Color is an important part of life, and we should honor that importance in the stories we write. Although we can simply name any color for our characters’ bedrooms or the clothes they wear, by choosing a specific color, we can add layers of meaning to our stories and even to the personalities of our characters. We can add mood, symbolism, theme, even emotion. But first, we need to know what the colors mean.
What Colors Mean:
Black — Evil, falsehood, error, grief, despair, death.
Blue — Chastity, loyalty, fidelity, faith, modesty, eternity, immmortality.
Green — Love, joy, abundance, hope, youth, mirth, gladness, resurrection, spring.
Purple — Temperance, royalty
Red — Magnanimity, fortitude
White — Purity, truth, innocence, hope.
Yellow — Faith, constancy, wisdom, glory, jealousy, inconsistancy.
What Your Favorite Color Reveals About You:
Red — Ambitious, energetic, extroverted
Pink — Affectionate, compassionate, romantic
Maroon — Sensuous, friendly, emotional
Orange — Fun-loving, action-oriented, competent
Peach — Gentle, charitable, enthusiastic
Yellow — Optimistic, expressive, people-oriented
Mint green — Modest, insightful, kind-hearted
Apple green — Innovative, adventuresome, self-motivated
Green — Benevolent, service-oriented, scientific
Teal — Idealistic, faithful, sentimental
Light blue — creative, perceptive, imaginative
Dark Blue — Intelligent, responsible, self-reliant
Mauve — Delicate, reserved, sensitive
Purple — Intuitive, spiritual, insightful
Beige — Practical, well-adjusted, steadfast
Brown — Down to earth, honest, supportive
Black — Disciplined, strong-willed, opinionated
White — Individualistic, lonely, low self-esteem
Gray — Passive, noncommittal, stressed
Silver — Honorable, chivalrous, romantic
Gold — Idealistic, noble, successful
More about color:
The Meaning of Your Car Color
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Green and More
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Pat Bertram is the author of Grief: The Inside Story – A Guide to Surviving the Loss of a Loved One. “Grief: The Inside Story is perfect and that is not hyperbole! It is exactly what folk who are grieving need to read.” –Leesa Healy, RN, GDAS GDAT, Emotional/Mental Health Therapist & Educator.
Bertram's Blog 
July 10, 2008 at 10:03 am
Yeah, I never thought of that. But it would be difficult to be subtle about it.
Also no wonder people hate being in hospitals.
July 13, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I don’t have a favorite color, I like them all.
July 13, 2008 at 8:08 pm
If you like lots of different colors, it means you are creative and open and far less rigid than those with dogmatic likes and dislikes. It also means you are likely to work professionally with color.
August 2, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Thanks for posting
November 16, 2017 at 5:13 pm
[…] into lesser known histories (also known erroneously as conspiracy theories), though I did research color and their meanings because color played a major role in the book, as the following excerpt will […]