The Great Gatsby: Analysis
The Great Gatsby is a novel about a man named Nick Carraway. Nick is the narrator and is the neighbor of a very wealthy man who goes by the name, Gatsby. Throughout the novel, it is made clear that all of the men are womanizers, including Nick. But it is also inferred that Nick is a homosexual.
Fitzgerald implied in the novel that Nick, the narrator, had a homosexual affair with a photographer. This novel was set in the 1920’s, and at that time, it would have been shameful to be a homosexual. They were often shunned for it when people found out. Nick went to a small get together with a few friends, including a photographer, Mr. McKee, and his wife. Near the end of the evening, Nick and Mr. McKee leave together, and in the next the next scene, Nick wakes up in Mr. McKee’s bed, next to him. There are also subtle, implied innuendos throughout those scenes. “Keep your hands off the lever,” snapped the elevator boy. “I beg your pardon”, said Mr. McKee with dignity, “I didn't know I was touching it.” Later in the book, we read these words, “I was standing beside his bed and he was sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear, with a great portfolio in his hands.”
Nick
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It is made clear to the reader that Nick gains quite an interest in Gatsby. He actually begins to become obsessed with him. The book states, “Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him…It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.” Nick was clearly in love with Gatsby. He had had true feelings for Jordan for a while, but once he met Gatsby, those feelings slowly disappeared. He was secretly holding out hope to be with
Nick is so neutral of everyone he meets that it reflects in his view of people, in fact the only person asides from Gatsby that he had described as being handsome or anything similar is
Nick Carraway is the narrator of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This novel is a story about the love triangle of Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby, told from the perspective of Nick. Nick moves to Long Island, New York, where he encounters the lives of his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom, as well as his wealthy neighbor Jay. Throughout the story, Nick shows that he is judgmental, dishonest, and passive. Nick is an extremely judgmental person throughout his life.
In Chapters 1 and 2 Nick states “Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, … represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn.” 2. In chapters 7 and 8, Tom learns about the affair between Daisy and Gatsby. Nick points out the irony of losing both women in his
Gatsby couldn't even talk to her without Nick’s presence. He needed Nick to be there and when Gatsby wanted to back out he needed the support of Nick to keep him there. For what he worked so hard for I don't understand why he keeps trying to run away like child. Nick had no “idea what “this matter” was, but [Nick] was more annoyed than interested. [Nick] hadn’t asked Jordan to tea in order to discuss [Gatsby]... and for a moment [Nick] was sorry [he’d] ever set foot upon [Gatsby’s] overpopulated lawn.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is the author of the twentieth century American classic, The Great Gatsby. It is a story of the American dream, settled down in the 1920’s, with issues of the time period being, prohibition, women, class structure, crime, and many more, The Great Gatsby has a taste of each. Fitzgerald incorporated subjects of his time and his very own experiences into the story to portray an era of social and moral values. The 1920’s were a time of breaking morals Class structure and wealth were among the highest pleasures achievable. The 20’s were an era of Jazz; with extravagant music playing throughout all hours of the night.
One of the first things we hear from nick in the book is that he will not judge people, that that is how he was taught. On the first page of the book he states “ … I’m inclined to reserve all judgements…” This clearly states that he with holds his judgement for others so he can see people in a different light, but as the story further progresses, it is clearly shown that he does not hold his judgement, he quite clearly lets it show in multiple chapters. It seems to most he does with hold most of his judgement, but is also clearly shown that he does not in most cases.
According to The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway who is a narrator of the Great Gatsby expresses the instability of his attitude toward other characters in the novel. Nick starts to narrate a story with a neutral attitude, almost determined to not be judgment. Nick also seems to estimate himself as a good man with high standards for everyone he meets. However, his attitude is changed from refusing judgment to criticizing others after he removes to the East and makes new friends there.
Near the beginning of The Great Gatsby Nick assumes these ideas that he has heard about Gatsby, he puts his initial trust into the ideas of others. As the novel goes on though and Nick meets Gatsby he learns much about the true character of Gatsby and his trust in Gatsby evolves. This is exemplified in the New Great Gatsby Movie during the scene where Nick is at Gatsby’s funeral and no one shows up except him. Nick was the only one who was brave enough to actually interact with Gatsby even with all of his preconceived notions of the man. This bravery and trust allowed for these notions to be tested and that gave Nick an even more trusting relationship with Gatsby.
He incorporated this ellipse intentionally to depict an event has taken place during the encounter with Mckee. Thereupon, Nick was found to be by Mckee’s bed, who was also was in his undergarments showing Nick his portfolio. If Mckee’s sole intentions were to show Nick his portfolio, the act of him being in his underwear was unnecessary, as two men do not require the need to be in underwear during social encounters. Nick only departs from Mckee’s apartment at four in the morning, this scene intensive suggests Nick and Mckee had some sort of sexual occurrences during their time together. Fitzgerald allows the readers to read between the lines and derive thoughts centred around his sexual preference.
In the story "The Great Gatsby" Nick has a favorable opinion of Jay Gatsby. In the first chapter of the book Nick states "When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart. Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction- Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. " The book gives many examples of Nick thinking of Gatsby as the "Great" such as Gatsby 's smile, what Gatsby was willing to do for Daisy, and what Gatsby did for himself.
Nick had attempted to escape from this lifestyle but because he was unable to make a complete decision in the beginning, he kept living it through the Buchanans; they were Nick’s window to the past. He witnesses Tom’s affair being “insisted upon wherever he was known” (21) without shame, and Daisy “[turn] out the light” (117) in her relationship with Gatsby, as it it never happened. A quiet bystander, never interfering, he experiences their life of ignorance, one with no repercussions, the one he had. Unwilling to remove himself from them, he instead complies to their wants, their decisions that create a sense of accomplishment. Doing nothing to change and move on from his past, Nick makes his choice to move to the east pointless.
I believe NIck Carraway is a very dynamic character in the Great Gatsby because he went from being outside the plot to being right in the middle of it, he also changed his lifestyle throughout the novel, his opinions of the other characters also changed. t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
Throughout the course of the book, Nick starts off open-minded, but gradually becomes disgusted with everyone he meets. Nick saw mostly everyone only thinking of themselves and trying to pursue "The American Dream", a staple of the 1920s. The one person Nick liked was Gatsby, because
Nick is the only one who begins to experience true love towards Gatsby. As their bond grew so did his respect and admiration. He was intrigued by his journey from his poor past to his current extravagant lifestyle. As a whole, the majority of the characters in the book do not know or understand the true meaning of
In The Great Gatsby, we learn more and more about the characters, Gatsby and Nick, as the story unravels deeper. Although these characters seem to have many differences, they have more in common than recognized. Throughout the novel, we see some corresponding traits between Gatsby and Nick. Despite these two having somewhat indistinguishable attitudes towards women and desires, they differ in their class, and their outlook and temperament. Gatsby and Nick in a way have the same desire and approach towards women.