Abstract: F · Scott Fitzgerald is a famous American writer of the 1920s. The Great Gatsby is his representative work. In this novel, the writer vividly portrays the life style and spiritual features of the younger generation in America in “the Jazz Age” by using symbolism. And the skillful use of the abundant symbols of colors well expresses the writer’s thoughts and feelings. These symbols of colors also play an important role in depicting the characters of the figures, promoting the development of the plots, reflecting the features of the age and deepening the theme of the work－the disillusionment of the “American Dream”. And the profound social significance reflected by the novel is also very enlightening. The writer of this thesis will try to analyze the symbolic meaning and function of the colors in this work, and the enlightenment which the novel brings to the younger generation in China.
Key Words: color; symbol; The Great Gatsby; the American Dream
Introduction 1
1. Research Background 1
1.1 Brief Introduction of the Writer 1
1.2 Brief Introduction of "the Jazz Age 2
1.3 Brief Introduction of the Work 2
1.4 Brief Introduction of Symbolism 4
2. Analyze the Symbols of Colors in The Great Gatsby 4
2.1 The Color of Green 4
2.2 The Color of Blue 6
2.3 The Colors of Yellow, gold and silver 8
2.4 The Color of White 9
2.5 The Color of Grey 11
2.6 The Color of Black 12
3. Conclusion 15
4. Bibliography 20
