Symbolism is a commonly used technique in literary and artistic creation. Based on certain connections between things, symbolism transforms abstract concepts, emotions, and spirits into concrete and tangible images. This is used to imply profound thoughts about characters or events, elucidate similar concepts, and express emotions. This article will discuss the symbolic meanings of white, snow, books, and the study in The Great Gatsby and New Year's Sacrifice, analyzing how authors use symbolism to depict characters or convey themes.
 
The imagery of "white" and "snow" serves as a thread connecting the development of the stories in both works. "White" is often associated with purity and sanctity. In The Great Gatsby, the character of Daisy, the protagonist's first love, embodies this symbolism. When Gatsby first meets Daisy, she is dressed in a white dress, portraying an image of innocence and romance. In Gatsby's eyes, Daisy is the most beautiful, pure, and holy girl. Her youthful innocence, like feathers, gently floats into Gatsby's heart. Daisy's first appearance in the novel is described as "floating" towards the readers, her white "dress wafting in the wind" along with white curtains "lightly brushing by." The design of the white curtains enhances Daisy's overall image, making her appear more beautiful and innocent. However, simultaneously, a sense of elusive emptiness emerges. When Tom closes the French windows, "the lingering breeze in the room gradually subsides," and the brief romanticism fades away as Daisy "slowly descends to the ground" and returns to Tom. Daisy is nothing more than a perplexing dream pursued by Gatsby; he can never truly have her.
 
"White" not only symbolizes purity but also implies emptiness and ignorance. After Daisy and Tom's marriage, they live in a "white palace" with white curtains as decoration. Daisy wears white clothes and drives a white roadster. This reflects Daisy's tedious, empty, and boring life at home. Her dissatisfaction results from an excessive pursuit of wealth and an overdependence on the material world. When she discovers the extent of Gatsby's wealth, greed for this fortune arises. Her greed and desires lead her into the mire of the worldly, contrasting sharply with the pure and flawless girl in Gatsby's heart. In the end, Gatsby's pursuit of dreams and Daisy ends in disappointment, revealing Daisy's true nature. She drives away after hitting a person, leaving Gatsby alone to take the blame. If white symbolizes purity, it has now merged with black, symbolizing coldness and indifference. Daisy and her husband are weak and indifferent; only Gatsby remains sincere and brave on his quest for dreams.
 
In the short story New Year's Sacrifice, the imagery of "snow" similarly symbolizes the pure and unblemished. In ancient Chinese idioms, there is a phrase "snow-white commoners," meaning common people are pure and unblemished. The story uses the "snow" imagery to metaphorize Sister Xianglin, an innocent "snow-white commoner." After losing two husbands and a son, Sister Xianglin is looked down upon by society, considered unlucky, and accused of being unchaste. She is labeled as "guilty" by the people of the town, facing immense injustice.
 
The description of snow is prevalent throughout the story: gloomy snowy days, thick layers of snow on the ground, swirling snowflakes, devouring spirits, and the withered Sister Xianglin. The story sets the background in a snowy winter, symbolizing the hardship and adversity of life. Sister Xianglin has resisted fate, even "knocking a big hole in her head," but ultimately, her efforts are in vain. She marries into the He family. Under the influence of Confucianism and rigid feudal ethics, the suppression and persecution of Sister Xianglin, like pouring snowfall, erodes her willpower and spirit, making her life's path difficult to traverse. The saying "a particle of dust falling on an individual is like a mountain" vividly depicts the cruelty of the societal norms accepted invisibly. The more brutal reality is that people are within these rules, yet remain unaware of the problems within them.
 
At the end of the story, it is written, "In a blur, I faintly heard the continuous sound of firecrackers in the distance, seemingly synthesizing into a dense cloud of sound, embracing the entire town along with the swirling snowflakes." On a night of blessings, Sister Xianglin dies in the midst of a snowstorm. Perhaps at this moment, she emitted a silent cry with the roaring sound and swirling snowflakes. Yet, Sister Xianglin is just one in a million. Lu Xun deeply feels the tragic fate of women under feudal ethics during this "time of infinite happiness." Amidst the blessings, opposite emotions of sorrow and indignation overflow.
 
The imagery of "books" or the "study" is reflected in both works, symbolizing the characters' ideologies in the novels. Notions of white supremacy, discrimination against different powers, emphasis on female chastity, and remnants of the feudal system are deeply embedded in each character's psyche.
 
In The Great Gatsby, when Nick visits Tom and Daisy's mansion in West Egg for the first time, he initiates a discussion about the theme of "civilization" during dinner, opening Tom's floodgates of speech. At this moment, an unexpected guest appears. Tom mentions that he is reading "The Rise of the Colored Empires" and expresses extreme pessimism about the world. The book suggests that if the white race is not vigilant, they will be completely overwhelmed, and other races will take control. Moreover, these contents are presented as scientific truths.
 
Tom is an extreme racial supremacist. His words are filled with the ideology of white superiority, even believing that these ideas are scientifically proven and rational. Tom not only rejects people of color but also deeply despises all emerging alien forces. On one hand, he indulges in extramarital affairs and hedonistic pleasures while his wife Daisy is pregnant, often absent from home. On the other hand, he competes with his rival Gatsby behind the scenes and openly challenges him. He even indirectly encourages Wilson to kill Gatsby based on his suggestions. For the rising colored races in "The Rise of the Colored Empires" and the newcomers representing the new upper class in West Egg, Tom seems indifferent and disdainful. However, deep down, he fears their rise, afraid that it will threaten his current social status.
 
Gatsby, for Tom, is another unwelcome guest. Unfortunately, Gatsby's heart is filled with surging hope and vitality. However, in the current of the times and under the influence of ingrained thoughts carried by everyone, Gatsby, with all his efforts, is inevitably pushed back to square one.
 
In New Year's Sacrifice, the author describes the study of Uncle Four at the beginning of the story: "A large 'shou' character was hanging on the wall, and on the desk were placed 'Selected Notes on Reflection' and 'Four Books for Backgrounds.'" The study's couplet quotes the words of Zhu Xi: "When principles are understood, the mind becomes peaceful. Therefore, one can speak; when virtues are detailed, the will is firm. Therefore, one can establish." Zhu Xi's words reveal the characteristic of Confucianism emphasizing "inner saintliness," leading people toward introspection, tranquility, and a contemplative stance. However, it distances people from practicality, moving away from scientific characteristics. The books and couplets in Uncle Four's study symbolize the persistence of feudal moral order. It respects the order of hierarchy, emphasizes the importance of propriety between superiors and inferiors, encourages "self-discipline and return to courtesy is benevolence," and stresses the preservation of chastity for women. The commandments like "starving is a small matter, losing chastity is a big matter" not only persist in the old generation's mindset but also permeate among the common people. Uncle Four's study symbolizes the centralization of feudal ethics. The thoughts of feudal ethical concepts represented by Uncle Four spread out like chains, firmly locking Sister Xianglin, becoming spiritual shackles on her. Victims like Aunt Liu, Old Lady Wei, Fourth Aunt, and Sister Xianglin's mother-in-law, also become accomplices of the decadent system.
 
This article has analyzed the imagery of "white," "snow," and "books" in The Great Gatsby and New Year's Sacrifice. The first two connect the plot, depicting characters who are simple, pure, yet empty and innocent. The latter two explore how "books" influence ideologies and how these ideologies spread and propagate.