Nick Carraway
Character analysis
What is Nick's American Dream?
Nick's American Dream
Nick grows up in the west where his family lives.He decides he wants to make his way in the world apart from his family money by being a bonds man in New York city. Once he arrives here he realizes that this world has totally changed him.As Scott Fitzgerald said "Instead of being the warm center of the world, I decided to go East and learn the bonds business" (Fitzgerald 3) in order to show that he want to something apart from the west. In other the author was saying that Nick wanted a Identity apart from his dad's riches.
Nick grows up in the west where his family lives.He decides he wants to make his way in the world apart from his family money by being a bonds man in New York city. Once he arrives here he realizes that this world has totally changed him.As Scott Fitzgerald said "Instead of being the warm center of the world, I decided to go East and learn the bonds business" (Fitzgerald 3) in order to show that he want to something apart from the west. In other the author was saying that Nick wanted a Identity apart from his dad's riches.
Symbol of Nick
SYMBOL that represents Nick is the Bonsai Tree real trees that are wrapped in copper wire to stunt their growth and are meticulously clipped and sculpted by their owners.Similarly, Nick was groomed to be in the family business but he tries to break away. In the end he goes back to the Midwest and his family because he found the people and life style of New York city distasteful. He was told by his dad not to judge others. As Scott Fitzgerald said through Nick's dad "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had"(3).The author says this in order to show why the Nick does not judge. Another one piece of wire that creates the character of Nick. Other character traits/wires are his schooling at Yale and his Midwestern values of his upbringing. These things keep Nick from becoming jaded like Tom and Daisy or vulgar like Gatsby. Nick both likes and dislikes Gatsby which is like contradicting feelings . Nick secretly wants to be more like Gatsby but Gatsby is everything Nick dislikes about the east and the superficial lifestyle of the rich. Being rich is all for show and status. Bonsai trees are usually evergreen /pine varieties they are perennially green. Upbringing is strong like the strength of the Bonsai branches.
2 Character Traits
The two Character Traits that represent Nick are non-judgmental and trust worthy which made him a perfect narrator. As Scott Fitzgerald said "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.....reserved all judgments"(3) to show Nick is non-judgmental. In other words the author meant to say in a way that he is credible source. As Scott Fitzgerald said"I was a privity to the secrets griefs of wild, unknown men(1)" to show that Nick is trust worthy.In other words the author is telling us we can trust Nick and he is not going to lie. This all sum up and makes Nick a good narrator.
Nick's COLOR
The color that represents Nick is Green. I chose Green symbol of hope and growth and how Nick grows as he watches the society around him.
PRICE CHARACTER PAID FOR HIS DREAM
Nick was disgusted by society in New York City and the east in general because the people are superficial. Nick paid with a summer of his life,the death of a friend,and with the disillusionment of his American dream. As Scott Fitzgerald said through Nick "even the East excited me the most..aware of the bored sprawling swollen towns...interminable inquisitions which spared only the children and the very old always for me a quality of distortion "(176) to show why Nick was disillusionment of his American dream. .
Work Sited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The great Gatsby. Unabridged. ed. New York, NY : Scribner, 1984. Print.