
– Jay’s car
– Tom’s car
– The drive to NYC

18. Eggs
(White covered by yellow)
♦ Represents:
– Pure façade, while rotten inside
♦ Examples:
– Daisy’s clothes & accessories
– Jay’s suit & accessories
– New vs. Old Money