essay on nick carraway of the great gatsby

Great Gatsby Character Analysis: Nick Carraway Essay

This is essay talks about nick's loss of innocence and his growing awareness..

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, the narrator Nick Carraway's loss of innocence and growing awareness is one of the significant themes. Nick moves to West Egg, Long Island, an affluent suburb of New York City, where millionaires and powerbrokers dominate the landscape, from his simple, idyllic Midwestern home. In his new home, he meets Jay Gatsby, the main character in the novel. Throughout the novel, Nick's involvement in Gatsby's affairs causes him to gradually lose his innocence and he eventually becomes a mature person. By learning about Gatsby's past and getting to know how Gatsby faces the past and the present, Nick finds out about the futility of escaping from the

Impressions of Nick Carraway in Chapters 1 and 2 of "The Great Gatsby"

As a main character we may get a different impression of Nick since we are now analysing his personality and how he interacts with the other characters in the story. We read numerous pronouns in the first chapter, ‘I’, suggesting that he is self-indulgent and pompous. For instance, once at Gatsby’s party, Nick only kisses Jordan Baker because he ‘had no girl’, conveying he only kissed her because there was no one else there. This makes Nick seem selfish and arrogant as he is only thinking of himself. To the reader, we

Analysis Of Nick Carraway In The Great Gatsby

In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Nick Carraway, at first seems like a big and important part of the novel but once we meet Jay Gatsby that changes. Nick takes a back seat to be the narrator for Gatsby’s story. As a narrator Nick is the most effective choice for The Great Gatsby. This is proven by his willingness to withhold judgment. his relationship to each of the main characters.his outsider status and perceptiveness.

Nick Carraway the Perfect Narrator for the Great Gatsby Essay

Nick Carraway is a prime example of how an unbiased and trustworthy narrator can change a book. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is told in first person point of view, through the eyes of Nick Carraway, a 30-year-old man living in West Egg, New York. Carraway tells the story as it is happening and lets the reader know what is to come. Nick seems to be an “invisible character” because he is involved in the story but not in the major conflict. Nick Carraway is the perfect choice of narrator because he is reliable, connected to the main characters, and has an amicable personality.

The Great Gatsby Character Analysis

Have you ever noticed how people almost always talk about what they do not have instead of what they do? Well in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this is a major part of the book. Fitzgerald’s characters are used to show that people are greedy and always will be. Specifically, Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby to show that society is greedy because he always focuses on what he does not have instead of what he does have. First, Fitzgerald shows how Gatsby does everything to impress Daisy, by how Gatsby becomes rich to win her over and how he does everything for Daisy. Secondly, Fitzgerald shows how Gatsby throws extravagant parties to impress Daisy. Finally, he shows how Gatsby is not happy being rich or poor. This is important because

Nick Carraway's Epiphany in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

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A soft breeze lifts off the Sound and brushes Nick Carraway’s face as he emerges from the shadows into the moonlight. His eyes first gaze across the bay to the house of Tom and Daisy where Nick sees past the walls to people who “...smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together...” (Fitzgerald: 187- 188). Nick’s head then turns to his side where he views Gatsby’ s mansion. His heart swells for the man who was unable to let go of the past, and move toward his future. With the two houses juxtaposed in his mind’s eye, Nick ponders his experiences in the East, and enters the car to take him home with a new

Nick is very secluded from the group and tends to be an outcast. He leaves everything bottled up within himself and does not discuss it with the others. (Fitzgerald 1)”I’m inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened many curious natures to me”. This quote discusses how Nick keeps everything to himself and how it has opened all gossip he hears. Throughout the novel uses Gatsby uses nick for support, reassurance, and to be able to see Daisy. (Fitzgerald 79)“Why didn't he ask you to arrange a meeting? He wants her to see his house and your house is right next door”. Nick here is being used by Gatsby to be able to daisy again. Everyone comes to nick and tells him all these things all he can really do is listen. For example, Tom telling Nick about his mistress knowingly that he is Daisy's cousin. Overall Nick is a character that sees everything but does not discuss it with the others he keeps to himself. This makes him an honest and loyal person.

