Overview:

Throughout The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald consistently uses floral references as a way to describe characters and/or events, or as a method of imagery.

Occasionally, however, there are references that seem to be unclear in their literary significance in the novel.

For example, at the beginning of Chapter Four, an attendee of Gatsby's party concludes her dialogue with the request to "Reach me a rose..." (61).

There are several instances where flowers are used to describe a person, thing, or situation.

Flower References:

* "Daisy [surprised] me by opening up... in a flower-like way" (20). Interestingly, Fitzgerald chose the name Daisy for the love interest of Gatsby. He reinforces the notion of Daisy's being similar to her namesake by comparing her to flowers. Like the flower, Daisy is also often noted as wearing white, which symbolizes purity.

* "of dances whose flowers were scarcely withered" (148). flowers... scarcely withered compares the vitality of flowers to indicate enthusiasm. (Flowers represent the lush energy of nature.)

* "their last names were... the melodious names of flowers"(63) - In this line, Fitzgerald uses flowers as an analogy for beauty.

* "We went... through... bedrooms... vivid with new flowers" (92) - Gatsby's tour of his house to Daisy gives him a new hope for his romantic dreams. Again, this is an example of the use of nature to represent a new hope, a new beginning, and possibly, a new life.

Orchid References:



* "Gatsby indicated a gorgeous, scarcely human orchid of a woman who sat in state under a white-plum tree" (106). - Another instance of flowers as beautiful. Again, the white symbolizes purity, which is a recurring theme in The Great Gatsby.

* "her artificial world was redolent of orchids and pleasant, cheerful snobbery..." (151) - use of orchids as a wonderful, calming nectar of sorts. The sentence evokes a vivid picture in the reader's mind, one of many the many times Fitzgerald's flowing, descriptive writing style does.

* "an evening dress tangled among dying orchids on the floor beside her bed" (151) - The dying orchids reinforce the concept of a dream lost.

Misc. References:

* "her hair [was] the color of an autumn leaf" (178). - This is one of the few allusions that are not directed at Daisy. (The quotation describes Jordon Baker.)

* "Under the dripping lilac-trees a large open car was coming up the drive." (86) - An example of flowers used as imagery.

* "With enchanting murmurs Daisy... admired the gardens, the sparkling odor of kiss-me-at-the-gate." (92) - A simple use of floral imagery.

(Pictures from Virtual Orchard and The Orchid House)

Page last updated April 28, 1999
Curator: Eric Phan



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