The Color Red In The Great Gatsby

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Fitzgerald frequently mentions the color red in the Great Gatsby because it represents the passion that rules the decision-making of the characters in the novel’s story, which results in negative outcomes. Red represents several things in the book, such as violence, romance, and intense emotion. All of these details share a common trait: passion. Zeal such as this can either be good or bad, but in the novel, it is used in a way that harms and manipulates others. This leads to increased violence and aggression among the characters, that could be solved if the characters had learned to control themselves and not have their views clouded by greed.
One might argue that the passion that the characters had was not all that bad. After all, the novel …show more content…
This is evident in chapter 2, where Catherine, Myrtle’s sister, is described as having a “sticky bob of red hair.” Catherine also happens to encourage her sister’s affair, and provides alibis for Myrtle’s frequent visits to New York to meet up with Tom. The red coloring of her hair could symbolize the corrupted emotions of dishonestly and shame she possesses. Later in the novel, in chapter 8, Daisy struggles with sadness and pressure from society. Fitzgerald describes the people Daisy interacts with as “fresh faces drifted here and there like rose petals blown by the sad horns on the floor.” This simile compares the feelings Daisy experiences to crimson rose petals, as people pass by without any purpose except for Gatsby. Daisy should have sought consolation from someone who wasn’t practically a stranger to her. The character’s shame and emotions led them to making poor decisions. Throughout the novel, the color red is used to describe the perverted passion the characters are controlled by as they ruin their lives with affairs and desire. Avarice is not limited to the book; it carries on in our world as well. People do terrible things in pursuit of wealth and power. This holds plenty of meaning in the novel, and is key to understanding why the things the characters did are
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