Did Fitzgerald Use Details And Figurative Language In The Great Gatsby

Nick points out a “secret place above the trees” that Gatsby could reach if he “climbed alone”; this secret place is the high-society life Gatsby has wanted all his life, but the only way for him to attain is it by leaving Daisy behind. Gatsby knows this and chooses to kiss Daisy anyway, where he “forever wed[s] his unutterable visions to her perishable breath”. Gatsby’s dreams were so vast and could have been gained had he not signed a death certificate by involving himself with Daisy, and Nick understands this. Gatsby loses a major part of himself to Daisy at this point in the story by devoting literally everything he does to her and remains just steps away from literally worshipping her. Another example of details is when Nick tells Gatsby not to “ask too much of [Daisy]” because “you can’t repeat the past”. This is something Gatsby refuses to accept as the truth and insists that he’s “going to fix everything just the way it was before”. At this point Nick registers that Gatsby’s life has been “confused and disordered” since he met Daisy and that he is actually stuck in the past. Nick is trying his best to deter Gatsby from pursuing Daisy yet Gatsby continues to ignore his one true friend that has only his best interests at

In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway as the Foil, Protagonist, and Narrator

In The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway functions as both the foil and protagonist, as well as the narrator. A young man from Minnesota, Nick travels to the West Egg in New York to learn about the bond business. He lives in the district of Long Island, next door to Jay Gatsby, a wealthy young man known for throwing lavish parties every night. Nick is gradually pulled into the lives of the rich socialites of the East and West Egg. Because of his relationships with Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom, and others, along with his nonjudgmental demeanor, Nick is able to undertake the many roles of the foil, protagonist, and the narrator of The Great Gatsby.

Examples Of Greed In The Great Gatsby

Nick sees Gatsby as the beacon of human perfection a man with a dream so pure it couldn’t be corrupted by anyone. Nick sees this once incorruptible dream in the “Gatsby believed in the Green light, the orgastic future…” (Fitzgerald 180). Nick’s tone shows that he saw Gatsby’s dream not what the end goal was but what the dream symbolized. The dream of Gatsby was treated so poorly as if it meant nothing to everybody, and Nick could sympathize with this dream for, in the beginning, Nick was much the very same way weak and vulnerable to the power of everyone else. Gatsby’s dream only grow the more he wanted to achieve it and Nick grows in character from watching Gatsby never give up on it. Gatsby teaches Nick to be dignified indirectly and teaches him to see the world as a place that is formal and filled with dignity. When Gatsby is murdered because of the corrupt people around him, Gatsby’s dream dies with him, and Nick is tormented by the absence of the once great Gatsby. Nick later walks the streets of the once great wonderland and sees its wonder no longer, “After Gatsby’s death the East was haunted for me like that, distorted beyond my eyes’ power of correction” (Fitzgerald 176) Nick has been taught by Gatsby that the world should be seen as formal and be dignified, and with this knowledge he realizes that the

The Great Gatsby- Jay Gatsby V Essay

Nick is still, however, an honest and good man. He is not extravagantly rich, but unlike Gatsby he earned all of his high social connections fairly. He is rather disgusted with the East and it’s empty values by the end of the book. But he is still intrigued by it all, as he demonstrates through his relationship with Jordan Baker. He holds an almost subconscious

The Great Gatsby : The Coming Of Age Of Nick Carraway

In a coming of age story, a character must look back on his or her youth and say goodbye. Nick Carraway comes to Long Island as an almost 30 year-old man who prides himself on the fact that he is a non-judgmental person. However, after his experiences he is no longer the same person he was before his 30th birthday. Along with turning 30, Nick’s experiences allow him to see past the illusions of the upper class lifestyle. Initially, Nick was intrigued by the glitz and glamour that accompanied the lives of Tom and Daisy. Slowly but surely, he matures out of his infatuation and comes to several realizations about himself and those around him. Fitzgerald initially presents Nick as a trustworthy character who reserves judgment and is unaffected by others. This first impression provides a meaningful contrast for Nick’s final opinions. After an unforgettable summer, Nick matures into a different person and has several judgments to make towards the people of East and West Egg.

