Abstract：F. Scott. Fitzgerald, a famous representative of 20th century American novelists of the “Lost Generation”, is known as the spokesman of the “Jazz Age”. One if his greatest works The Great Gatsby, describing a true social picture of the 1920s America, does not only deeply reveal the disillusion of the “American Dream”, but also reflects the author’s exploration and reconsideration on a social ideal of pursuing the “American Dream”. The reason why this novel could be able to reflect deep social motive is because it benefited from the means of the author’s sophisticated artistic expression, especially from the application of symbolic figure. This paper will begin with the symbolism in literature and the functions of symbolism, then analyze the symbolic figure in The Great Gatsby through three levels: object symbols, color symbols, and character symbols. Through the analysis, the paper aims at a better understanding of the author’s view and the in-depth social meaning of this novel.

Key words: Symbolism; Object; Color; Character