The character of NICK CARRAWAY holds a special role in this book.
By shaping the readers’ opinions of the other characters, Nick’s perspective influences their perception. It is common for people to confuse Nick’s point of view and portrayal of the world with that of F. Scott Fitzgerald, as the fictional world closely reflects the author’s personal experiences. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that not every narrator represents the author’s voice.
Before exploring the “gap” between author and narrator, it is crucial to recognize how we, as readers, respond to the perspective of the narrator, especially when it is a character like Nick who actively engages in the story. When we interact with any piece of fiction, regardless of its realism or fantasy elements, we willingly set aside our disbelief. The fictional world establishes different limits that allow for events and reactions that may not typically occur in reality but are logical or believable within that fictional framework. To create this convincing effect, we rely on the narrator.
We rely heavily on Nick’s perspective in The Great Gatsby to move the story forward. To fully engage with the development of the narrative, we must view Nick as trustworthy. He goes to great lengths to establish his credibility and moral integrity as he tells the story of the remarkable figure known as Gatsby. Nick starts by reflecting on his own upbringing, quoting his father’s remarks about the “advantages” he had. Initially, one might assume these advantages were material, but Nick clarifies that they were actually spiritual or moral advantages.
Nick believes that his morals, developed from his upbringing, allow him to navigate a world lacking moral values, which he experienced during the previous summer. He expresses a sense of superiority, claiming that due to his upbringing, he refrains from making judgments about others. However, he contradicts himself and mentions that this “tolerance . . .
The narrator of the story demonstrates trustworthiness by declaring that “Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope”. However, it becomes evident later on that he is not entirely unbiased and his tolerance does have limitations. Nick, who serves as the narrator, displays bias in how he presents the different characters in the narrative.
Throughout the story, the narrator admits to making an exception in his judgment of Gatsby. He is willing to set aside his moral code and intolerance because he perceives Gatsby as possessing an exceptional ability for hope and readiness for romance. This results in a level of friendship and loyalty that the narrator does not extend to others in the novel. Despite Gatsby’s involvement in bootlegging, speakeasies, and his association with Meyer Wolfsheim, who is rumored to have fixed the World Series in 1919, the narrator ignores the ethical implications. However, he disapproves of Jordan Baker for her dishonesty during a simple golf game.
It appears that the narrator is willing to forgive women for being dishonest because it is something he doesn’t blame deeply. He expresses casual sorrow but quickly forgets. However, he cannot tolerate the fact that the woman in question is inherently deceitful. He contemplates that his only admirable quality is his honesty, considering himself to be one of the few honest individuals he has encountered. When it comes to judging women, especially potential romantic partners, he not only evaluates them but also measures them against his own virtues. After returning from the war, Nick feels restless and at odds with the unchanged traditional and conservative values of the Midwest despite the chaos of war.
The protagonist’s disconnection from a changing world, no longer guided by the principles that had compelled soldiers to fight, leads him to venture to New York City to study bonds. However, despite having an eye-opening summer in the morally superior environment of the East, he ultimately chooses to return home to the comfort of his familiar and traditional surroundings. He yearns for the security of a place where houses are named after families who have resided in them for countless generations. This sense of security, the protagonist believes, renders people from the West unable to adapt easily to Eastern life. By this point in his journey, the East has become a source of grotesque nightmares for him.
What does Nick’s return home reveal about him? It is reasonable to assume that the events of that summer had a negative impact on him. The woman he briefly encountered, who was involved in an affair with his cousin’s husband, passed away, resulting in the death of his neighbor. Nick’s decision to come back to his recently condemned hometown raises questions about his experiences during the war. If witnessing the senseless destruction and loss of life made him feel like he had outgrown the comfort and security of the West, why did the armory he acquired during the war abandon him after just one summer? Are we disappointed that Nick runs away from his time in the East, just as he ran away from troubled relationships back home for which he writes empty letters signed “with love”? Is it unfair to expect personal growth and emotional development from our narrator? Is this return home a retreat from life and a regression in his emotions? The only genuine bond Nick forms in the novel is with Gatsby. He admires Gatsby’s optimism, which contrasts with the pervasive corruption of the era. Fitzgerald showcases this corruption not only in the desolate Valley of Ashes but also beneath Daisy and Tom’s shallow façade of opulence.
