Chapters 1 & 2

The color grey was heavily used in chapters one and two of the Great
Gatsby. I think it was used to further elaborate on the surroundings of
the narrator. I believe the color grey was used to show disgusting
scenery that was introduced to the reader at the beginning of chapter
two. As shown by, This is a valley of ashes---a fantastic farm where
ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens;
where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke
and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and
already crumbling through the powdery air(23). The scenery
embodied by this quote shows the horridness of the scenery
surrounding the narrator. Also a quote from further throughout the
chapter also tells about the dismal conditions surrounding the narrator.
The valley of ashes is bounded on one side by a small foul river, and,
when the drawbridge is up to let barges through, the passengers on
waiting trains can stare at the dismal scene for as long as half an
hour.(24). This further proves my theory that the conditions at and
surrounding the valley of ashes are abysmal at best.
The color grey used in the imagery of the surroundings gives the
reader an earie feel about the scene. Personally as a reader it gave me
a depressing vibe at the beginning of the chapter. This place that has
houses, rivers, and acres of land just covered in ash immediately gave
me a disgusted feeling at the beginning of the chapter. The author
shows that the situation is so bad to where people actually have to use
shovels to dig out their cars and houses from the ash. My only question
is why the author goes into so much detail about this one little area in
this story.
Chapter 3
I believe that goldish-yellow is well suited for the contents of this
chapter. This whole chapter revolves around an elegant party thrown
by no one else other than Gatsby himself. This party is very elegant,
and there are a lot of examples to show this. As shown by, At high tide
in the afternoon I watched his guest diving from the tower of his raft, or
taking he sun n the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit
the waters of the sound(39). Notice in the quote it doesnt say the
beach or the boats it says his beach and his boats implying that
he owns it all. Another great example of the wealth of Gatsby is, On a
chance we tried an important looking door, and walked into a high

gothic library, paneled with carved English oak, and probably

transported complete from some ruin.(44). Gatsby has his own library
filled with authentic books and Exquisite English oak.
As a reader, I feel the narrator goes to extreme lengths to make sure
that the reader understands that Gatsby is rich. It almost feels as if the
narrator is bragging on behalf of Gatsby. It kind of makes me a bit more
motivated because I understand that Gatsby didnt come from old
money. Gatsby earned what he has through hard work and
determination. Also is his elegant life style due to his living in the west,
or is that a normal thing for rich people at the time?
Chapter 4:
Reach me a rose, honey, and pour me a last drop into that there
crystal glass (61) is a significant quote that supports my statement of
this chapter. Red is representative of the obsessive undying love that
Gatsby still holds for Daisy. This is exemplified by, Gatsby bought that
house so that Daisy would be just across the bay (78) showing that
Gatsby is still very much in love with her. The repetition of the word
Rose is also reflective of the chapters color, red. Like a rose Daisys
feelings for Gatsby have wilted away as her life was consumed by
money and greed.
As a reader this makes me feel a little empathetic for Gatsby. He loves
this girl, but she doesnt have the bravery to leave Tom. Gatsby is
willing to do almost anything for her; just to get her back. He makes
constant romantic gestures, but she is so focused on the money and
the constant inflow of money that she doesnt even consider him as a
suitable person to be with. It almost seems as if Gatsbys sole purpose
to become rich and successful was to impress and re-win over the love
of his life, Daisy.
Chapter 5&6:
I believe the color most suited for chapter 5 and 6 is the Red. I dont
choose red because of its representation of Anger, Love, or war but I
choose red for its portrayal of embarrassment. It seems in chapter 5
that Gatsby is very embarrassed to be around daisy. Gatsby is acting
like a nervous teenager going on his first ever date with the girl of his
dreams as if he were around his parents. As exemplified by, Gatsby,
pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets,
was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes
(Fitzgerald 86). Gatsby was nervous in the presence of Daisy. It was so

awkward to where Gatsby was literally called out by Nick for acting like
a child, Youre acting like a little boy, I broke out impatiently,
(Fitzgerald 88)
This overall chapter gave me mixed feelings about Gatsby and the plot
of the book as a whole. I couldnt exactly pinpoint the path the book
would take now with the new information that Gatsby was insanely shy.
It makes me wonder how he has this obsession with Daisy, but cant
even talk to her without making it awkward. Gatsby had to ask Jordan
to ask nick caraway to invite daisy (without tom) just because he was
too shy to do it himself. If he actually bought a house just to be close to
daisy why cant he talk to her? Also
Chapter 7

