Facade of American Dream

“Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water, and the history of the summer really begins on the evening I drove over there to have dinner with the Tom Buchanans” (Fitzgerald 5).

As the novel concludes, Nick Carraway settles with the assumption that the people of East Egg are cold and uncaring individuals. Through Daisy’s selfish actions and the death of Gatsby and his dream, Nick becomes so disgusted with society that he is forced to move back to the Midwest. Despite the lack of heart and disappointments within East Egg, it is characterized in appearance to be quite the opposite. The use of the words “fashionable”, “glittered”, “palaces”, and “white” create a vivid imagery of an alluring and extravagant city (Fitzgerald 5). Being that the color white exudes elegance and subtlety, it ultimately creates a sense of false expectations and a façade as East Egg in reality is indeed not what it seems (“The”). Thus, Fitzgerald uses the color white to show the vast contrast between East Egg’s misleading appearance and its true conditions.

“A white ashen dust veiled his dark suit and his pale hair as it veiled everything in the vicinity, except his wife, who moved close to Tom” (Fitzgerald 26).

Concerned with his wife’s lack of loyalty in their relationship, George Wilson feels that it is necessary to attempt to move up the social ladder in order to save his marriage. With Myrtle Wilson being involved with Tom Buchanan, she yearns for the wealth and luxury of his life as she experiences and becomes accustomed to the lifestyle he has. Thus, George Wilson is faced with a bit of competition as he feels like he needs to fulfill Myrtle’s new desires. The “white ashen dust” that blankets George Wilson’s “dark suit” shows a vast contrast of light and dark (Fitzgerald 26). While the “dark suit” represents his financial instability as it symbolizes The Valley of the Ashes, the “white ashen dust” connotes to the people and society of East Egg (Fitzgerald 26). The color white in this particular quote exemplify faithfulness, success, and new beginnings (“Color”). Such characteristics symbolize the great American Dream in which George Wilson desperately yearns for. However, in reality the hope for this dream is shown to be just another façade as the color white deliberately refers to the ashen dust. The fact that the dust is nothing but a grimy bundle of particles that cause discomfort; it shows that George Wilson’s dream will never be fulfilled. In addition, the fact that the dust is on a dark suit reveals that while he can pretend to be part of the society of East Egg, he will inevitably be identified as someone from the Valley of the Ashes. Even if he becomes rich and prosperous he will still be considered to be as worthless as dust in the eyes of his peers.

“It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns” (Fitzgerald 64).

The use of the color white in this vivid description of Jay Gatsby’s car epitomizes the detachment, isolation, and emptiness that his character encompasses (“The”). Such materialistic luxury can only go so far as it brings temporary happiness and satisfaction in Gatsby’s life. Through his extravagant parties and abundance of wealth, Gatsby gives off a polished and sophisticated persona. However through the incident with the Sloanes and his reunification with Daisy, it is evident that everything he is nothing but a façade. His wealth and materialism, which is representative through his white car, hides his true insecure and awkward nature.

“Taking a white card from his wallet, he waved it before the man’s eye” (Fitzgerald 68).

With doctors and hospitals being affiliated with the color white, it can pertain to being in a critical state (“The”). This term can be further defined or associated with the words danger and significance. Thus, the white card that Gatsby reveals to the policeman signifies the fact that his state of importance can potentially put him at risk as his identity leads to his own death.

“Jordan’s fingers, powdered white over their tan, rested for a moment in mine” (Fitzgerald 116).

The color white indicates the action of covering up or to conceal (Bear). In the case of the scene, Jordan Baker is literally putting on a white mask of power over her tan skin. This is representative of the mask that the people of East Egg put on for everyone else. As addressed before, the color white not only refers to the action of concealment, but also to a state of sophistication (“Color”). East Eggers on the outside seem to be graceful and full of goodness, but in the inside they lack kindness and tact. They hide who they are and ultimately do not act the way they appear as seen through the characterizations and actions of Daisy Buchannan, Tom Buchannan, and Jordan Baker.