The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is a difficult book to interpret, particularly because of the style in which it is written. Not only must the reader differentiate between the separate views of Nick as the narrator and Nick as the character, but he or she must also take into consideration at what time period, relative to this story, are these views being expressed. After all, Nick the narrator is presently evaluating the manner in which his character behaved the year before, as well as allowing his character to voice his opinion, as his opinion had been during that time frame. We learn to trust Nick as a narrator, because all the pieces of information he gives to us, received through symbolism, imagery, or personal reflection, lead us to make significant decisions regarding the other characters of the novel. His character, on the other hand, cannot be looked upon in the same manner; it can be seen as dishonest and hypocritical, yet it is these negative characteristics that humanize him, allowing readers to relate to him as a person. What Nick thinks as the narrator is not always the same as what his character portrays. In just the third paragraph of this book, we learn that Nick is "inclined to reserve all jud
Nick's passiveness in dealing with a situation he obviously disapproves of makes him dishonest. Although this is an indirect of way of displaying his disapproval for Gatsby, Nick never confronts his friend about his ethical values. What makes this example so unique is that the narrator and character, both played by Nick, are united. By analyzing the narrator's description of his emotions, we can conclude that Nick did indeed love Jordan. This is not always a bad thing, for there would be many people with hurt feelings if everyone in this world went around pointing out the minor faults of others. This is the one time when both are in accordance. It is this reservation of the truth which leads us to question Nick's honesty. " We can see through these words into the true meaning, thanks to the narration of Nick, but his character offers no help. When offered a job by Gatsby, Nick quickly declines: "I've got my hands full. Various techniques allow us to draw our own conclusions, the most interesting one being symbolism. Thus, without proclaiming his opinion in the form of words, Nick presents it openly through symbolism for us to see. It is this foul dust that represents the lives of Daisy, Tom, and Jordan. Like most people, Nick the character chose to neglect the faults of his good-old friend Tom, his cousin Daisy, and his lover Jordan.
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