In Aristotle's virtue-based ethical theory, he claims that a polis, one’s surrounding community, installs basic values in an individual. Therefore, the polis has the greatest influence during an individual’s development. However, sometimes the polis can negatively impact a person, causing him or her to have a fluid, undeveloped identity. Throughout the works, The Great Gatsby, Invisible Man, and “Song of Myself,” the authors include the motifs of green and grass in the surroundings of the protagonists. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the motif of green to emphasize the lack of confidence one develops as he or she experiences upward mobility. While Ellison uses green to assert that oppressing institutions cause success and paradise to
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After Nick attends his first of Gatsby’s parties, Gatsby asks Nick to go into the city with him the next afternoon. When Gatsby picks Nick up, Nick describes Gatsby’s car: 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 with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns. Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory, we started to town. (Fitzgerald 64)
When Nick describes the car as “monstrous” and “triumphant,” he proclaims Gatsby’s great assumed wealth that everyone has noticed. Fitzgerald uses this “gorgeous car” (Fitzgerald 64) to distract from Gatsby’s true identity as Gatsby then lies to Nick about his past during the car ride to the city. In addition, Fitzgerald employs the visual imagery of the “labyrinth of windshields” to demonstrate Gatsby’s mysterious, complex character, yet his yearning to truly open up and show someone his true identity. Nick describes these glass windshields as creating a green conservatory to reveal that Gatsby’s insecurity causes him to grow his wealth; therefore, Gatsby continues to hide himself behind his wealth. Gatsby blinds others with the mirrors, for he is ashamed. Fitzgerald critiques that those who experience …show more content…
While Invisible Man drives Mr. Norton back to the campus after stopping at the Golden Day, he states, “Here within this quiet greenness I possessed the only identity I had ever known, and I was losing it” (Ellison 99). Invisible Man attaches his identity to the institution of education. He believes that he does not have an identity until he attends this college; however, this institution provides Invisible Man with false hope. Ellison asserts that institutions radiate idealistic, fake opportunities, which hurt many people who are trying to develop their identity. When Ellison uses “quiet greenness,” he suggests that Invisible Man has been passively growing while in this environment. Therefore, he is unable to combat this struggle of losing his identity because the college has not provided him with tools to do so. When Invisible Man returns to the campus, he attends a lecture by Reverend Barbee. Barbee states, “ ‘I have not the words to tell you how my heart swelled to return to this great institution after so great a while to move among its wealth of green things, its fruitful farmland and fragrant campus’ ” (Ellison 132). Ellison uses the alliteration in “fruitful farmland and fragrant” to emphasize the mystical illusion the college presents. As Barbee is a Christian reverend, he alludes to the Garden of
After Nick attends his first of Gatsby’s parties, Gatsby asks Nick to go into the city with him the next afternoon. When Gatsby picks Nick up, Nick describes Gatsby’s car: 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 with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns. Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory, we started to town. (Fitzgerald 64)
When Nick describes the car as “monstrous” and “triumphant,” he proclaims Gatsby’s great assumed wealth that everyone has noticed. Fitzgerald uses this “gorgeous car” (Fitzgerald 64) to distract from Gatsby’s true identity as Gatsby then lies to Nick about his past during the car ride to the city. In addition, Fitzgerald employs the visual imagery of the “labyrinth of windshields” to demonstrate Gatsby’s mysterious, complex character, yet his yearning to truly open up and show someone his true identity. Nick describes these glass windshields as creating a green conservatory to reveal that Gatsby’s insecurity causes him to grow his wealth; therefore, Gatsby continues to hide himself behind his wealth. Gatsby blinds others with the mirrors, for he is ashamed. Fitzgerald critiques that those who experience …show more content…
While Invisible Man drives Mr. Norton back to the campus after stopping at the Golden Day, he states, “Here within this quiet greenness I possessed the only identity I had ever known, and I was losing it” (Ellison 99). Invisible Man attaches his identity to the institution of education. He believes that he does not have an identity until he attends this college; however, this institution provides Invisible Man with false hope. Ellison asserts that institutions radiate idealistic, fake opportunities, which hurt many people who are trying to develop their identity. When Ellison uses “quiet greenness,” he suggests that Invisible Man has been passively growing while in this environment. Therefore, he is unable to combat this struggle of losing his identity because the college has not provided him with tools to do so. When Invisible Man returns to the campus, he attends a lecture by Reverend Barbee. Barbee states, “ ‘I have not the words to tell you how my heart swelled to return to this great institution after so great a while to move among its wealth of green things, its fruitful farmland and fragrant campus’ ” (Ellison 132). Ellison uses the alliteration in “fruitful farmland and fragrant” to emphasize the mystical illusion the college presents. As Barbee is a Christian reverend, he alludes to the Garden of