Nick Carraway
Nick Carraway, the narrator and important character in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is deeply characterized through what he says, thinks, and is seen as by others. Many different perspectives of Nick are evident throughout the novel. He is judged and characterized by himself, his friends, and other strangers that he meets in the novel.
Fitzgerald uses more dialogue to characterize Nick than other mediums. In the beginning of the book, on the first page, Nick himself declares that he is the narrator of the book. He states that he is “inclined to reserve all judgements” (Fitzgerald 1) because he has had many advantages which the average person would not have had. This is the first bit of character that we see developed in Nick’s character. He is not quick to judge people simply because he knows that if he was, he would be trying to understand a life which has not been a part of him. It could also mean that Nick is conscious of what other people tell him, because his father told him “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had” (Fitzgerald 1). Clearly, Nick is an observant person based on the fact that the novel is narrated in such great detail by him. “Every friday five crates of lemons and oranges arrived from a fruiterer in New York---every Monday these same oranges and lemons left his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves” (Fitzgerald 39). Nick is super observant, as observations just as detailed as that are told on most every page in the novel.
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
Fitzgerald uses more dialogue to characterize Nick than other mediums. In the beginning of the book, on the first page, Nick himself declares that he is the narrator of the book. He states that he is “inclined to reserve all judgements” (Fitzgerald 1) because he has had many advantages which the average person would not have had. This is the first bit of character that we see developed in Nick’s character. He is not quick to judge people simply because he knows that if he was, he would be trying to understand a life which has not been a part of him. It could also mean that Nick is conscious of what other people tell him, because his father told him “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had” (Fitzgerald 1). Clearly, Nick is an observant person based on the fact that the novel is narrated in such great detail by him. “Every friday five crates of lemons and oranges arrived from a fruiterer in New York---every Monday these same oranges and lemons left his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves” (Fitzgerald 39). Nick is super observant, as observations just as detailed as that are told on most every page in the novel.
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