Essay about Nick Carraway

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One thing that surprises me about Nick is that he was loyal to Gatsby who seemed likeable enough but empty inside. He seemed like the picture was more important than the real person. Nick was interested in person and would put himself in a bad light to help a friend. “I didn’t want to go to the city. I wasn’t worth a decent stroke

Character Analysis Of Nick Carraway In The Great Gatsby

In chapter 3 of the novel, Nick and Gatsby begin forming their close bond. Through Gatsby, Nick slowly becomes exposed to the world of the wealth. With Nick tagging along on Gatsby’s endeavors, he also becomes more accustomed to the idea of living in the lifestyle of his wealthy peers. At the same time, he also agonizes that the world of the East Coast has mentally changed him to the point where he feels like he needs to somehow flee. Nick’s character also begins to develop further through his

The Great Gatsby Character Analysis Essay

Jay Gatsby is the protagonist of The Great Gatsby. Like many others in the novel Gatsby is a young, very wealthy man. Nick Carraway neighbors Gatsby and his large mysterious mansion famous for his shindigs. Even though many people attend his parties, nobody really knows who he is or his story. Throughout the novel we learn that Gatsby was born in a rural town in North Dakota. He was not rich then, but he gained his fortune throughout the years by committing criminal activities. In the beginning of the novel Nick looks at Gatsby as a faulty man, but he later then sees that he works hard to get to where he wants to be reaching for the green light.

Nick as the Narrator in The Great Gatsby Essay

Introduction.

In the literature, an ‘unreliable narrator’ often symbolizes an individual that the readers cannot fully believe or trust (Murphy 68). The reasons for not believing the narrator may vary. Such narrators could suffer from mental challenges, personal issues, have a personal bias or attachment to another character that is obviously unfair, have an underlying objective, lack intelligence, or be naïve. The audience should not confuse the narrator’s unreliability with satire, sarcasm, or irony. Even though the narrators cannot be taken lightly, it does not imply that their questionable actions are intentional.

As one of the most liked books in the American history, The Great Gatsby continues to ignite controversial thoughts through its many character interpretations and underlying objectives (Lena 16). However, the narrator’s believability stands out as one of the novel’s shortcomings. The novel shows that the only evidence that the reader has on the narrator’s credibility is his word, and this aspect leaves room to question any judgment made about the other characters.

This paper analyzes the unreliable nature of Nick as a narrator in The Great Gatsby. It mostly takes note of the audience’s lack of knowledge about Nick’s ability to keep his promise, his history, the unexplained gaps in time, and his bias support of Gatsby. The readers are left to conclude that Nick is not a reliable narrator. This analysis uses the relationship between Nick (Y element) and Great Gatsby (X text) to bring out the main points in the paper.

Nick as an Unreliable Narrator

The story revolves around a character named Nick Carraway. All the details in the narrative are the collection of Nick’s views on different issues and his perspective, coupled with how he mainly feels as they happen at the time. The story relies on Nick’s presence to show how the events unfolded.

This aspect explains why the story heavily hangs on his perspective of what he believes happened before he ever came to live in the new region. Therefore, his connection with the Gatsby’s story is that he is depended upon to serve as the mouthpiece of the older generation as he metaphorically transcends through time to retell the Great Gatsby tale accurately to the present reader and listeners.

A look at how Nick narrates the story shows that he apparently favors Gatsby. This bias is extreme to the point that he lies in his stories to promote his arguments as opposed to telling the facts as a reliable narrator should do. Reynolds explains that Nick is unreliable as a narrator since he never stays true to his claim of reserving his judgments (7).

In addition, Nick’s unreliability stands out in the way he treats and makes assumptions about other characters. Nick’s unreliability for the great Gatsby story means he can talk from a neutral point of view. For instance, he can openly discuss and correct contemporary events with an underlying Victorian moral sense. The narrator and Gatsby have a unique relationship.

The two individuals seem to care genuinely about each other. However, there are signs that their association is rather complicated. For instance, the narrator overly trusts his friend and prefers him to the other characters. Gatsby likes Nick since, unlike the other characters, he manages to see past the riches and fully supports his friends, romantic dreams, and ideas. On the other hand, Nick likes his friend Gatsby since, unlike the others, he at least seems to have a worthy goal in life.

Nick admirers believe this sole objective makes him stand out from the other characters that he openly terms as materialistic, lazy, and useless.

Nick maintains that he has the right to make personal decisions and judgments, because, as his father allegedly once told him, “not everyone grows up with the privileges he experienced” (Meehan 82). This advice brings out Nick as arrogant and judgmental by believing that he is better than the rest.

