“Fifth business…is the odd man out, the person who has no opposite of the other sex...he is the one who knows the secret of the hero’s birth, or comes to the assistance of the heroine when she thinks all is lost, or keeps the hermitess in her cell, or may even be the cause of somebody’s death if that is part of the plot. The prima donna and the tenor, the contralto and the basso, get all the best music and do all the spectacular things, but you cannot manage the plot without fifth business! It is not spectacular, but it is a good line of work…and those who play it sometimes have a career that outlasts the golden voices.” In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway plays the role of fifth business. There are numerous examples throughout the book of Nick’s role as neither the hero nor the villain. He knows the secret of the hero’s birth, he comes to the assistance of the heroine when thinks all is lost and he has no opposite of the other sex.
Throughout the novel, Gatsby is portrayed as the hero. Nick Carraway, the narrator, befriends Gatsby and quickly becomes the one to whom Gatsby shares many of his deepest secrets. There are many rumours about the mystery of Gatsby’s past circulating thorough Gatsby’s party.
. . .
Daisy also loves Gatsby but does not know where he is. James left his home at the age of seventeen and one day saw a boat driving dangerously close to the shoals in the bay. This is how he picked up his “singularly appropriate education,” and it was from Cody that Gatsby inherited his money. He invites Daisy over for tea and re-unites her with Gatsby.
Fifth business is the man who as no opposite of the other sex, and Nick is shown throughout the novel to have no prominent woman in his life. On the way into town, Gatsby tells Nick something about his past. He felt he had to “first get [himself] definitely out of that tangle back home. Although Nick does not seem to have a prominent role in the book, he is very important in revealing the secrets of Gatsby’s life to the reader. ” Nick also listens to Daisy when she is feeling upset or confused about Tom and their situation. Also, he says that he “wasn’t actually in love, but [he] felt a sort of tender curiosity. Early in the book, we learn of Gatsby’s love and desire for Daisy. ” Very shortly after Gatsby and Nick meet, they make arrangements to go to lunch together.
Another example of Nick’s role as fifth business, is his assistance to the heroine, Daisy, when she thinks all is lost. At Gatsby’s party when Daisy wants to be alone with Gatsby, Nick agrees to be on the lookout for Tom.
Approximate Word count =
909
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
Simply subscribe to view this paper, and 100,000 others.
| CREDIT CARD |
ONLINE CHECK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOIN BY PHONE
|
|
|