Nick admires Gatsby’s ability to dream and live as if his dreams will come true. This admiration clouds Nick’s judgment of Gatsby and makes it difficult for us to fully understand him. During a conversation, Gatsby reveals that he was the son of wealthy parents from the Middle West who are now deceased.
“The truth of his origins is irrelevant to Gatsby. His only concern is being included in Daisy’s world or having Daisy be a part of his. Gatsby’s perception of truth and reality is drastically different from Nick’s. If Gatsby were driven by truth, he would still be the poverty-stricken Jay Gatz with an impractical and unattainable dream. Remember the moment when Nick tells Gatsby that it is impossible to recreate the past, and Gatsby’s disbelief in this notion.”
Nick is astounded as he starts to comprehend Gatsby’s intense yearning for a Daisy who no longer exists. It dawns on Nick for the first time that Gatsby desires to regain something…
From the corner of his eye, Gatsby observed that the blocks of the sidewalks created a ladder that ascended to a concealed location above the trees. This location held all the love he had invested in Daisy.
Despite his excessively sentimental nature, everything he said brought back a familiar sensation. There was a fleeting rhythm and remnants of forgotten words that resonated with me from a distant memory in the past.
These are Nick’s words, but whose “appalling sentimentality” is at play here? Has Nick reported any of Gatsby’s words, which make up so little of the novel, to suggest that he would even express his love for Daisy in such “sentimental” terms? Could it be that this excess of sentiment is actually Nick’s own feelings towards Gatsby, or perhaps his attempt to showcase the “rather literary” days he experienced in college? It is possible that both factors are at play here. We must consider the distance that Fitzgerald has established between himself and Nick in the story, and the implications it brings. Fitzgerald has created a fascinating character in Nick, as he is a fallible storyteller.
When an author challenges traditional storytelling by creating a narrator like Nick, it brings attention to the fact that the story is fiction, a work of art. Interestingly, in doing this, the author has also made Nick’s character more relatable, making the novel feel more realistic. *************************When F. Scott Fitzgerald intensifies the atmosphere in Gatsby, he emphasizes a single detail that transforms ordinary surroundings into oppressive prisms.
The characters in Fitzgerald’s novels are seen through prisms that distort and color their lives. This allows us to understand why humans’ joys are, as Nick Carraway describes, “shortwinded”. For Jay Gatsby, heat represents the opposite of his character. It symbolizes his downfall and his enemy. Despite Gatsby’s composed demeanor, it should have been evident that his carefully planned five-year mission to revive the past would prove futile in the intense heat of a five-hour confrontation, just like the worthless matchheads Daisy casually tosses after lighting a cigarette.
Throughout the text, Fitzgerald highlights the intense heat, which acts as a prominent theme. This theme not only emphasizes the characters’ internal unease but also traps them within a setting that they cannot escape. As the temperature rises, so does the intensity of the plot, creating suspense and pushing untested characters to their limits. The boiling heat becomes a catalyst for explosive outbursts or eventual resignation, revealing their true emotions. The rising temperature fuels their mounting frustration until they can no longer maintain their composure, leading to a cooling down period.
Fitzgerald skillfully uses heat to influence the plot and challenge the characters. He consistently includes detailed descriptions of the heat throughout his writing, showcasing its impact on the conflicts and character development. From the start to finish of these scenes, the reader can vividly feel the oppressive heat, just as they can envision the green leather seats in Gatsby’s yellow car. Fitzgerald’s revisions enhance not only the intensity of the heat, but also its significance within the story.