He then continues to praise his honesty and his character by claiming that he “is one of the few honest people he knows” (Fitzgerald 1). However, as the novel unfolds all the facts point contrary to this claim. He claims that the other characters are a ‘rotten crowd,’ and even if their value is combined, Gatsby still exceeds them all (Fitzgerald 160).

Such sycophant statements prove that Nick considers Gatsby as a friend, and thus he thinks better of him than the other characters. His description of Daisy and Tom is that they are careless individuals that destroy things and hide back into their carelessness and wealth (Fitzgerald 186). He describes Jordan Baker as a pathological cheat, George Wilson as a spiritless individual, and Mr. McKee as feminine (Lena 36).

One cannot ascertain the truthfulness of Nick’s narration because his past life events are not availed to the audience. Even though his narration gives clues about his past, the details do not add up. At first, he claims that he comes from a prominent family (Fitzgerald 3). However, later he denies the claims and dismisses them as rumors. The fact that Nick manipulates the truth to suit his needs further proves that he is unreliable as a narrator.

The narrator agrees that Gatsby is the only exception to his feelings and reactions and that he symbolizes all that he has unaffected scorn (Fitzgerald 8). He acknowledges that this fact makes it hard even for him to judge Gatsby. Gatsby is excluded from Nick’s judgment because he has an extraordinary gift of hope, and for the narrator, reserving judgment is an issue of indefinite hope (Reynolds 77). In comparison to the other people in the story, the narrator demonstrates acceptance of Gatsby mainly by the way he defines him as an individual and his behaviors.

In the first meeting between Nick and Gatsby, he describes him as a “refined young roughneck whose detailed speech formality slightly borders absurdity” (Fitzgerald 54). Therefore, regardless of whether the narrator’s verdicts are correct or not, one can clearly see that he cannot keep the judgments to himself. The friendship between the two individuals significantly influences Nick’s perception of his friend.

The narrator has always been a good friend of Gatsby. For example, he is aware that his friend is engaged in misconducts, but that does not matter to him, as he goes ahead to pursue Daisy for his friend. He even goes to the extent of concurring with Gatsby’s favor of planning a tea party with the only guests being Daisy and Gatsby (Fitzgerald 88).

As the party planner, Nick excludes Tom from the party without caring how he feels. From the start, his primary objective is to facilitate Gatsby’s happiness. Lena points out that the very view that Nick takes it upon himself to personally arrange his friend’s funeral demonstrates how much he values Gatsby as an ally (17).

The ties that bind Gatsby and Nick are so strong that they make an indomitable alliance. Fitzgerald adds that Gatsby and Nick both share common hate for most of the people they know (172). On the other hand, Reynolds affirms their great friendship by explaining that after Gatsby’s demise, Nick no longer finds any pleasure in where he currently resides, and thus he decides to relocate since there is no point living there without his friend (183).

Throughout the novel, the narrator intentionally ignores Gatsby’s mistakes. He is aware that his friend sells illegal alcohol, even though restrictions are in place. In addition, Gatsby shares a secret business with Mr. Wolfsheim, who is rumored to have some known accomplishments.

By ignoring these overwhelming facts, Nick reserves his judgment against Gatsby because they are friends. In addition, he does not interfere with her cousin’s affair with Gatsby despite knowing that the repercussion of their actions would hurt their families. This aspect further demonstrates the narrator’s willingness to be biased towards Gatsby despite cheating himself that he is a just man.

Apparently, the narrator can overlook Gatsby’s faults and blatantly disapprove of the characters like Jordan Baker cheating during the golf game. During the time that Gatsby and Tom directly disagree, Nick is not angry about Gatsby’s actions, but he is unhappy with the others. The author writes that he plainly told Jordan Baker that he and the other characters bored him (Fitzgerald 149).

If the narrator can downplay the fact that his friend, Gatsby, is a criminal and a murderer and still fully support him, then why could he not do the same for Tom? After all, his friend’s demise is directly not related to Tom’s actions, yet he blames him for everything. He states that he could not bring himself to “like or forgive Tom even though he knew what he did was entirely justified; it was all confused and careless” (Fitzgerald 179). The ability of the narrator to protect his friend extends beyond this mindlessness, and he attempts to cheat the reader to prolong Gatsby’s legacy.

