Notes

Nick Carraway the narrator of 'The Great Gatsby' is a young man from Minnesota. He not only narrates the story but casts himself as the book’s author. In the opening chapter he comments on himself, stating that he learned from his father to reserve judgment about other people, because if he holds them up to his own moral standards, he will misunderstand them. He characterizes himself as both highly moral and highly tolerant. He briefly mentions the hero of his story, Gatsby, saying that Gatsby represented everything he scorns, but that he exempts Gatsby completely from his usual judgments. Gatsby’s personality was nothing short of “gorgeous.” He does indeed judge people despite his statement that he is "inclined to reserve judgments" (p.1). Nick is a smug, self-righteous man who says “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known” (p.59). Many of the descriptions he gives of people and events may be based on his prejudices and judgments. His feelings towards Jay Gatsby change throughout the novel. He is first interested in his neighbor because of the mysterious atmosphere he receives. Then, he disapproves of Gatsby as Gatsby’s true character is revealed. By the end of the novel, Nick is fascinated with him. Nick's opinion of Gatsby may colour his narration and therefore disort the reader's view of him. Yet one cannot be sure whether this distorted view leads him or her to view Gatsby as better or as worse than he really is. He cannot give an accurate account of what has happened between Gatsby and Daisy before he met them. To make up for his lack of information, he turns to other sources such as Jordan Baker and even Gatsby himself. At various points in the novel, Nick's conversations with other characters serve to inform the reader about events that took place before Nick's involvement in the story.