Nature Depicted in The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Fitzgerald

In the 1925 American novel The Great Gatsby, there could be found several references in connection to nature, as well as the elements connected to it. These items vary on a rather wide spectrum, as there are intimations of nature found in the names of the characters, as well as comparisons drawn between plants and the fictional figures. However, above all, in the novel, green life is mostly used in connection to a positive, hopeful state. This way nature is depicted as a rather promising symbol of a better life, more precisely, of a finer future.

To start with, one of the lead characters is named Daisy, after a round yellow centered flower, which has thin white petals. Daisy herself could be described as a rather fragile feminine figure of her time. The main reason of characterizing her as that, comes from the fact that she left her emotions bottled, while she was aware of her partner’s infidelity. Likewise, her name may lead back to the English idiom “daisy in a field,” which most likely could be used when denoting a rather modest and conservative individual. What is more, although at times soft-spoken, this does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that she was an utterly timid and modest figure. To elucidate, Daisy was quite fond of her riches, as she played the role of a socialite. With this in mind, another idiom that could be connected to her name, and which may be used to describe her is “fresh as a daisy.” According to Oxford Dictionary, this phrase might be used to depict a rather wholesome, along with, vigorous personality (Oxford Dictionary, 2018). Like the flower she is named after, Daisy by the middle of the novel starts to blossom forth, opening herself up to new inceptions.

What is more, another reference to a nature element comes directly from Daisy herself: “I love to see you at my table, Nick. You remind me of a— of a rose, an absolute rose?” (page 17). When interpreting the adjective “rose” from a noun, meaning a flower, to an adjective, it could be quite fair to say that its meaning leads back to the general description of a flower. To elucidate, “rose” could be used to specify a pink tone (Cambridge Dictionary 2018). When using that description on a human, a rose colour might come up in someone’s face when they are flushed or embarrassed. Understandably, in this case, when someone is given a compliment, it could be enough reason for that individual to blush.

Furthermore, there is another character by the name of Myrtle. Interestingly enough, this denotes that the two main female characters in the novel are named after plants. More precisely, a myrtle is a low growing tree, which petals are usually of a white colour, just as the petals on daisies. In the novel, the two females are depicted as opponents of sorts. However, the main similarity they share could be the fact that they both come to somewhat fatal ends. And just like the plants they are named after, they show the dainty and brittle sides.

Nature, or more precisely, flowers make a rather salient feature in the scene where the protagonist, Gatsby, tries to charm Daisy. To explain, Gatsby attempted to delight the female protagonist by filling a cottage full of flowers, having the grass in fort of the house cut along with that. To elaborate, flowers in this scene mark a hopeful new beginning.

     2013 adaptation film of The Great Gatsby. Gatsby waiting for Daisy with his ordered flowers.

In conclusion, as seen from the discussion above, the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that there are several mentions of natural elements in The Great Gatsby. What is more, these references to green life give nature an air of a rather auspicious form. With that, although nature is not represented in a straightforward way, it still plays a significant part in the whole novel.

                                                                                                                                     Grettel Sokolov