When the two friends meet for the first time, Gatsby tells the narrator that he has the money, after all, his family died (Fitzgerald 65). In the end, the readers discover that Gatsby is involved with bootlegging, but the aspect that Gatsby’s family members died remains defended until his funeral. However, after Gatsby’s death, Nick confesses that his friend never told him that his parents died even though Gatsby explicitly confirmed they were dead (Fitzgerald 165).

In this context, the narrator automatically assumes that since his friend lied about the wealth then he would lie about the death of his family. Therefore, he is making a falsified assumption since Gatsby’s story is partly true; for example, he studied at Oxford. It only leaves the conclusions that point out that Nick is unreliable as a narrator (Wall 20).

One conclusion is that Nick is withholding some information or that he intentionally lies to the reader. However, just like any other human being characterized by weaknesses, Nick is prone to lies, hurt, betrayal, and amnesia, among other human frailties. At one point, when visiting New York for a meeting with Daisy, he imbibes more alcohol than he can handle. In an attempt to save face, he lies that he has only taken alcohol once in his life, and thus this incidence is his second attempt.

Therefore, all that happens at that time is unclear and hard to recall (Egan 16). Nick does not recall much, but what he is sure of is that he wakes up in another man’s bedroom. Now, if his sexual orientation were in question, why would he not tell the reader, Daisy, or Gatsby? Maybe he probably tells his friend, but he is just not telling the reader mainly due to the inconsistency of time in his narrations, such as that night. All he recalls is the ride in the elevator where Mr. McKee invites him to lunch, and he accepts (Kleven 28).

The next detail that Nick provides is that he “stood beside his bed, and he was wearing only his underwear while sitting up between his sheets, holding a great portfolio in his hands…Then he was half asleep in the cold lower level of a train station, looking at the morning newspaper while waiting for the train (Fitzgerald 38). One issue that stems from this description is that Nick could be a homosexual and did not bother to tell the readers.

It only proves that there could be more that he is intentionally excluding. Nick’s sources are another aspect of the narrator that raises questions. The majority of his facts come from interactions with Jordan, Gatsby, or rumors. In addition, his description of Jordan is that of a cheat and a liar, so why should he use or believe anything that she tells him (Egan 8).

On the other hand, Gatsby is a perpetual liar, especially to Nick. From this realization, it suffices to conclude that if Gatsby were alive, he would most likely lie to Nick, because apparently lying is part of his life. In the dinner meeting between Nick and Wolfsheim, Gatsby seems enervated, which implies that perhaps he is trying to conceal something from Nick. The fact that Gatsby can manipulate Nick signifies that he is gullible, and Gatsby is still withholding information from him. Then as a narrator, Nick is unreliable to tell the story.

Nick’s bias support for Gatsby, his lack of certified sources of information, and his overall negative judgment towards others hinder him from being an outstanding narrator. A reliable narrator would never permit emotions to affect how s/he narrates a story. However, Nick is human, everything that he tells is already sieved through his subconscious, and this aspect changes how he and the readers view the narrative (Corrigan 33).

Through the narrator’s many interactions and dealings with Gatsby, their strong relationship shows. Therefore, through this strong bond, the narration of The Great Gatsby becomes substantially biased to favor Gatsby. It mostly portrays events that only exhibit Gatsby’s positive aspects, while ignoring those that show his negative sides (Doe and Epps 19). For the reader to be aware of the narrator’s bias towards Gatsby helps in understanding Gatsby and Nick’s true characters.

In this context, it shows how Nick views and treats those he considers as friends, which in this context is Gatsby. It also demonstrates that once he regards an individual as an ally, Nick remains loyal to a fault despite the person’s many flaws. He can even lie for the sake of benefiting his friends.

Works Cited

Corrigan, Maureen. So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures, New York: Little Brown, 2014. Print.

Doe, Jane, and Harold Epps. “The Evil Within Human Nature in the Heart of Darkness, Lord of the Flies, and The Great Gatsby.” The Journal of Narrative Technique 7.2 (2012): 12-37. Print.

Egan, Kelsey. “Film Production Design: Case Study of The Great Gatsby.” Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications 5.1 (2014): 6-17. Print.

Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby, London: Penguin Books, 1994. Print.

Kleven, Oskar. The Great Gatsby: A comparative study of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and the film adaptations between 1974 and 2013, Sweden: Lund University Press, 2014. Print.

