Ancient Egypt: Golden Skin
Thousands of years ago, the Ancient Egyptians had believed that the flesh of the Gods were made of the purest of gold. Fitzgerald symbolically utilizes this idea in his “Great American Novel”, The Great Gatsby. Nick displays his opinion of Jordan Baker when he says, "I put my arm around Jordan's slender golden shoulder and drew her toward me and asked her to dinner" (79). Fitzgerald employs the idea that Jordan Baker’s skin is golden in the eyes of Nick Carraway; Nick sees Ms.Baker in a prestigious and unique matter, and holds her to a higher standard than others. Throughout the book, this recurring reference acts as a motif and is repeatedly used to demonstrate Nick's admiration of Jordan Baker. Because Nick is the narrator of the book, Jordan is the only person described with “golden skin”, because he finds her unique in every way.
Ancient Greece: Midas
According to Greek mythology, there was once a king whose very touch could turn anything into gold. This king was named Midas, and he had prayed to the Gods for them to give him this, so-called, gift. The gods had granted him his wish, giving him the "Golden Touch". The greedy king died from hunger because all the food he attempted to eat turned into gold. Even though this story is often used to warn against greed, Fitzgerald utilizes Midas in a unique way, "I bought a dozen volumes on banking and credit and investment securities, and they stood on my shelf in red and gold like new money from the mint, promising to unfold the shining secrets that only Midas and Morgan and Maecenas knew." Fitzgerald uses this quote to display Nick Carraway as a person who seeks his own personal wealth. Nick admires Midas for his wealth, no realizing the self-inflicted damage that Midas had committed.
Also:
West Africa and many more cultures: Gold = Royalty
Among many cultures, Gold is seen as prestigious and signifying of wealth. In West Africa, gold was used to characterize royalty and purity. This is because of the nature of gold: gold never rusts, it never soils, it is extremely malleable,and it is pure and uncorrupt. They viewed gold as the "throne of wisdom" and the "tree of knowledge". Fitzgerald uses this idea, but in a light matter. Using gold to symbolize power is not unusual; however Fitzgerald does add his own spin to the idea. He sets up barriers in his setting, that clearly distinguish between classes. The reader is exposed to West Egg and East Egg, both very prestigious places, however there is a definite difference between their residence. The people who live in East Egg are from "old" money, they are more fancy and seen as more elite. The people of West Egg are self-made, making their own money, and are viewed as less formal and less materialistic. This is explained when Nick states, "I lived at West Egg, the—well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them. [...] 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."
Thousands of years ago, the Ancient Egyptians had believed that the flesh of the Gods were made of the purest of gold. Fitzgerald symbolically utilizes this idea in his “Great American Novel”, The Great Gatsby. Nick displays his opinion of Jordan Baker when he says, "I put my arm around Jordan's slender golden shoulder and drew her toward me and asked her to dinner" (79). Fitzgerald employs the idea that Jordan Baker’s skin is golden in the eyes of Nick Carraway; Nick sees Ms.Baker in a prestigious and unique matter, and holds her to a higher standard than others. Throughout the book, this recurring reference acts as a motif and is repeatedly used to demonstrate Nick's admiration of Jordan Baker. Because Nick is the narrator of the book, Jordan is the only person described with “golden skin”, because he finds her unique in every way.
Ancient Greece: Midas
According to Greek mythology, there was once a king whose very touch could turn anything into gold. This king was named Midas, and he had prayed to the Gods for them to give him this, so-called, gift. The gods had granted him his wish, giving him the "Golden Touch". The greedy king died from hunger because all the food he attempted to eat turned into gold. Even though this story is often used to warn against greed, Fitzgerald utilizes Midas in a unique way, "I bought a dozen volumes on banking and credit and investment securities, and they stood on my shelf in red and gold like new money from the mint, promising to unfold the shining secrets that only Midas and Morgan and Maecenas knew." Fitzgerald uses this quote to display Nick Carraway as a person who seeks his own personal wealth. Nick admires Midas for his wealth, no realizing the self-inflicted damage that Midas had committed.
Also:
- Gold can be seen as symbol of wealth, knowledge, and radiance
- Apollo, the sun god, was clothed with golden armor
- Hermes, messenger of the gods, was also the God of robbers. This shows how the Greeks had mixed feelings towards gold and its connotations
West Africa and many more cultures: Gold = Royalty
Among many cultures, Gold is seen as prestigious and signifying of wealth. In West Africa, gold was used to characterize royalty and purity. This is because of the nature of gold: gold never rusts, it never soils, it is extremely malleable,and it is pure and uncorrupt. They viewed gold as the "throne of wisdom" and the "tree of knowledge". Fitzgerald uses this idea, but in a light matter. Using gold to symbolize power is not unusual; however Fitzgerald does add his own spin to the idea. He sets up barriers in his setting, that clearly distinguish between classes. The reader is exposed to West Egg and East Egg, both very prestigious places, however there is a definite difference between their residence. The people who live in East Egg are from "old" money, they are more fancy and seen as more elite. The people of West Egg are self-made, making their own money, and are viewed as less formal and less materialistic. This is explained when Nick states, "I lived at West Egg, the—well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them. [...] 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."