...How far do you agree that Fitzgerald has created an affective narrator in Nick Carraway? In my opinion Nick Carraway is the best narrator possible for The Great Gatsby as he is an active participator. His opinions are not biased and I feel that if another character was narrating we would not know all the information there is to know about them e.g. if Gatsby was narrating we would never find out about his criminal record and his mischief, or if Daisy was narrating we would never find out about her affair and drunken secrets. I am not sure that Nick is completely honest about everything that goes on, and it’s clear we can’t trust him on occasions that he is drunk. I am also unsure whether Nick is as honest as he portrays, im not sure that Nick influence the readers thoughts on characters such as Tom and Myrtle; and even making the readers feel sympathy for Gatsby when in reality he’s a crook, who is trying to steal away someone’s wife! I also believe that Nick’s character reflects Fitzgerald, and it allows Fitzgerald to criticise society at the time (1920’s) through Nick Carraway. Chapter one shows how as a reader we feel we can trust Nick straight away; ‘In my younger and more venerable years’ Immediately we feel we can trust the narrator and that what he says is sensible and reliable; This implies that he is now older and wiser, perhaps endured something that has made him this way and, ‘I’m inclined to reserve all judgements’ ‘Reserving judgements is a matter of infinite...
Words: 1579 - Pages: 7
...The Great Gatsby People spend a portion of their lives trying to better themselves. Many people set goals as motivation for something they would like to achieve. Having goals was definitely a factor in the lives of Jay Gatsy, Tom Buchanan, and Nick Carraway. Jay Gatsby has the goal of being a success and getting Daisy for his own and admitting she has never loved Tom. Tom Buchanan has the goal of running down Gatsby and proving his illegal ways. Nick Carraway also has the goal of being a success but his main goal is to keep his morals and honesty. All three men work to achieve their goals. Some succeed fully while some only succeed partially. The goals of these three men play a major role in the novel The Great Gastby. Jay Gatsby had the goal of becoming a success and getting Daisy for himself and having her admit that she has never loved Tom. Jay Gatsby has only partially met his goals. Jay Gatsby met Daisy when he was a poor solider with the name of James Gatz. At first he thought of her as just a woman to use but than he discovered he loved her. She was part of the blue bloods and her social class did not approve of them together, her parents would not even let her say goodbye to him when he left for war. Gatsby knew in order to have Daisy he would have to make himself rich and successful. This motivated him to change his name to Jay Gatsby and make a whole new person out of himself. Gatsby became involved in illegal activities such as bootlegging and became rich. He than...
Words: 1268 - Pages: 6
...The Great Gatsby Oct 26, 2012 “Dishonesty” Dishonesty in a relationship exists when one person withholds or manipulates information about themselves or others and presents the facts as a truth. Being dishonest or bending the truth may seem favorable initially, but when the truth is finally revealed, you will have to spill back on more lies which will eventually push the relationship further apart. The Great Gatsby is a novel that shows the reader slyness and fraud around every corner. All of the main characters are dishonest people who portray their lives as nothing more than living in a self obsessed world while making adolescent decisions about love; all these people care about is living in the now. They lie, cheat, and deceive. This was a time when the economy was booming, spreading prosperous jobs in big town cities. This era saw the large-scale diffusion and use of automobiles, telephones, motion pictures, electricity, and unprecedented industrial growth. People dreamed big, and expected better. Everyone was breaking traditions and experimenting with advanced and diverse goods. Fitzgerald depicts Nick Carraway as a moral guide throughout a novel infused with lies and deception. Fitzgerald utilizes many themes throughout the book; truth versus lies, illusion versus reality, or compassion versus apathy. Within the novel, virtually all of the main characters are dishonest to others or to themselves, which exposes each character’s true self to the reader. Deception...
Words: 1577 - Pages: 7
...In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald captures many divisions in American society by making many references through geographic landscapes and also shows many issues of the "Roaring Twenties." The book is narrated by Nick Carraway, the neighbor of Jay Gatsby who is trying to reunite himself with Nick's cousin Daisy. Nick and Gatsby are from West Egg, while Daisy is from East Egg. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald emphasizes places and settings and also depicts the different aspects of the 1920’s lifestyle. The main landscape he focuses on his what he calls the “East Egg” and the “West Egg,” two totally different places that represent entirely different cultures. The East Egg consists of already established wealthy class that has been apart of aristocracy for generations. However, the West Egg represents the newly rich, and the futuristic, less-sophisticated people of the region. While reading this book, I found many associations with both the East Egg and the West Egg. People in East Egg come from families that always had money. They're more snobby, greedy, and abusive than people from West Egg, which are generally less-sophisticated, and more innocent type of people, as they haven't been around by the material possessions, money, and greed their whole lives. The Buchanans, for example, are a family of East Egg, which Tom Buchanan was born of a wealthy family, and the greedy Daisy, who married into this money. They have a very large mansion for a home, and are...
