english

Abiola Bombata Comment by Amanda Bessette: language: proofread and edit to take out unnecessary wordiness especially in your intro and conclusion.  Smooth out any awkward phrasing. MLA: fix title punctuation, citations, spacing, works cited. thesis needs to make a more specific argument in response to the prompt. Primary source - quotes need to be selected more thoughtfully and embedded more smoothly.  When you analyze, you must always answer the question "how do you know?" any time you make a statement about the book. You need to make more consistent use of your secondary source.  This should be propping up your analysis.

Ms. Bassett

English II

Mar 30, 2022

Nick Carraway: Character Portrayal and Progression

The Great Gatsby is narrated from the perspective of one, Nick Carraway, a character who participates and narrates simultaneously. Nick seems to be the only character who actually changes as the narrative progresses. In the beginning, Nick appears to play a rather secondary role, but gradually he comes to light, turning out to be a critical medium for the narrative’s essence. In the great gatsby, Nick is portrayed as a character who seemingly has noble intentions, who is not consumed by material wealth and who earns the trust of everyone around him, including Gatsby’s; who else can we trust to give an honest account of the events that occurred? It considers how he changed from just seeking an escape from home and amassing his own fortune to finding and losing a friend in Gatsby and how his attitude towards wealth changed with his time around the wealthy, perhaps a character whose reliability Fitzgerald believes the audience will have faith in. Fitzgerald uses the portrayal of Nick to express his view on wealth and how it can corrupt, and how we can show restraint, like Nick does.

Nick Carraway partly represents the regular man, while also being immensely complex. He was brought up in the Midwest and seems to come from a well-off background as deduced from his description of how his relative “sent a substitute” in his stead during the civil war and took that opportunity to initiate the family business. The text, “Whenever you feel criticizing anyone …, just remember that all the people in the world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald, p. 3) describes Nick’s father explaining their privileged background.

Nick moves to the East pursuing his aspirations of financial success and breaking free from the monotony he believes pervades the Midwest, “…by extension, America’s main goal, which is to achieve more, rather than be satisfied with what they have,” (F. Scott Fitzgerald, p. 24). Nick is a learned individual whose aspirations seem to surpass what the Midwest could offer. He stands out because he seeks more from life but does not let his indulgences consume him, “… but I felt Tom would drift on forever seeking…” (F. Scott Fitzgerald p. 8). He surrounds himself with the top tier of society Gatsby, Tom, Daisy and so on, but he does not seem to lose himself or turn into those he associates with. Upon coming to the realization of how those he considers his social superiors actually are, seeming not to care, selfish, materialistic etc. He was revolted and instead of continuing to indulge them, he retreated to himself, hoosing a path of social suicide far from the likes of Jordan baker and the Buchanans (F. Scott Fitzgerald).

Nick is an up-standing individual and his moral compass sets him apart from the rest. He seems to be the only one who held disdain for how phony these socialites were, “But it wasn’t any use. Nobody came” (F. Scott Fitzgerald, p. 175) he was the only one moved by Gatsby’s tragic demise. Gatsby died and they all vanished leaving Nick, who couldn’t comprehend how not a single one of Gatsby’s affiliates could attend his funeral, to take matters upon himself and make sure there was at least someone to pay their last respects. Throughout the progression of the story, Nick grows, from just pursuing his fortune, to intimately understanding the misery associated with a fortune (F. Scott Fitzgerald).

Nick’s personality perfectly suits him for the role of narrator. He mentions in Chapter 1, his tolerance, open-mindedness, reservedness, and good listening skills, and, following suit, people tend to confide in him. Gatsby trusted him enough to divulge his secrets and intentions. According to Taylor S. Murtaugh’s paper “Why We Believe Nick Carraway: Narrative Reliability American Identity in The Great Gatsby”, Fitzgerald’s critique of the upswing in materialism surrounding American society, can only be brought to light if Nick remains a shining example of morality, capable of steering away from social pressures associated with material wealth. Taylor maintains that if Nick was an unreliable narrator, he would be as enthralled with superficial fortune as were Tom and daisy. Taylor asserts that Nick’s reliability allows the reader to perceive him as uncorrupted by materialistic tendencies (Murtaugh).

Taylor believes that Nick’s nature is why he is suited for narrating the Great Gatsby. Nick allows the reader to step into Fitzgerald's mind and understand the characters. He seems to be the perfect vehicle to relay the story’s massage and as he changes, so does the reader’s understanding. He does not succumb to the wiles of wealth and he does not abandon his friend when the friendship ceases to be a convenience, unlike the rest who were only there for Gatsby when he was throwing huge parties.

Works Cited

Gatsby, The Great. F. Scott Fitzgerald. n.d.

Murtaugh, Taylor S. “Why we believe Nick Carraway: Narrative Reliability & American Identity in The Great Gatsby.” Trinity College Digital Repository 2013.