Symbols
These disturbing accessories worn by Meyer Wolfsheim symbolize his connection to death and the moral corruption of the criminal underworld.
Human molars (teeth)
Tom Buchanan’s mistress who lives in the valley of ashes.
Myrtle Wilson
This major theme shows how the pursuit of wealth and success does not lead to true happiness in the novel.
The American Dream
In Fitzgerald’s use of symbolism, this color reflects the hollowness of the American Dream, as characters appear pure and desirable while lacking moral substance
White
A beautiful home "a colossal affair"..."hotel de Ville in Normandy" but lacks tradition.
Gatsby's house?
Fitzgerald presents this character as performative and image-driven to reveal his deep longing for acceptance.
Jay Gatsby
How does Jay Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy Buchanan blur the line between genuine affection and fixation?
Love and Obsession
This color, seen in Gatsby’s car, symbolizes wealth but also corruption and moral decay
Yellow
This object nearly breaks when Gatsby reunites with Daisy, symbolizing his desperate attempt to recreate the past.
The clock on the mantel
Fitzgerald characterizes this character as arrogant and domineering to highlight the destructive nature of entitlement and the preservation of social power.
Tom Buchanan
Tom and Daisy’s red-and-white Georgian Colonial home uses this color to symbolize wealth and power, while also hinting at the underlying tension and aggression in their marriage.
Red
At the start of Gatsby and Daisy's reunion and clearing afterward, this weather symbolizes a shift from emotional tension to renewed hope.
The rain
Fitzgerald constructs this character as observant yet selectively judgmental to prompt readers to question the reliability and moral authority of the narrator.
In Gatsby’s “gardens” and the smoke drifting through his parties, this color symbolizes illusion and the artificial world he creates to impress others.
Blue
Fitzgerald characterizes this character’s voice as enchanting and musical to symbolize the seductive power of wealth and status, revealing how her appeal is rooted not in genuine emotion but in the allure of money and privilege.
Daisy Buchanan
Fitzgerald catalogs these characters to overwhelm the reader with a sense of excess while characterizing Gatsby’s world as superficial and impersonal, ultimately emphasizing the emptiness and lack of genuine connection behind the illusion of wealth and popularity.
The guests at the party in Chapter 4
This theme is revealed in Chapters 1–5 of The Great Gatsby through Jay Gatsby’s false identity and Daisy Buchanan’s misleading charm.
Illusion vs. Reality
Initially representing hope and desire, this color ultimately comes to symbolize the unattainable nature of the American Dream and the illusion of being able to recapture the past.
Green