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How Does Nick Drink In The Great Gatsby Essay

1444 Words6 Pages

Everyone loves a good party. There are many factors that draw people to parties: the crazy stories that are bound to follow, the time to spend with friends, but most controllingly, the necessity to prove one's status. Partying is generally associated with the wealthy, who can not only afford alcohol and have time to host parties, they feel a need to showcase how well-off they are. While not every wealthy family is like this, there is always a human desire to compete with those around them and brag about oneself. People feel that once they are wealthy, nothing can hurt them. And hey, if they get arrested, they’ll have money to pay bail. With connections and respect on the name, people feel like their actions from alcohol will not be reprimanded. …show more content…

Nick does not drink because he finds himself to be “one of the few honest people that I have ever known” (59). Gatsby does not drink because of his relationship with Dan Cody, where he saw how alcohol affected people. Yet he still illegally sold alcohol during prohibition, which was how he became rich. Nick is a man of moral standards, while Gatsby does everything with one purpose in his mind, and that is Daisy. He is willing to go against what he believes in in order to gain wealth and status. Gatsby is similar to the “cool parent” who supplies alcohol in order to prove that he too is above the law. After spending time with the wealthy such as Gatsby and the Buchanans, Nick has new experiences. He is pressured into drinking by his friends. Nick states that “I have been drunk just twice in my life, and the second time was that afternoon” (33). As he begins to get more and more drunk, his thoughts become scattered and the book becomes harder to follow. Yet on key thing he states is “but he knew I lied” (36). This moral switch from an honest man to a liar can be seen as the reason why Nick does not switch. This moral is also why, when offered an illegal job by Gatsby, Nick turns it down. Nick feels no need for wealth and no need to party, a great foil character to all the rich beings of both east and west

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