Question 1
Provide a background description of Nick Carraway. Use the ‘w’ questions to help you cover the main points (who, what, where, when) and think about what information someone might need to be able to understand his role in the story.
Nick Carraway is the narrator of the Great Gatsby. He comes from Minnesota and went to Yale. After that, he fought in World War One and then he arrived in New York to be a . We understand that Nick came from a wealthy family and he was a salesman who was soon due to get married but gave that all up and moved to West Egg. The place for the Newly Rich. He came to study business. On his arrival, he often kept the reason he moved quiet. He told people that he was just bored with sales. This is where we first see the dishonest side of his character.
Quotations
I am inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and made me the victim of not a few veteran bores.”- Chapter One
This quote shows us that Nick does not judge other people and they openly tell him secrets because he won’t judge them. From this, we understand he is unbiased meaning he is a good narrator and we should be reading exactly what happened without his opinion changing the story. He claims that because he doesn’t judge people he has been able to talk and meet many people who tell him their secrets. Even though at the start of the book he has said he doesn’t judge people, we have seen throughout the story that in fact he does judge people and adds his own opinion.
“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. “ – Chapter One
The Great Gatsby is written as a recount so when Nick is writing the book he is already back in the midwest. This quote talks about him wanting the world to be back in uniform, this means he wants his life back to normal and it is the opposite of West and East Egg. No more crazy parties or unusual events that happened on the daily that summer. He also mentions he wants no more excursions with the privileged this informs us that he did not enjoy the wild events that he was involved in with the overly rich people he met.
…wedging his tense arm imperatively under mine, Tom Buchanan compelled me from the room as though he were moving a checker to another square.”- Chapter One
In this quote Nick is compared to a chess piece in a way that he is just moved around the bored and the characters in the book use him. He is used to bring Daisy and Gatsby together and many other things.
I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” – Chapter Two
Nick is within because he knows them and he is dragged into their life but really it doesn’t suit him. He is not like them and doesn’t belong. He seems to watch from the outside as their life plays out. When it says enchanted and repelled this means he is interested in their crazy lifestyle but he also thinks it is disgusting and doesn’t approve. This shows us that he is an observer and intensely watches everything.
“Most of the time I worked…I knew the other clerks and young bond salesmen by their first names…I even had a short affair with a girl who lived in Jersey City and worked in the accounting department, but her brother began throwing mean looks in my direction…” – Chapter Three
Nick cares about other peoples opinions and he likes to be on peoples good sides. We know this because he stopped having an affair because her brother shot him a bad look. He cares about his colleagues and his career. He could be a little short of money and works very hard to earn that.
I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.”– Chapter Three
This shows the cocky side of his character. He is basically saying that everyone else around him lies. He really thinks of himself as an amazing person. But we see throughout the book that he doesn’t exactly lie but he keeps vital secrets like Toms affair and Daisy and Gatsby being together.
“They’re a rotten crowd…You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together!’ I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him because I disapproved of him from beginning to end.”- Chapter Eight
This quote goes against Nicks claim about not being a judgmental person. He thinks everyone is bad apart from Gatsby but really he is almost as rotten as the rest. His whole life has been about Daisy and he would break the law for it. So how can he be above them? Nick often says he will do one thing and then he will go ahead and do another.
“I shook hands with him. It seemed silly not to for I felt suddenly as though I was talking to a child.”- Chapter Nine
Nick prefers the easy way out. Instead of shaking his hand Nick doesn’t really like conflict so he chooses to shake Toms hand instead of bringing up the real issue. He also doesn’t think Tom be will be able to deal with the situation because he is compared to a child and may not understand the situation and would over react.
I sat there brooding on the old unknown world…” –Chapter Nine
Nick seems to be a very thoughtful character and takes the time to really think about things.
Discus how Nicks character changes throughout the book
Nick went into the book saying he was not a judgemental person as this quote shows “I am inclined to reserve all judgements, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and made me the victim of not a few veteran bores.” and then the events in the novel change him as a person and he decides he has had enough of the crazy drama that summer. This quote supports that change “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. “