F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Character Analysis of Daisy, Gatsby, and Nick in The Great Gatsby

552 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Concept of friendship

Nick Carraway shows many important values throughout the novel, one of them portraying friendship. Nick is a very loyal and trustworthy friend in this novel. Nick Carraway is Jay Gatsby’s closest and only companion. Nick said, “I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby’s house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited. People were not invited—they went there” (Fitzgerald 45). Gatsby did not have friends that appreciated him enough to comprehend his inner being (Fitzgerald 45). When Gatsby grinned, Nick Carraway could instantly feel comforted and sympathized the way a real friend should feel. According to Gilbey, “But with the sound of Nick's description of that smile: ‘It seemed to understand and believe in you just as you wanted to be understood and believed in’” (Gilbey). Nick Carraway held several unspoken and interesting conversations with Gatsby (Vancheri). Jay Gatsby displayed his feelings and experiences from his past to Nick Carraway. Gatsby can trust Nick with his emotional memories towards Daisy. Jay Gatsby explained his real background to Nick wanting him to overlook all the rumors and lies people have babbled about (“Great”, Scott). According to Schreier, “Nick understands Gatsby's love for Daisy as ‘the following of a grail’” (Schreier). Gatsby tells Nick of the ends and outs of his emotions and passion towards Daisy in hopes that he will apprehend. Nick, from the beginning, pays attention to the difficulties the complicated couple both encounter. Nick Carraway attempts to reassure and relieve Gatsby and Daisy from their distant and long-lost relationship (Schreier). Nick said, “’They’re a rotten crowd. You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together. I’ve always been glad I said that. It ... ... middle of paper ... ... from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Adobe Reader. PDF. Gilbey, Ryan. "Strictly surface." New Statesman [1996] 17 May 2013: 50. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014. "The Great Gatsby." F. Scott Fitzgerald. Kenneth E. Eble. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1977. 86- 107. Twayne's United States Authors Series 36. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. Schreier, Benjamin. "Desire's Second Act: 'Race' and The Great Gatsby's Cynical Americanism." Twentieth Century Literature 53.2 (Summer 2007): 153-181. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Kathy D. Darrow. Vol. 280. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014. Vancheri, Barbara. "Movie review: Baz Luhrmann presents big, bold version of 'Gatsby'." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) 10 May 2013: Newspaper Source. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Summary of The Great Gatsby and The How the Life of F Scott Fitzgerald Influenced the Work

    1286 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nick Carraway, a young man from a comfortable background, moves from Minnesota to New York in order to pursue business. He rents a house in the West Egg district of Long Island, an area filled with the newly rich but considered unfashionable. Upon arriving, Nick visits his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom whom he attended Yale with. The Buchanans live in the East Egg district, just across the harbor from West Egg and inhabited with those who come from wealthy families. While at his cousin’s house, he meets a cynical woman named Jordan Baker and learns about his legendary neighbor, Mr. Gatsby. In addition, Nick learns that Tom is currently engaged in an extramarital affair with a woman named Myrtle Wilson.

    Read More

  • Futility of Temporal Regression

    740 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jay Gatsby is a man of great fortune and power, with only one unobtainable dream. The dream that Gatsby is chasing is Daisy, his love from before the war. Gatsby and Nick are two contrasting characters; this is because while Nick also has one goal his is obtainable in that he wishes to earn his own wealth (albeit on his influential father's dime). Gatsby and Nick contrast in another fashion, and that is that Gatsby believes that if he works hard enough he can relive the past, and erase the past five years of Daisy's life with Tom; Nick on the other hand has, for his infinite amount of hope, the voice of truth that the past is past and only the present and future can be lived in.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nick Carroway was a great narrator for The Great Gatsby because he was so unbiased and open-minded to the world. He was tolerant and an attentive listener to whoever was speaking. He represented a quiet, tolerant, and reflective man from the Midwest during the 1920’s. "I was conscious of wanting to look squarely at every one, and yet to avoid all eyes." (15), this quote expresses Tom’s quiet feature and how he wants to avoid all unnecessary attention. Jordan Baker is a prime example for the changes that women are going through during the 1920’s. She embraces a carefree lifestyle and expresses herself as a young woman that is just trying to have fun. Daisy represented complete perfection in a woman and constant success that she strived for. She was charming, sophisticated, and graceful. “Her face was sad and lovely…bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth” (9). She was completely beautiful and lovely in so many ways. All she ever dreamed of was wealth and that is what Jay Gatsby had. Gatsby even made the comment about her that “her voice was full of money” (120). George represents a hard-working, God fearing man that doesn’t have many flaws. He seems to be very loyal to his wife and undeserving of her actions with Tom. Gatsby represents wealth, success, and the American Dream. He had a huge house, many servants that helped him, and an abundance of money. Nick compared his house to Gatsby’s, “My own house was an eyesore…so I had the view of the water…and the consoling proximity of millionaires” (5). Tom displayed power and had money to back up his opinions and mistakes. He had very much authority in the way he talked to people. Myrtle was a good example for showing the unhappiness in many women during this time. It portrayed u...

