cards greeting Cards Greeting Cards
Related Topics:
ecards
cards greeting
greeting cards
cards
greetings
e-cards
free ecards
card
egreetings
birthday
holiday
birthday cards
greeting card
e-card
email
e cards
free
greeting
funny
ecard
animated
electronic
postcards
love
free greeting card
free greeting cards
postcard
online
online greeting cards
free online electronic interactive greet
valentine
life events milestones Christmas musical
at the office stress around the world in
virtual
just because friendship miss you thanks
holidays occasions birthday anniversary
romance
business
free online greeting cards
season
electronic greeting cards
christmas
online greetings
free cards
talking card
american greetings.com
thanksgiving
unicorns
americangreetings
free electronic greeting cards
talking ecard
top
interactive
MSN Greetings
carlton cards
america greeting
Free animated greetings ecards
animated greetings
art
holidays
photo
flash ecard
flowers
e-mail
religious
romantic
flash
xmas
you
friendship
sympathy
thank
printable
email greeting card
Christmas Card
music
American Greetings
free e-card
e-greetings
free e-cards
|
Cards Greeting Cards cards greeting
.
Cards Greeting Cards cards greeting Information
Nick Carraway's Look at Man
Nick Carraway, the first character
introduced in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, is primarily acts as the "guide and
pathfinder"; he relates the story from what others have told him. He strives at
all times to be objective, and his comments are balanced. His amusingly
contemptuous remarks show his sense of humor, and although he is straight-laced,
he does not bore the reader. Nick is introduced directly, but Gatsby remains a
distant character for a good while. The establishment of Nick's reflective,
tolerant personality is essential, as are his limitations, so the reader doesn't
just dismiss him as Fitzgerald's mouthpiece. The fact that he disapproves of
Gatsby so early on helps the reader to go along with his judgments when he tells
of Gatsby and unfolds the story.
The first mysterious glimpse of Gatsby
prepares the reader for much of what is to come. The imagery of "silhouette,"
"moonlight," and "shadow" in this passage prepares the reader for Gatsby's
shadowy, dark character. Many more of his actions appear to the reader, and
Nick, as "curious." The fact he is' trembling' shows he is intense in his
emotions-- and none of this is for show; Gatsby believes he is alone. His
concentration on the "single green light" represents his determination to
succeed, his constant drive; everything is designed so he can be with Daisy. He
then vanishes; echoing the end of the book.
Nick is unlike the other
characters of the book; he is not one of the "careless people." He has a
conscience, he is not selfish-- he has decency, which is well demonstrated in
his efforts for Gatsby's funeral. His down-to-earth character shows how
superficial Daisy and Tom are. They are ruthlessly practical, where as Gatsby is
a hopeless dreamer. Nick guides the reader between these two extremes while
remaining a detached observer whilst being involved in the action-- "I was
within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible
variety of life."
Nick's aim to be truthful and objective makes the reader
trust him. When Nick says Gatsby has a "rare smile with a quality of eternal
reassurance in it," the reader knows his riches or parties, but is telling it to
the reader straight aren't charming Nick. His contempt for much of what Gatsby
says, but also Nick's tolerance, is emphasized when Nick doesn't mock him-- '"I
lived . . . trying to forget something very sad that had happened to me long
ago.' With an effort I managed to restrain my incredulous laughter." The reader
trusts Nick to judge what is genuine about Gatsby and to uncover what is a
facade.
The reader has no choice but to identify with Nick. The other
characters lack the dimension to trust them, which is what Fitzgerald is trying
to demonstrate. Nick feels sympathy for Gatsby and his unattainable dream.
Without Nick, the reader could perceive Gatsby as a corrupt man trying to
disrupt an old girlfriend's life. This would not be the whole truth, and not
what Fitzgerald wants the reader to see.
While clearly Gatsby is the focus
of the book as well as and what he stands for-- hope, romance, the twisted
American Dream-- there is an argument for saying Nick is the main character.
Gatsby does not speak until the third chapter, and he dies after three-quarters
of the book. This of course is the only way Gatsby can go since his whole life
was wrapped in Daisy and his dreams, and as he failed, there is no future for
him. His unbalanced obsession left no room for anything else in his life. Nick
is the more in depth character as practically every part of the story is related
to the reader with his thoughts and his perceptions. He is the character the
reader leaves the story feeling he understands and supports, unlike Gatsby. Nick
acts as narrator, but his involvement in the events, no matter how much he tries
to stay objective, make a difference. The skill of Fitzgerald shows when he
establish Nick as a character in his own right, not just Fitzgerald's
mouthpiece.
|
