The Great Gatsby - Symbols
SYMBOL QUOTE ANALYSIS
Green ‘A single green light’ Gatsby’s ultimate aspiration to reach Daisy
‘Green leather conservatory’ Money and wealth (materialism)
‘Shirts with stripes and scrolls and Showing Gatsby’s wealth - his optimism to
plaids in coral and apple-green’ attain Daisy had failed
‘If it wasn’t for the mist we could see Foreshadowing the ecents that lead to the
… a green light’ end of the relationship
‘The colossal significance of that light Gatsby’s desire for Daisy is gone, it no longer
had now vanished’ represents her
‘Torn green jersey’ [Gatsby] The bit of hope he has as a poor child
‘If you want to kiss me … present a Daisy exchanges love for money, it is all she
green card’ [Daisy] cares about
‘On the green sound’ [Tom and Tom’s envy and dislike for Gatsby, associated
Gatsby] them both with Daisy simultaneously
‘His [Wilson’s] face was green’ The need to be possessive and materialistic
‘He told the first policeman that it was Associates Gatsby with the car as he is
light green’ associated with the green light and money
‘As if a divot from a green golf links Smooth and unflawed, but underneath
had come sailing in’ [Jordan] focused solely on wealth and materialism
‘The long green tickets’ Blantent corruption and consumerism
‘A fresh, green breast of the new Hope and optimism (freshness) turned to
world’ materialism
‘Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked Reflection of Gatsby’s growth, renewal,
out the green light’ restoration and self reliance
‘Gatsby believed in the green light’ The hopes and dreams of the future
Cars - Gatsby ‘I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it’ A spectacle, addition to his wealth
‘Rich’, ‘Bright’, ‘Swollen’, ‘Monstrous’, Impressive but disturbing, foreboding later
‘Triumphant’ events
‘Rich cream’ Connotations with luxury
‘Fenders spread like wings’ Powerful and magical
‘A dead man passed us in a hearse’, Sense of rivalry, contrasting images, cannot
‘A limousine passed us’ escape reality
‘The death car’ Blunt, simplistic, tragic
‘It was a yellow car’, ‘Big yellow car’, Reducing the elaborate detail given earlier to
‘That yellow car’ one word, repetition to emphasise
Cars - Tom ‘Blue coupe’ Royalty, wealth
‘Like to buy it?’ Object of wealth and materialism
Cars - Nick ‘Old Dodge’ Corrupt, little wealth / status
‘My car sold to the grocer’ Abandonment, loss of status
Cars - Daisy ‘Little white roadster’ Innocence, carefree, wealth
‘large, open car’ Open to Gatsby and Tom, no morals
SYMBOL QUOTE ANALYSIS
Green ‘A single green light’ Gatsby’s ultimate aspiration to reach Daisy
‘Green leather conservatory’ Money and wealth (materialism)
‘Shirts with stripes and scrolls and Showing Gatsby’s wealth - his optimism to
plaids in coral and apple-green’ attain Daisy had failed
‘If it wasn’t for the mist we could see Foreshadowing the ecents that lead to the
… a green light’ end of the relationship
‘The colossal significance of that light Gatsby’s desire for Daisy is gone, it no longer
had now vanished’ represents her
‘Torn green jersey’ [Gatsby] The bit of hope he has as a poor child
‘If you want to kiss me … present a Daisy exchanges love for money, it is all she
green card’ [Daisy] cares about
‘On the green sound’ [Tom and Tom’s envy and dislike for Gatsby, associated
Gatsby] them both with Daisy simultaneously
‘His [Wilson’s] face was green’ The need to be possessive and materialistic
‘He told the first policeman that it was Associates Gatsby with the car as he is
light green’ associated with the green light and money
‘As if a divot from a green golf links Smooth and unflawed, but underneath
had come sailing in’ [Jordan] focused solely on wealth and materialism
‘The long green tickets’ Blantent corruption and consumerism
‘A fresh, green breast of the new Hope and optimism (freshness) turned to
world’ materialism
‘Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked Reflection of Gatsby’s growth, renewal,
out the green light’ restoration and self reliance
‘Gatsby believed in the green light’ The hopes and dreams of the future
Cars - Gatsby ‘I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it’ A spectacle, addition to his wealth
‘Rich’, ‘Bright’, ‘Swollen’, ‘Monstrous’, Impressive but disturbing, foreboding later
‘Triumphant’ events
‘Rich cream’ Connotations with luxury
‘Fenders spread like wings’ Powerful and magical
‘A dead man passed us in a hearse’, Sense of rivalry, contrasting images, cannot
‘A limousine passed us’ escape reality
‘The death car’ Blunt, simplistic, tragic
‘It was a yellow car’, ‘Big yellow car’, Reducing the elaborate detail given earlier to
‘That yellow car’ one word, repetition to emphasise
Cars - Tom ‘Blue coupe’ Royalty, wealth
‘Like to buy it?’ Object of wealth and materialism
Cars - Nick ‘Old Dodge’ Corrupt, little wealth / status
‘My car sold to the grocer’ Abandonment, loss of status
Cars - Daisy ‘Little white roadster’ Innocence, carefree, wealth
‘large, open car’ Open to Gatsby and Tom, no morals