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Quotes Analysis

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nick’s naïveté and innocence leads to continual judgement of the deceiving upper class community he surrounds himself with; however, he realises Gatsby is the most genuine and optimistic man he has ever met. Gatsby’s never ending confidence in his dream of a future with Daisy represents blind faith of an unattainable dream, yet Gatsby never ceases to reach for his goals. Gatsby even believes that he can fix every mistake he has made in the past (Fitzgerald 128). His naive and ignorant outlook on his future influences many vindictive decisions he has made in his past. Nick’s admiration of Gatsby’s ambitions compels him to recognize Gatsby’s efforts. Nick exclaims that Gatsby is “worth the whole damn bunch put together” (Fitzgerald 126). Nick idolizes Gatsby because his questionable actions were driven by his immense passion for Daisy. Believing that the elite, upper class society is corrupt, Nick found that Gatsby was the only wealthy individual he had met who is pure of

    Read More

  • The Magnetism of Polar Opposites

    1531 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... in The Great Gatsby so the two characters can emphasize their goals by working together, which in this case was Gatsby's reunion with Daisy. With the Nick's realization of Gatsby being a genuinely good-hearted man who wanted nothing else but love, he forever sides with him against the other shallow, careless characters. Omitting the fact Gatsby died as an effect of dreaming so much, Nick, on his own accord, tries to dream himself simply because Jay Gatsby made a hopeful future seem so ideal and attainable. Once Nick realizes he can't do exactly that, he gives up, throws everything away, and is left only with memories that eventually matured him to tell his story, to tell his reasoning how and why Mr. Gatsby ended up so respectable and great in his eyes: Gatsby had an incorruptible dream of love, and that was what had completely magnetized Nick to his polar opposite.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Foreshadowing In The Great Gatsby

    1363 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the book, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Nick Carraway’s point of view throughout the book. As the reader, you are seeing things through Nick’s eyes, thus, you are seeing other people through his point of view and reading about his opinions about the people he encounters. The person Nick becomes most involved with is Jay Gatsby, who has the most impact on Nick. The author uses foreshadowing in the book to expose that what Gatsby feels for Daisy is not love, but a fascination of the past and actions that are not backed up by his motivations. Although Gatsby’s character is very motivated in the things he does throughout the book, his actions are not entirely believable due to his infatuation with Daisy, as he invests his time spending mass amounts of money in hopes that Daisy will one day, show up to one of these extravagant parties.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Nostalgia In The Great Gatsby

    300 Words  | 1 Pages

    Individuals each have different relationships with their friends. Some grow fond of each other, others tease each other endlessly. In the classic 1920s novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald gives Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby a unique relationship. Nick first sees Gatsby’s mansion as he moves into his new house in the East Egg of New York City, and mysterious Gatsby did not make any appearance until weeks later. When Gatsby dies due to unfortunate events, Fitzgerald utilizes multiple rhetorical devices to display Nick’s attitude of nostalgia towards Gatsby and promotes a feeling of admiration. Throughout the article, Nick appears to appreciate and admire Gatsby, as well as presents Gatsby as influential. Fitzgerald displays, even though

    Read More

  • Character Perspective In The Great Gatsby

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a minor character, Nick has a good relationship with the major characters providing that Nick went to college with Tom, he is cousins with Daisy and he is Gatsby’s neighbour. The fact that Nick is a minor character helps the storyline as well. This point of view allows the focus to be on the more important character’s relationships rather than overwhelming the reader with facts about the narrator, which are unnecessary in The Great Gatsby’s case. Nick does not have a storyline about himself, only his occurrences with Gatsby. Nick is also very bias towards Gatsby for they are good friends. He always thinks Gatsby is a great guy, despite the fact that Gatsby is involved in illegal activities; bootlegging. In Aly Zanne’s essay, Nick Carraway: an Unreliable Narrator, she argues, “As a result of their [Nick and Gatsby’s] strong connection, Nick’s narration of The Great Gatsby becomes heavily biased towards Gatsby’s favor, often highlighting the events that show Gatsby’s good character in a good light, whilst downplaying the unfavorable ones” (Aly Zanne). Nick’s biased opinion about Gatsby stays true throughout the book. Zanne mentions the time that Gatsby and Daisy reunite at Nick’s house for a planned tea party. He helps Gatsby connect with Daisy even though Nick knows it is wrong for her to cheat on her husband, Tom, for Gatsby. Zanne comments on Nick’s feelings during the tea party, “He [Nick] does not care about what Tom will feel, he only cares for Gatsby’s happiness” (Aly Zanne). Nick purposely did not invite Tom to the tea party for the purpose of having Gatsby and Daisy together, making Gatsby one step closer to his goal which is to get Daisy. Nick’s biased opinion about Gatsby allows the reader to assume Gatsby is great as well, which in the end, appears to be a little

