How Does Nick Carraway Present Home In The Great Gatsby

In the novel The Great Gatsby, each character is individually represented by their homes. A common phrase is: “home is where the heart is,” and this book truly proves that, by reflecting on three things: the character’s attitudes, views, and personalities. Nick, Gatsby, Tom, and George are all central figures in the story that fit this standard of being personally depicted by their residencies. In the story Nick Carraway serves as the narrator; his home is depicted quite differently than Gatsby’s. On his way to his estate, Nick says, “...when I reached my estate at West Egg I ran the car under its shed and sat for a while on an abandoned grass roller in the yard” (Fitzgerald 20). On the island of West Egg sits Nick’s small home, which lies

It was Gatsby’s mansion. (5)

Gatsby’s home is the polar opposite of Nick’s; it is quite extravagant and massive in size. Later in the story, the pool and garden at Gatsby’s estate affect Nick and Daisy during private moments with Gatsby. Nick and Gatsby’s homes represent who they are. Nick’s humble home in West Egg is as modest as he is. In a description of the location of his home, Nick says, “My house was at the very tip of the egg, only fifty yards from the Sound, and squeezed between two huge places that rented for twelve or fifteen thousand a season” (20). As someone who already lives between two large mansions, it’s not exactly practical that Nick would also spend time with Gatsby, a man who lives as lavishly as himself. Nick’s humility is depicted here, as he doesn’t mind not having as nice of things as his neighbors and his friends. On the other hand, Gatsby’s extensive property and home are signs of his social class and wealth. In conversation with Nick, Jordan Baker says, “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (85). Gatsby’s home not only symbolizes his affluence, but it also shows his love for Daisy. Gatsby’s goal was to eventually have enough to impress Daisy and through

Tom’s house shows how society affects him deeply; in a first-time description of his home, Nick says, “The lawn started at the beach and ran toward the front door for a quarter of a mile” (6). The extravagant lifestyle of the Buchanans is shown to be such as Tom’s character. The large lawn depicts Tom’s showy attitude in its grand scale. As for George’s home, Nick describes it by saying,

The apartment was on the top floor — a small living-room, a small dining-room, a small bedroom, and a bath. The living-room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it, so that to move about was to stumble continually over scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of Versailles. (29)

Not only does their home reflect on the failures of capitalism and the American dream, but George is also personally represented. In the story, George is a decently moral character who works hard, but never reaches the same level of success as Gatsby. His home is not nearly as large as the more successful characters’ in this novel are even though he strives for excellency. In a description of George’s garage, Nick calls it, “...unprosperous and bare” (25). The scarceness of the room reflects upon George’s meaningless lifestyle and pointless business relationship with