The Great Gatsby
The 1920?s were a decade of money and power. In F. Scott Fitzgerald?s book The Great Gatsby, he combines the history along with the idea of the wealthy being in control. Fitzgerald uses the symbols of Gatsby?s shirts, his library, and the color yellow, along with the use of automobiles to express the wealthy. These symbols along with the theme wealth, describes the setting and relationship of the wealthy during the 1920?s. The Great Gatsby contains many different symbols and themes. Clearly, several of the ways Fitzgerald describes Gatsby?s wealth is in his library and in the clothes he wears. Gatsby shows Nick and Daisy his house. When they go to his bedroom, Gatsby pulls his shirts out of the closet. The narrator describes the shirts as, ? ?sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray? (Fitzgerald 97) Gatsby shows his shirts as if they were trophies won in her honor. The shirt?s colors and patterns show that these items were picked very carefully. During an early party, Nick and Jordan tour Gatsby?s mansion. During this tour they encounter a puzzled looking man in the library. Owl Eyes exclaims, ? Absolutely real- have pages and everythi
Nick recalls, ? I put my arm around Jordan?s golden shoulder??(84). In Fitzgerald?s own unique way he stresses how wealth in the Jazz Age was more prominent than it is in today?s society. Fitzgerald?s use of symbols throughout the novel reflects the 1920?s and events that occur during his lifetime. The cars in the driveway symbolize that very wealthy people attend Gatsby?s parties. Nick describes the usual pattern for the weekly parties at Gatsby?s house and talks about Gatsby?s car. In this instance Fitzgerald uses yellow to show old money. Furthermore, Fitzgerald uses automobiles throughout this novel to symbolize wealth. In addition, Fitzgerald uses the color yellow to characterize the wealthy. In the roaring twenties, people earned their money and gained power legally and illegally, in this case Jay Gatsby shows his wealth and power in trying to gain Daisy?s attention, but also it comes full circle and these people will let him down. Fitzgerald uses automobiles to express the theme of the wealthy in this novel. I thought they?d be a nice durable cardboard?(50). Nick states, ?On weekends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city??(43). Tom states, ?That yellow car I was driving this afternoon wasn?t mine, do you hear??(148). Old money is represented by the color yellow because old money was in gold.
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