Lena, Alberto. “Deceitful Traces of Power: An Analysis of the Decadence of Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby.” Canadian Review of American Studies 28.1 (1998): 19-42. Print.

Meehan, Adam. “Repetition, Race, and Desire in The Great Gatsby.” Journal of Modern Literature 37.2 (2014): 76-91. Print.

Murphy, Terence. “Defining the reliable narrator: The marked status of first-person fiction.” Journal of Literary Semantics 41.1 (2012): 67-87. Print.

Reynolds, Guy. Introduction to The Great Gatsby, Belmont: Wordsworth, 2001. Print.

Wall, Kathleen. “The Remains of the Day” and Its Challenges to Theories of Unreliable Narration.” The Journal of Narrative Technique 24.1 (1994): 18-42. Print.

• Short Summary
• Summary (Chapter 1)
• Summary (Chapter 2)
• Summary (Chapter 3)
• Summary (Chapter 4)
• Summary (Chapter 5)
• Summary (Chapter 6)
• Summary (Chapter 7)
• Summary (Chapter 8)
• Summary (Chapter 9)
• Symbolism & Style
• Quotes Explained
• Essay Topics
• Essay Samples
• Questions & Answers
• F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Biography
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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The Great Gatsby: Nick Carraway And His Development

Show More Kayla Dohrman Mrs. Zugelter Honors English 11 August 16, 2017 Nick Carraway and his development Nick Carraway, the narrator who is unobtrusive and midwesterner that moved to West Egg, New York for the bond business and lives next to the perplexing Jay Gatsby, alters himself greatly throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby. Nick at first was a very farouche, naive and observant man that is alienated, however when he meets Jay Gatsby his demeanor swiftly changes. Instead of being farouche and alienated Nick instantly becomes more assured and gregarious and develops a strong bond with Gatsby, but his demeanor quickly changes again once he realizes how his carefree lifestyle was having a negative effect on him as a person. Nick’s …show more content… Even though Nicks observant nature is fluent through the novel his introverted, pure and alienated nature swiftly changes upon meeting Jay Gatsby. When Nick first meets Gatsby he is intrigued by Gatsby's mysterious aura and wants to know who he really is which leads to Nick having a strong bond with Gatsby and becoming involved with the lavish lifestyle of the upper class that leads him to losing the pure, introverted part of him most notably when he is at one of Gatsby's parties, “I had taken two finger-bowls of champagne, and the scene had changed before my eyes into something significant, elemental and profound” (Fitzgerald 47). Although Nick becomes involved with the lavish upper class lifestyle his demeanor quickly changes back into his old introverted pure …show more content… At first Nick’s dream was to be wealthy through the bond business as he “supposed it could support one more single man” (Fitzgerald 3). As Nick's dream still existed while involved with Gatsby's upper class lifestyle, his belief of his dream started to change as he saw how illusory Gatsby's dream really was of being with Daisy again by becoming rich, especially after Gatsby's funeral “his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him…” (Fitzgerald 180). Nicks development adds to the work as a whole by showing how illusory the American dream is and how

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His love of Jordan Baker also characterizes his wonderment of the different people that live around him and their untraditional personalities. His fondness of Gatsby near the end also shows that he has a good heart and that even though he wasn’t experiencing it himself, he understood what Gatsby went through and Gatsby’s ambitions. The character of Nick is quite realistic because he has the actions and thoughts of an above average man in the 1920’s influenced by the…

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Differences Between Nick And Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby Character Development Essay

Throughout “The Great Gatsby”, published by award-winning author F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, multiple characters are shown to undergo major changes in their personalities or the way they are portrayed. Be it the concept of Daisy as a pure, angelic being at the beginning quickly morphing into one of her as a superficial person, or the perception of Gatsby as a rich, enigmatic man contorting into one of him as a naïve and blind protagonist, each character’s development affects the book’s plot and works for character development. At the forefront of this development is the narrator himself, Nick Carraway, as he changes radically to understand the world around him. Take, for example, the way that Nick’s naïveté in the introduction is overtaken, resulting in him becoming…

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Nick Carraway in “The Great Gatsby” by Scott Fitzgerald

In contrast to other characters in The Great Gatsby , Nick goes through a number of changes from the beginning to the end of the novel. The entire novel depicts flashbacks made by Nick in revealing a detailed account of the mysteries surrounding Gatsby. Nick is the character who puts together the pieces of the present and future life of Gatsby. Any reader of the book would be initially misdirected in assuming that Gatsby became rich by indulging in illegal alcohol trading and making counterfeit bonds. It is Nick who is able to convince the reader that Gatsby is “worth the whole damn bunch (rich class) put together'(F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1995, p.162). Nick understands that although Gatsby aims at belonging to the upper layer of society he is a class apart.

