Color imagery
Running head: COLOR OF IMAGERY IN POEMS 1
COLOR IMAGERY IN POEMS 2 Color imagery; also known as color symbolism is a literary tool that refers to the meaning associated with a certain color. The color symbolizes a feeling or meaning. Author’s use color imagery to help the reader reference the feeling or meaning. In literature it is an object or reference used to provide meaning to the writing beyond what is essentially being described. It can be restrained or obvious, used cautiously or strong. An author may repeat the same object to communicate a deeper meaning or might use distinctions of the same object to produce a mood or feeling. Nothing Gold Can Stay, written by Robert frost in the year 1923, uses color imagery. The title of the poem is a metaphor where the gold represents value and wealth so when it says nothing gold can stay it means that nothing that is precious or of great value in the materialistic way can last forever. Gold symbolizes materialism it will not last for long and it gives an untrue happiness. Gold and other things such as, money can take years to accumulate but can be depleted in an instant. On the other hand, things having emotion and sentimental values cannot be bought with money and therefore will remain with us throughout our life. Frost says “nature’s first green is gold” he compares the color of nature “green’ with something that can be bought; gold. He is trying to portray that nature’s first bounty is green that it is just as valuable as gold. Green can represent nature, the environment, good luck, youth, vigor, jealousy, envy, and misfortune. Green can be regarded as the color of eternal life. Gold is also associated with royalty. It represents the color of the heavens. Gold in this poem refers to
COLOR IMAGERY IN POEMS 3
youth, beauty and purity. When nature receives its first gold, she has already accepted that she
COLOR IMAGERY IN POEMS 2 Color imagery; also known as color symbolism is a literary tool that refers to the meaning associated with a certain color. The color symbolizes a feeling or meaning. Author’s use color imagery to help the reader reference the feeling or meaning. In literature it is an object or reference used to provide meaning to the writing beyond what is essentially being described. It can be restrained or obvious, used cautiously or strong. An author may repeat the same object to communicate a deeper meaning or might use distinctions of the same object to produce a mood or feeling. Nothing Gold Can Stay, written by Robert frost in the year 1923, uses color imagery. The title of the poem is a metaphor where the gold represents value and wealth so when it says nothing gold can stay it means that nothing that is precious or of great value in the materialistic way can last forever. Gold symbolizes materialism it will not last for long and it gives an untrue happiness. Gold and other things such as, money can take years to accumulate but can be depleted in an instant. On the other hand, things having emotion and sentimental values cannot be bought with money and therefore will remain with us throughout our life. Frost says “nature’s first green is gold” he compares the color of nature “green’ with something that can be bought; gold. He is trying to portray that nature’s first bounty is green that it is just as valuable as gold. Green can represent nature, the environment, good luck, youth, vigor, jealousy, envy, and misfortune. Green can be regarded as the color of eternal life. Gold is also associated with royalty. It represents the color of the heavens. Gold in this poem refers to
COLOR IMAGERY IN POEMS 3
youth, beauty and purity. When nature receives its first gold, she has already accepted that she
References: Frost, Robert. “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Kirszner and Mandell 499 Williams, William Carlos. “Spring and All.” Kirszner and Mandell 488 Creative Glossary. (2011). Retrieved October 07, 2013, from http://www.creativeglossary.com/color/color-symbolism--color-meaning.html Mike 's Anime Open. (2001). Symbolism Colors. Retrieved October 7, 2013, from http://www.three-musketeers.net/mike/colors.html