The color most exemplified in this chapter in my opinion is Black. The

plot of this chapter is just absolute madness. Heart felt emotions are
being poured out from everyone in this chapter, and at the very end
the mistress of tom dies ensnaring everyone into deeper madness. Tom
expresses his feelings quite loudly when he insults Gatsby by saying,
Certainly not for a common swindler whod have to steal the ring he
put on her finger. (133) after Gatsby told tom that daisy was leaving
him. Another example of the madness involved in this chapter was the
stability of Daisy as she was driving herself and Gatsby home. She was
unfit for operating a motorized vehicle by the following statement,
Well, first Daisy turned away from the woman toward the other car,
and then she lost her nerve and turned back.(143). showing that she
was caught up in her emotions instead of focusing on the road.
This chapter brought out a lot of emotions from all of the
main characters of the story. It was a real surprise to me that all of
these characters would become so emotional in such a short amount of
time. It was also very shocking to me that someone would die in the
manner that Myrtle died. Actually it was astonishing that someone
would die in this book at all. All of the main characters have decided to
go to deep into their own feeling almost resembling that some of them
are going mad. I feel bad for Daisy the most though because of all of
the emotional tension that she has been put under by the men in her
life and now the death of myrtle.
Chapter 8:
As one would assume because of the death of the main character it
would seem as if the color I would choose would resemble death, but

instead I choose purple for repentance. It seemed that in chapter eight

Gatsby decides to admit to the false image he is portraying to daisy.as
exemplified by, He might have despised himself, for he had certainly
taken her under false pretenses.(149) stating that he understands
that he impressed her by not being himself. Another example of his
repentance (from the point of view of Nick), I dont mean that he had
traded in his phantom millions, but he had deliberately given daisy a
sense of security; he let her believe that he was a person from much
the same stratum herselfthat he was fully able to take care of her.
(149) basically telling the reader that Gatsby gave daisy a false image.
This chapter surprised me. False impressions are something
that we covered during harkens discussion, and it was basically told to
the reader by Nick in this chapter. Also the way the main character
died is very disturbing. Gatsby was murdered by Wilson when he was
just minding his own business. Gatsby was just floating along in his
pool when he was shot by George Wilson. I believe that George Wilson
was angry because of the death of his wife, even though daisy was
driving the car. In my opinion this was a worthy way to end the book.
Chapter 9:

The ending chapter of the book is very sad. I believe that the
color most associated with this chapter is the color blue. This chapter
showed to me that the characters in this society are very cold and
selfish. Tom Buchanan admits to getting Gatsby killed and then says
that he deserves it. As exemplified by, I couldnt forgive him or like
him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified
(179) stating that tom says that he couldnt forgive Gatsby for killing
his mistress and doesnt care that he got Gatsby killed. It just shows
how cold tom really was.
This chapter made me feel horrible. Seeing the closest
friends of Gatsby refuse to attend his funeral. Then to see a Tom
basically admit to getting Gatsby killed threw me for a curve ball. I
thought Tom was a standup guy. Other than his affair with Myrdal, I
thought Tom was a pretty good guy until this chapter. Nick Caraway
sums it ups pretty well with this quote, They were carless people, Tom
and Daisythey smashed up things and creatures and then retreated
back into their money or their vast carelessness (179). Showing how
daisy and Tom ruin lives with their absurd carelessness. From this
chapter it seems to me that Tom and Daisy were the downfall to The
Great Gatsby.