He analyzed the personality of Gatsby in the novel and concluded about him that ‘he had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him'(F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1995, p.189). Nick’s opinion about Gatsby changes in due course and he recognizes after his death that the man is too great in having an empty funeral. In this context he promises to the deceased Gatsby, ‘Just trust me and I’ll get somebody for you’ (F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1995, p.172).

In a way the title of the novel is quite ironic since there does not appear to be anything great about Gatsby who is actually portrayed as a criminal with the real name of James Gatz. The life that Gatsby creates for himself is quite illusionary and in the same sense, the title signifies the dramatic skills with which he makes the given illusions to appear as real. In essence the name The Great Gatsby is suggestive of a kind of stage entertainment which is entrusted to a skilled magician or escape artist. Nick ultimately is much impressed with Gatsby and looks at him as being a great personality. He sees in him the remarkable qualities of hope and recognizes the optimistic dream that he has in loving Daisy in an ideal and flawless world.

Although Nick does not appreciate Gatsby when he meets him for the first time but gradually begins to admire him for his radiating and smiling face, his passionate admiration for Daisy and his passion for the future. To Nick, the Gatsby who opens out towards the green lights on Daisy’s dock is more appealing than the Gatsby who appears as a vulgar socialite wearing pink suits in his party. Nick is the only character in the novel who is able to realize that Gatsby’s loving passion for Daisy is not because she deserves so but because he truly loves her. Daisy becomes Gatsby’s dream because he craves for passion from her and not because of her inner qualities.

Nick is much impressed with Gatsby’s power to enable his dreams to materialize. Since childhood Gatsby had dreamed of luxuries and riches, which he achieves although through illegal means. In being a man, Gatsby dreams of his love for Daisy and is able to win her for some time. In a world that is without morals the pursuit of one’s dreams is akin to rowing his or her boat against the flow of water. In Nick’s viewpoint the strength in Gatsby’s character lay in his power to dream, which lifted him higher than the empty and immoral pleasure seeking society of New York. In Nick’s view, Gatsby was great because he had the capacity to dream in spite of his blemishes and ultimate downfall.

Works Cited

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1995, Reprint edition, Scribner.

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Writing help, paraphrasing tool, nick carraway: a critical lens into ‘the great gatsby’.

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Nick Carraway is a pivotal character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beloved book “The Great Gatsby,” as well as the story’s narrator. Readers are thrown into the opulent, hedonistic world of 1920s America via Nick’s eyes, a time characterized by moral depravity and post-war affluence. This article examines Nick Carraway’s persona, his function in the book, and the ways in which he offers a distinctive viewpoint on the plot’s developments and main ideas.

The moral compass in “The Great Gatsby” is one of Nick’s most important functions. His Midwesterner upbringing has impacted his ideals and opinions, which contrast sharply with the excesses and moral ambiguities of the elite on the East Coast. The opulent lifestyle that Nick observes—exemplified by his affluent neighbor Gatsby and his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom—both fascinates and repulses him. Fitzgerald is able to explore themes of love, striving, and disappointment while also criticizing the materialism and moral rot of the times because of Nick’s character dualism.

In the book, Nick and Gatsby’s relationship is the main focus. He is captivated by Gatsby’s magnetism and his unwavering quest of his goal, which is exemplified by his love for Daisy. Nick is aware of Gatsby’s dream’s intrinsic corruption and futility, however. His narrative offers a fair-minded interpretation of Gatsby, showing him to be both a tragically misguided romantic figure and a severely broken person.

Fitzgerald also uses Nick as a vehicle for his condemnation of the American Dream. Fitzgerald illustrates the hollowness and unachievability of the ideal that Gatsby, and therefore, the society of the 1920s, is pursuing via Nick’s disappointment and final choice to return to the Midwest. Nick’s transition from excitement to disappointment reflects the disillusionment that many people experienced when the Roaring Twenties gave way to the Great Depression after World War I.