The temperature intensifies the clash between Gatsby and Tom, highlighting the unavoidable nature of their conflict. Fitzgerald continuously emphasizes how the heat affects his characters, eroding their facade and exposing their struggles in this scorching situation. In the manuscript, Nick travels by train during the hot midday silence, heading towards his lunch appointment.
During the process of writing the final copy, an additional line was included: “The next day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest day of the summer.” In the initial manuscript, the train conductor uses the word “hot” six times. However, in the published version, he repeats it seven times. The continuous mention of the heat generates a sense of tension, causing even small textual alterations to have a cumulative atmospheric impact: the conflict between man and nature and between man and man.
The impact of the weather on the characters’ moods is evident in both the manuscript and the published version. In the manuscript, Daisy requested, “Make us a cool drink,” while in the published version, she cried out, “Make us a cool drink.” Despite being a minor detail, this difference highlights the influence of weather on emotions.
The inclusion of small details like this alters our perception of the scene and characters, emphasizing the anticipation of tension. In the manuscript, Gatsby pleasantly comments, “They certainly look cool” about the drinks, while in the final version, he repeats the line “with visible tension.”
When Gatsby, Tom, and Nick step onto the Buchanan veranda, which Nick describes as “stagnant in the heat,” Fitzgerald sets up the rivalry between Tom and Gatsby that will lead to one prevailing and the other being defeated by the end of the day. In the typescript, Gatsby declares, “I live there,” and Tom responds with, “I see.” In the revised version, Gatsby states, “I’m right across from you,” and Tom acknowledges with, “So you are.” Fitzgerald establishes the confrontation, positioning the competitors opposite each other.
The intensity of the heat will compel the communication of the conflict. It will become exceedingly unbearable, causing everyone to lose their composure and making it impossible to ignore the uncomfortable reality of the situation. Both the original and published versions refer to the “dog days,” and highlight that the Buchanan salon is “darkened against the heat.” The oppressive heat is the reason why Daisy proposes going to town. In the manuscript, we are informed that Daisy’s voice persevered through the heat, battling against it and shaping its nonsensical essence into tangible forms.
In the revised transcript, the word “deadly” is eliminated, making the reference simpler and better integrated into the text. In the manuscript, Daisy asks Gatsby, “How do you look so cool? Tell us your secret, brother Gatsby.” In the published version, she exclaims, “Ah, you look so cool.” She repeatedly emphasizes, “You always look so cool.”
The exclusion of “Brother Gatsby,” which does not accurately reflect their relationship, is a fitting omission that highlights the juxtaposition between Gatsby’s cool demeanor and everyone else who is losing their composure in the hot weather. In both the manuscript and typescript, Tom swiftly interrupts Daisy’s admiration for Gatsby and commands, “Get your fur coats.” However, in the published version, the mention of fur coats is understandably left out due to the intense heat. Once again, the heat becomes a factor before they can depart.
Daisy proposes they smoke a cigarette before departing, but Tom claims they already did so during their lunch. In the revised edition, Fitzgerald includes a addition in Daisy’s words, “Oh, let’s enjoy ourselves. It’s too warm to argue.”
As they get into their cars, Daisy proposes that she and Gatsby trail behind the others in Tom’s car. In the transcript, it is mentioned that she speaks to Tom “coldly.” However, this description of her tone has been removed in the final version. According to the transcript, they departed “toward the city through the oppressive afternoon,” but in the final version it is stated that they “shot off into the oppressive heat.”
Heat serves another vital purpose as well. It is crucial that Myrtle, whose nerves were consistently agitated in a previous chapter, mistakenly confuses Jordan with Daisy and identifies the car while stopping at Wilson’s garage. Tom claims that he likely has sufficient fuel to reach town, but Jordan disagrees. “I do not desire to be stranded in this scorching heat,” she remarks.
