The concept of a “Rite of Passage” has taken many forms throughout society, whether that is referring to actions such as moving to college or more traditional ceremonial events. In the story The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator, Nick Carraway, moves east to escape his past, but in turn he experiences new life events, hears alternate human viewpoints, and grows as a character. His relationship with the character Gatsby reveals to him the grand image of a man who had a glimmer of hope in the world, but the events of the story, including Gatsby’s tragic death, reveal that the dreams and wishes of people were less achievable than he has been led to believe. In addition, the lack of integrity of the “old-money” individuals creates …show more content…
He states, “In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice… ‘whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Fitzgerald 1). This quote truly expresses the sense of purity and the lack of judgement that Nick has at the beginning of the story. However, as the story continues, Nick’s character progresses from this innocence and eventually reaches a point in which he is cynical and looks at life in a more dissatisfied manor. At the end of the novel, Nick states, “Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once... Its vanished trees” (Fitzgerald 180). This quote reveals how his world seems to melt away into a lifeless and dark landscape. His world seems to fall apart and everything that he thought would bring him opportunity and growth sinks into sadness and dies away. This change in his character diminishes his purity and reveals a new, drained outlook on