Nick's View Of Reality In The Great Gatsby
Q1. Both nick and Gatsby have powerful imaginations that distort their views of reality. Discuss how this trait helps to develop their relationship and characterisation.
Both Nick and Gatsby personify their views of reality throughout the novel, whereas Gatsby is deluding himself into seeing the world he has made up in his head Nick is the one observing this and telling the reader his perspective. An example of this is shown through how know one truly knows who Gatsby is, thinking he ‘killed a man’ and is a ‘spy’. Other characters like Owl eyes also sees Gatsby as a myth when he is surprised that his books are real; suggesting that he is aware that most aspects of Gatsby’s life are a lie. Further examples of this are when Nick writes that ‘Jay Gatsby…sprang from a platonic conception of himself’, highlighting to the reader that Gatsby tried to make himself the ideal man and then attempted to make …show more content…
Leading you to believe that this is why Nick and Gatsby’s relationship develops throughout the book, as he is the only one who can truly live in Gatsby’s fantasy world from a bystanders perspective. Through doing this Fitzgerald is indicating that in life everyone presents of the slightly altered version of themselves, so when does an illusion truly become reality? And that Gatsby is simply an embellished, elaborate version of this. Making Nick this all knowing and almost unbiased character who sees the other characters for who they really are. Gatsby fake personality could also be argued was a negative influence on Nick, who says at the start that he is ‘inclined to reserve all judgement’ however throughout the books he becomes more acceptable to the other characters ways, starting to judge not only Gatsby but Tom, Daisy, Jordan, Myrtle and even the guests at Gatsby’s party. In fact, his character
Both Nick and Gatsby personify their views of reality throughout the novel, whereas Gatsby is deluding himself into seeing the world he has made up in his head Nick is the one observing this and telling the reader his perspective. An example of this is shown through how know one truly knows who Gatsby is, thinking he ‘killed a man’ and is a ‘spy’. Other characters like Owl eyes also sees Gatsby as a myth when he is surprised that his books are real; suggesting that he is aware that most aspects of Gatsby’s life are a lie. Further examples of this are when Nick writes that ‘Jay Gatsby…sprang from a platonic conception of himself’, highlighting to the reader that Gatsby tried to make himself the ideal man and then attempted to make …show more content…
Leading you to believe that this is why Nick and Gatsby’s relationship develops throughout the book, as he is the only one who can truly live in Gatsby’s fantasy world from a bystanders perspective. Through doing this Fitzgerald is indicating that in life everyone presents of the slightly altered version of themselves, so when does an illusion truly become reality? And that Gatsby is simply an embellished, elaborate version of this. Making Nick this all knowing and almost unbiased character who sees the other characters for who they really are. Gatsby fake personality could also be argued was a negative influence on Nick, who says at the start that he is ‘inclined to reserve all judgement’ however throughout the books he becomes more acceptable to the other characters ways, starting to judge not only Gatsby but Tom, Daisy, Jordan, Myrtle and even the guests at Gatsby’s party. In fact, his character