Moreover, Fitzgerald has offered a plausible justification for stopping at the garage, one that aligns with his portrayal of the characters. Notably absent from previous versions is Nick’s additional remark as he departs the garage, stating “the unyielding scorching heat was starting to disorient me.” By this point, we have developed such a strong awareness of the suffocating nature of the heat that we are not taken aback by Nick’s exhaustion, nor do we anticipate anyone else to appear refreshed; the weather has frayed everyone’s nerves. The inescapable heat heightens the tension leading to the impending confrontation, but it also prolongs the onset of action enabling the confrontation scene to be more thoroughly explored and convincing.
As Tom drives out of the garage, he becomes conscious of the similarity between his life and George Wilson’s. Initially, he experiences “the cold touch” of panic. However, after revising his thoughts, he now feels “the hot whips of panic.” In the original manuscript, as Tom catches up with Gatsby on the road, Daisy instructs him, “You go first. We’d prefer to follow you.”
“In its ultimate state, she exclaims, ‘It’s extremely hot. You go ahead. We’ll explore the area and join you later.'” Upon reaching the Plaza, Nick informs us about the room being “spacious and suffocating,” lacking sufficient windows, and only permitting a “rush of heated vegetation from the park” through them.
“In the transcript, the same ‘hot shrubbery’ served as the backdrop for a café in Central Park. Heat symbolizes building up emotions and losing control, while cool represents control. Fitzgerald added a line in his final draft where Tom says, ‘The thing to do is to forget about the heat,’ which hints that Tom might be the one who can control himself, despite being portrayed as an intellectual buffoon. Nick vaguely remembers the argument that took place at the Plaza.”
What he vividly remembered is that his underwear constantly moved up and down his legs and droplets of sweat flowed down his back. In an earlier version of his writing, Fitzgerald described the ballpark as being so hot that “my underwear moved around my legs like a damp snake, so hot that when I took off my coat, cold sweat droplets flowed down my back.” It is clear that Fitzgerald intended to preserve the imagery of heat as he shifted his narrative from the ballpark to the Plaza and from the hot cafe to the gardens outside the Plaza windows. Originally, when the topic of marriage was brought up, there was no mention of heat.
Jordon laments, “Marriage in this heat is unimaginable!” (84). Additionally, the added line states, “Muffled and suffocating chords were drifting up on hot waves of air from the ballroom below.” When Tom asserts that Daisy loved him during their marriage, her voice is depicted as “cold” (88), a detail absent in previous versions. She also tosses a lit match onto the carpet.
The reader can perceive that when Daisy is vanquished, loses her bravery, her voice becomes emotionless and the passion within her is discarded. After this moment, there are no further mentions of warmth. The fervor within Daisy has been quenched and Gatsby starts to feel anxious. When Gatsby and Daisy abruptly depart from the Plaza, akin to children being dismissed from a meal, even Tom’s anger has subsided. As the scene comes to a close that evening at 7:00, Nick, Jordan, and Tom embark on a journey through the tranquilizing dusk.
The intensity of the heat is so strong that it changes the way people experience a typical day in the city. It becomes the dominant atmosphere, making it difficult for individuals to navigate their lives. The heat influenced Daisy to reveal her feelings for Gatsby to her husband. It also caused a shift in location for a lunch gathering, transitioning from the Buchanan house to the Plaza where Gatsby could pursue his true love. Additionally, it led Tom Buchanan to George Wilson’s garage, where Myrtle Wilson, feeling trapped in her own marriage, mistakenly accused Jordon of being the reason for her unhappiness on the highway.
The heat causes Daisy to lose her boldness and become as exhausted as she was when she met Tom Buchanan and saw a way to escape from Louisville. Furthermore, Gatsby is defeated in a heated debate. The details of what occurred after Daisy and Gatsby left the Plaza are irrelevant to their rekindled romance. Regardless, for Daisy, their intense passions have become overwhelming.
Their romantic relationship began in early summer, but now the pleasant weather has disappeared.