Words: 620 - Pages: 3
...toxic. The Great Gatsby not only includes all of those kinds of love, but many more. In The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald not only writes those loves, but shows how easily they can crumble down. Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby have one of the most confusing relationships in The Great Gatsby. They meet at one of Jay Gatsby's extravagant parties and Nick seems to admire him. ‘"They're a rotten crowd,’ I shouted across the lawn. ‘You're worth the whole damn bunch put together”(45). Nick held Gatsby on a higher pedestal that all the attendants at Gatsby's rager, which starts a his admiration for Gatsby. When Gatsby realizes that Nick has relations with Daisy, Nick's cousin, he seems to really want a friendship from Nick, yet Nick is still wary of Gatsby, not even friends with him until Gatsby proves that he is the man he says he is. Their friendship was rocky for the most part, Nick didn't actually trust Gatsby the whole book. Even less so when it is revealed that Gatsby was not who he said he was. When Gatsby dies, Nick states that he never really thought of him as a friend in the first place, even though he was one of the few who attended his funeral. Their friendship was tainted by lies and trickery, yet it wasn't all much like Jordan and Daisy’s friendship. Jordan and Daisy were friends when they...
Words: 1195 - Pages: 5
...English 11-1 The Great Gatsby Character Questions It is almost impossible to grasp anything fully from one side. To truly understand a 3-dementional item you need at least two different angles. This is precisely what makes Nick Carraway the perfect narrator for The Great Gatsby. He is a stranger in a strange land, who sees the most eccentric part of the east coast. Therefore, the reader not only gets his own perspective on the situation but sees through Nick’s fresh pair of eyes. Also Nick has two very key personality traits, unique to the mid-west, which make him the ideal narrator for The Great Gatsby. He restrains his judgment and he is a good listener. His listening skills give him a sense of trust and people respond by telling him certain secrets. We definitely see this with his relationship with Gatsby. Nick’s opinion of Gatsby changes drastically, along with the reader’s. Ultimately, Nick believes Gatsby. Gatsby, on their ride together, tells Nick about his life. Our unbiased narrator seems to pass a little judgment on his neighbor’s story. “And with this doubt his whole statement fell to pieces and I wondered if there wasn’t something a little sinister about him after all” (p. 66). This is mentioned after Gatsby talks about his Oxford education. It is clear that Nick, at first, does not believe most of what Gatsby is saying. It is funny how his perception changes as the conversation continues. Once Gatsby mentions his wartime achievements, Nick starts to turn...
Words: 572 - Pages: 3
...Exploration of Marxist Criticism in The Great Gatsby The American dream can be summed up as such: The ability for any individual regardless of their initial socioeconomic status, to achieve great monetary and social wealth. In the capitalist society of America, the belief is to become rich is integral for all its citizens. This is opposed to the Marxist view on equality, since for a person to be wealthy another must inevitably be below him. The society in The Great Gatsby exemplifies the flawed aspiration to accomplish the American dream. Through the experiences of three prominent characters in the novel: Myrtle Wilson, Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby. The errors of the attempt to change ones class in a class-based system are personified. Myrtle...
Words: 1371 - Pages: 6
...Men who set their future goals based off past experiences, will end up destroying those dreams by themselves. “Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald attempts to correct Americans’ misconceptions about the American dream” (Dilworth 119). The Great Gatsby was written during the “Jazz Age” and prohibition era. Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota and died on December 21, 1940 in Hollywood, California. He attended Princeton University in 1913 and in November 1917, with graduation looking unlikely, he decided to accept a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He later went on to marry Zelda Sayre and had a daughter named Frances Scott Fitzgerald (born in 1921). In his novel, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald demonstrates...
Words: 866 - Pages: 4
...The Great Gatsby tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a man who lives his life around the one desire: to be with the love of his life Daisy. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald employs a wide array of different colors to symbolize Gatby's desires, the innocence and moral decay of wealthy people, and the limitations of social class. The color green appears prominent throughout the whole novel and underlines Gatsby's quest for a future with Daisy. Nick Carraway, the protagonist, observes Gatsby standing at his dock and says, “Involuntarily I glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been at the end of a dock.”(16). The reader later finds out this green light belongs to the Buchanan's dock and Gatsby's reaching out for the light indicates his lust to be with Daisy. The green light also represents Daisy and advises him to “go” towards her. Fitzgerald describes the light as “the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us” (171). The light directly connects to the hope Gatsby has. Gatsby finally meets Daisy again and Nick describes the change he sees in Gatsby's mindset, “Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of the light had now vanished forever.” (60) Gatsby and Daisy are having an affair and because of this the light does not have a deep meaning to him anymore. It now symbolizes the end of his desires. The green light had a huge significance in Gatsby's life. Nick wonders how Gatsby...