    Read More

  • Nick's Portrayal Of Daisy In The Great Gatsby

    271 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout the passage, Nick perpetually urges Gatsby to interact with Daisy, a deed he would only do if availing them pursue an extramarital affair. To commence, Gatsby is plagued with nerves as he contemplates the conception of reuniting with Daisy, “shaking his head from side to side,” he mutters, “This is a terrible mistake.” However, Nick is not gratified with Gatsby’s hesitation, reasoning, “You’re just abashed, that’s all… “Daisy’s disconcerted too.” Conspicuously Nick is intransigent about getting Daisy to reconvene with Gatsby, who Nick surmises is a worthy gentleman fit for his beloved cousin. Supplementally, Nick portrays Daisy’s husband, Tom, as frankly -- a dismal scumbag. Besides Tom’s arrogant, shallow nature, he lacks affection

    Read More

  • Gatsby's Over-zealous Appoach to Life in the Great Gatsby

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nick Carroway is not a very judgmental person, in fact, he himself states that he withholds judgment so that he can get the entire story out of the person to whom he is listening. To say that Nick is both approving and disapproving is not suspiring, for Nick rarely looks at things from only one perspective. Nick finds Gatsby to be ignorantly honest, in that Gatsby could not fathom the idea of saying something without really meaning it. He respects Gatsby for his determination to fit in with the East Egg crowd, though Gatsby does not realize that he does not really fit in with them. On the other hand, Nick sees Gatsby to be excessively flashy and, in the words of Holden Caulfield, 'phony.' Gatsby's whole life is a lie from the moment he left behind the name James Gatz and became Jay Gatsby. Gatsby lies about his past to try to have people perceive him as an 'old money' guy when that really is not necessary. Gatsby's valiant efforts to lure Daisy are respectable, yet they show Gatsby's failure to accept reality and give up on his long lost dream.

    Read More

  • Nick Carraway As The Narrator In The Great Gatsby

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “The Trouble with Nick: Reading Gatsby Closely,” Scott Donaldson uses Nick Carraway’s judgmental qualities, emotional restraints, ambiguous attitudes, and social relations to prove him as a reliable narrator in The Great Gatsby. In his analysis, Donaldson cites Nick’s interactions with different characters in order to emphasize his involvement in the story and his detachment from major conflicts. Nick’s ambiguous attitudes towards other characters, especially Gatsby, render different perspectives for the readers. Also, as a Yale graduate who lives in West Egg, Nick serves as a pivot for all connections in this book and propels the story forward with his narrative. Although Donaldson deems Nick as an effective narrator, he portrays him as a misanthrope who dodges emotional entanglement and constantly belittles others. Providing Nick’s harsh

    Read More

  • F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Nick Carraway's Self-Interest

    1650 Words  | 4 Pages

    In his novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays a world filled with rich societal happenings and love affairs. His main character, Gatsby, is flamboyant, pompous, and only cares about impressing the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. Nick is Fitzgerald's narrator for the story, and is a curious choice as a narrator because he is of a different class and almost a different world than Gatsby and most of the other characters in the book. Nick relates the plot to the reader as a member of Gatsby's circle, yet he expresses repeatedly his dislike for the man. Nick cannot relate to Gatsby because of their fundamental personality differences. Moreover, he disapproves of Gatsby's desire to impress Daisy at all costs. However, Nick continues to follow Gatsby because by doing so he can ensure his relationship with Jordan, a celebrity socialite, and because, in a perverse way, Nick can use Gatsby to bolster his own self-esteem.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Nick In The Great Gatsby

    1898 Words  | 4 Pages

    Although Nick’s morals are “inclined to reserve all judgements”, this displays his neutrality (Page 1). Nick believes in people’s free will, thus not interfering with their choice, leading them to be responsible for their mistakes. An example is when Tom introduces his mistress, Myrtle, to Nick. Nick is just a ride along, Tom feels comfortable confiding in him. Tom has the trust in Nick that he wouldn 't tell Daisy about her. Although he isn’t honest with Daisy about this, he is a loyal friend to Tom. This somewhat shows the Nick’s equality and loyalty between Tom and Daisy. He doesn’t take sides with either of the affairs: Tom with Myrtle and Daisy with Gatsby. Nick is loyal to them because he doesn’t stick his nose in places. He doesn’t judge too quickly because of the advice his father told him in his younger years, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (Page 1), Nick is more of an observant person, who see the connect of the characters and relate it to the American

    Read More

  • Nick Carraway In The Great Gatsby

    563 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby, is a backbone to the story in terms of characterization. Through his storytelling, we are able to understand each character better, by seeing them through the eyes of a relatable-yet-unreliable narrator. Unlike the other characters, Nick’s virtues and flaws are seen through his eyes, meaning that, in order to properly understand him, we must understand that his story is just one interpretation of the tale.

    Read More

  • Nick Carraway's Point Of View

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning of the novel, Nick Carraway finds himself injected into the lives of Jay Gatsby, and Daisy and Tom Buchanan. As Nick becomes familiar with the company of the Buchanans and Gatsby, he goes against his principles. Early on, Nick tells us that he is “one of the few honest people that I have ever known” (Fitzgerald 170). He may be the most ethical character, but by implying that his story is truly objective is incorrect. Nick comes into their lives as a naïve visitor from the West and leaves with contempt for the people he once called his frien...

    Read More

More about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Character Analysis of Daisy, Gatsby, and Nick in The Great Gatsby

Open Document