How Does Nick Carraway Mature In The Great Gatsby

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway, the narrator, forges an affectionate, but ambivalent, friendship with Jay Gatsby. Originally, Nick Carraway is from the Middle Western City of Chicago, until he decides to move to New York city, aspiring to live the American dream. Nick rents a small house in the town of West Egg, next to the mansion of Jay Gatsby. After encountering his enigmatic neighbour, Nick learns that Gatsby is deeply in love with Daisy, Nick’s cousin, who is married to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby is so deeply in love with Daisy that she becomes his American dream, characterizing her voice “full of money”. In short, Gatsby commits his life to rekindling his love with Daisy, attempting to fulfil all of his dreams. As

After moving from the Midwest, Nick learns about Gatsby’s enigmatic character through rumors, forging a mysterious initial impression. However, during Nick’s first encounter with Gatsby, Gatsby greets Nick with “one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance”. From the beginning, Nick sees through Gatsby’s enigma, encountering a genuine quality. Moreover, Nick admires Gatsby’s “extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness”(2), seeing Gatsby idealize Daisy, fully committed to rekindle their lost love. As a result, Nick admires Gatsby for his ideals- being hopeful and pursuing his dreams- representing the American ideals of the twentieth century. More importantly, through Gatsby, Nick conveys a romantic aspect to the evolving nature of American

Gatsby believes that he can win Daisy’s love through his wealth and materialistic stability. Therefore, Gatsby buys an opulent home, “so that Daisy would be just across the bay” in the mere hope of rekindling their love (78). Additionally, Gatsby throws extravagant parties, hoping to lure Daisy, attempting to impress her with his wealth. However, Nick is against Gatsby’s means, stating that Gatsby “represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn” (2). Since Gatsby represents the American ideals of the twentieth century, it suggests that wealth and materialism prevails society. However, when the Dutch sailors initially came to America, the original American dream was about the “a fresh, green breast of the new world”, referring to the beauty of the nature. Moreover, the land “compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired”, conveying the sailors’ wonder due to the aesthetic beauty, suggesting their limitless dreams. However, during the twentieth century, the exact land that had awed the sailors, “vanished, the trees had made way for Gatsby’s house”, emphasizing that American idealism had been corrupted by