Nick Carraway as Narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby Ess

The Role of Nick Carraway as Narrator of The Great Gatsby      Ã‚  In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald presents a specific portrait of American society during the roaring twenties and tells the story of a man who rises from the gutter to great riches. This man, Jay Gatsby, does not realize that his new wealth cannot give him the privileges of class and status. Nick Carraway who is from a prominent mid-western family tells the story. Nick presents himself as a reliable narrator, when actually several events in the novel prove he is an unreliable narrator. Although Nick Carraway may be an unreliable narrator, he is the best narrator for the novel because he creates the correct effect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nick Carraway wants the reader to think his upbringing gave him the moral character to observe others and not pass judgment on them. If this were true he would be a reliable narrator. A hint to Nick's true moral character is given on the first page of the novel when he misunderstands his father's advice. His father said, "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages you've had." Clearly his father was telling him of the importance of not criticizing others, but Nick interprets this as a judgment on others (Donaldson 131). This shows how Nick's upbringing has actually made him a judgmental snob toward others. He is not partial; he judges and condemns nearly every character in the novel. He says Tom Buchanan has "Straw hair, a hard mouth, a supercilious manner, and a cruel body with which he pushes people around." Daisy Buchanan is described as insincere and snobbishly t hinks she "has been everywhere, and seen everything and done everything." Myrtle Wilson is sai... ...ich distorts everything. Nick is partial to Jay Gatsby because Gatsby has the guts to chase after his dreams. Gatsby represents the American dream; he rose up from the gutter to fabulous wealth and gets the chance to pursue the girl he loves.   He will never be able to have her though because he does not have the same class or status as Daisy.    Works Cited Daley, Linda. The Great Gatsby Website. 16 July 2000.  Ã‚   <http://www.geocities.com/andrew_dilling/ Donaldson, Scott. "Fresh Approaches." Critical Essays on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.   New York: G.K. Hall and Co. 1984. 131-32. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby.  Ã‚   New York: Simon and Schuster, 1992. 34. Taylor, Douglas. " Using a Dramatic Narrator to Present a Bifocal View." Readings on The Great Gatsby. Ed. Katie de Koster. San Diego: The Greenhaven Press, 1998. 147 - 51.