To sum up, Nick Carraway is a key character in “The Great Gatsby,” acting as the perspective that the narrative is seen through. His moral assessments, introspective storytelling, and Midwestern ideals provide a critical viewpoint on the book’s topics and characters. Fitzgerald is able to examine the intricacies of the American Dream, the moral deterioration of the 1920s, and the never-ending quest for happiness and love because to Nick’s character. Nick Carraway plays both a participant and a spectator in the narrative, and his inclusion is crucial to appreciating the complexity and subtleties of Fitzgerald’s masterwork.

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Nick Carraway is the narrator of "The Great Gatsby". He begins the novel by talking about himself: he says that he is very tolerant, and has a tendency to reserve judgment. The opening paragraphs teach us a lot about Nick and his attitude toward Gatsby and others. Nick introduces himself to us as a young man from the Midwest who has come East to learn. He tells us that he's tolerant, inclined to reserve judgment about people, and a good listener. People tell him their secrets because they admire and trust him. If you read closely, you'll see that Nick has an uncertain feeling toward Gatsby, almost as if he himself (who knows the story and its ending) doesnt know what to expect. From the novel's opening paragraph onward, this will continue create tension in Nick's narrative. He both loves Gatsby and is critical of him. He hates Gatsby's crass and vulgar attitude, but he also admires the man for his aspirations. Specifically, Gatsbys "romantic readiness," and his "extraordinary gift for hope."The reader realises that Gatsby presented, and still presents, a challenge or opposition to the way in which Nick is accustomed to thinking about the world. It is clear from the story's opening moments that Gatsby is not quite how he appears on the outside. Despite being vulgar, Nick describes Gatsby's personality as "gorgeous."The novel's characters are obsessed by class and privilege. Its the high-class lives that intrigue the common man, an idea which continues today with the footballers wives culture.…

The consequence of Nick Carraway

The complex relationships between Nick and everyone else makes Nick seems to be the central character that got involved and influence a little bit to everyone’s living. Because Nick is Tom’s old college friend, he couldn’t reject but follow Tom and joined in the crazy party in the apartment. Or because he is Daisy’s cousin and Gatsby’s close neighbor, he feels sympathy about their love story and can’t stand but help them to…

The Truth About Nick Carraway

Thesis: In The Great Gatsby, Nick the confidant to both Daisy and Gatsby, displays certain admirable characteristics like trustworthiness and approachability, is easily confided in by Daisy and Gatsby, and completes the puzzle to the whole novel by being the connection between East and West Egg as well as helping Daisy and Gatsby rekindle what they once had.…

To What Extent Is Nick a Reliable Narrator in the Great Gatsby

Nick is a person with a number of contrasting allegiances within the book. For example he finds connections between himself and Gatsby, both serving in the War and that the both come from the ‘Mid-West’. However, Nick is also connected to the Buchannan’s: he is Daisy’s cousin, he comes from a wealthy background and he went to the same college as Tom Buchannan. Also, Nick says that his father told him to remember that “not everyone has had the advantages you’ve had” which tells us that Nick does not discriminate against people from other backgrounds and classes. All in all, these bits of personal information make the reader think of Nick as a well rounded, non-judgemental character.…

How Does Fitzgerald Present the Character of Nick Caraway as a Narrator and Character

In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald presents a specific portrait of American society during the roaring twenties and tells the story of a man who rises from the gutter to great riches. This man, Jay Gatsby, does not realize that his new wealth cannot give him the privileges of class and status. Nick Carraway who is from a prominent mid-western family tells the story. Nick presents himself as a reliable narrator, when actually several events in the novel prove he is an unreliable narrator. Although Nick Carraway may be an unreliable narrator, he is the best narrator for the novel because he creates the correct effect.…

Nick Carraway

Nick is not always as forgiving and understanding as he claims in the beginning of the novel, however. There are times, although only a few, when Nick is judgemental towards others. One quote stands out as a popular, recognizable line that Nick says on page 160. “‘They're a rotten crowd,’ I shouted across the lawn. ‘You're worth the whole damn bunch put together’” (Fitzgerald 160). This quote is an…

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