Words: 359 - Pages: 2
...The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald transports one into the wealth and excitement of the 1920’s, yet reveals the dark pieces of humanity as well. In efforts to comprehend the shallow, reckless characters of this story, three traits appear to be the bases of their flawed morals: prejudice, resentment, and - what proves to often be most genuine and deadly - apathy. The type of people in this period that Fitzgerald tries to personify attain a mindset that lives on its own small, personal island. Meaning, there is only enough room for themselves. Likewise, this mindset is evident in many Americans during the time of change in the 20’s, as the voiceless people called for attention. The Roaring 20’s marked a time of economic prosperity, that...
Words: 1087 - Pages: 5
...The Great Gatsby, which people consider as Fitzgerald’s best literary work, portrays the journey of a man in acquiring success and love throughout the Jazz age. The protagonist is Jay Gatsby who attempts to win Daisy Buchanan’s love a high-class woman by using illegal ways to become wealthy. This paper uses themes as a literary device as it relates to The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald. The most important underlying themes of the novel however are honesty and dishonesty, American dream, class, violence, gender roles, and moral decay. Theme of honesty and dishonesty: As compared to other works, the theme of honesty in Fitzgerald’s novel fails to distinguish compassionate characters from the uncompassionate ones. Honesty and dishonesty is a major...
Words: 2349 - Pages: 10
...Analysis of “Materialistic Perception” in F. Scot Fitzgerald Using Marxist Literary Criticism Chapter I 1.1 Introduction The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Considered to be Fitzgerald's magnum opus, The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, creating a portrait of the Jazz Age that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream. 1.2 State of Problem The Great Gatsby provides a critical social history of America during the Roaring Twenties within its narrative. That era, known for unprecedented economic prosperity, the evolution of jazz music, flapper culture, and bootlegging and other economy struggle that was the result of the materialism and capitalism damaging on social behavior, led to the widespread social distress. 1.3 Theoretical Framework Using literary criticism to interpret what is the ideal life of America in 19th century and what is the dream of American people after World War I. as a Marxist interpretation of the novel makes especially clear, reveals its dark underbelly instead. Through its unflattering characterization of those at the top of the...
Words: 6033 - Pages: 25
...successful. Within the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, characters; Daisy and Myrtle, practice this idea by going after the rich and successful, Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Unsurprisingly, all attempted affairs result in failure, this is because the affairs are built upon the want for money. With regard to money induced relationships, the novel Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald exceedingly demonstrates how, money brings out ones true feelings towards others. In the book the Great Gatsby characters become delusional to true meaning of love. This is because if they force themselves to love someone only...
Words: 898 - Pages: 4
...When we first meet Gatsby he gazing off at the green light on the end of Daisy's doc across the bay reach out as if he he could physically grab it. The meaning behind this light changes as the Gatsby himself evolves. In the beginning the green light symbolizes Gatsby's dreams of being reunited with his love Daisy. Fitzgerald colored the light green as if to associate it with the meaning begin or start. Giving it more of a positive connotation.When Gatsby starts to realize that his perception of Daisy is turning out to be more of an allusion the meaning behind the light seems to change. In Gatsby's mind Daisy was the embodiment of perfection .She was rich, beautiful, elegant and charming. Because of Gatsby’s social status when he first met her, he was unable to marry her. Instead she married Tom Buchanan, a man who was well of in life. Daisy is the symbol of all what Gatsby strives for. Blinded by love Gatsby does not see that all Daisy cares about is money and her social status. Daisy as a character represents the corruption that wealth brings. As Gatsby's dream falls apart the light shifts from being just Gatsby's dream to symbolizing the whole Dream itselfs. The light is fleeting and impossible to obtain...
Words: 610 - Pages: 3
...plays, despite its appalling ending. Authors have made it a point to sell tragedy in order to make money. However, my perspective on that opinion has been changed. I read The Great Gatsby during my sophomore year in high school as a part of an American literature class. By the end of the book, I realized that no matter what happens in life, it will still keep going and I should only have to look at the optimistic part of it. For some reason, I felt sympathy for Gatsby,...
Words: 2292 - Pages: 10
