Nick Carraway In The Great Gatsby

Sometimes, it takes a magnificent event to illuminate a person’s true character. Nick Carraway, the narrator and major character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, initially appears as a bystander, reporting on what he observes in West Egg, New York. Nick’s character is a young college graduate, who appears somewhat innocent when it comes to the behavior of the ultra wealthy. He observes his surroundings and the characters inhabiting West Egg, with careful and sometimes deliberate judgement. It appears Nick looks down upon the reckless and flashy behavior exhibited by those in West Egg. There is however, a scene that uncovers Nick’s true character and his feelings about the lavish lifestyle surrounding him. While Nick initially appears …show more content…
This invitation delights Nick, because Gatsby is a mysterious, wealthy neighbor who clearly holds some power in the community. The tone in the scene varies from excited to judgmental. Nick mentions that he was “one of the few guests who had actually been invited” (41). Nick clearly feels special for having received an invitation and is excited to be isolated as “one of the few”. There is also a snarky tone inherent in the passage, evidence by judgemental comments, he states about the guests, “the rules of behavior associated with an amusement park” (41). Nick feels that Gatsby’s guests are behaving in a low class manner, often associated with amusement parks. Two character attributes are clear in the tone of this passage: Nick is excited to be associated with Gatsby's kind of wealth, and Nick is extremely judgemental about the people attending the party that are undeserving and poorly …show more content…
On one hand, Nick wants to be part of West Egg’s society, which is defined by wealth. On the other hand, he is disgusted by what he sees in West Egg’s society. The negative reference of an amusement park is proof that Nick sees the wealthy people acting immature, irresponsible, and reckless. And yet, with all of the bad behavior around Gatsby’s party, Nick is fascinated by Jay Gatsby and his lavish lifestyle. This clash of values and behavior creates an identity problem for Nick. He appears to want to be part of the upper class, but on his own terms, which is unlikely. It is not all about class and handwritten notes; it is also about amusement

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