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How Is Nick Carraway Selfish

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Everyone has reactions to the people or situations around them, however it is important to keep in mind that reactions and actions are two completely different things. One may think of a certain situation as bad but that doesn't mean they'll do something about it. This may be an effect of one's moral compass. In the novel “The Great Gatsby '' by F. Scott Fitzgerald set in the Roaring 20s in New York, the narrator, NIck Carraway is faced with the society around him whilst getting into the bond business. As you can imagine society was far from boring and getting involved with more people meant learning more about their lives. As Nick continues to tell the story we see that he has a set of different thoughts and feelings. Nick is morally ambiguous …show more content…

The other characters in the novel usually confide in Nick and feel comfortable in doing so. One example of this is when Gatsby trusted Nick enough to introduce him to a “friend”, “In a well-fanned Forty-second street cellar I met Gatsby for lunch…Mr.Carraway, this is my friend Mr. Wolfsheim.” (page 69). When Gatsby introduces Nick to Meyer Wolfsheim they're actually in a speakeasy and Wolfsheim is one of Gatsby's Shady business partners. Not only does Gatsby trust Nick enough to take him to an illegal business place but he’s also introducing him to someone who partakes in his illegal business. This is also when Nick realizes that maybe Gatsby's money isn’t obtained through legal means, though he doesn’t think much of it or ask questions. Additionally when Nick is pulled into Joining Tom through the Valley of Ashes “I want you to meet my girl… I had nothing better to do'' (page 24). Here Tom is telling Nick to come and meet his mistress myrtle. Keep in mind that Tom is married to Nick's cousin Daisy. Tom is trusting that Nick will keep quiet and he doesn't say anything to his cousin about this encounter with Myrtle and he doesn't say anything to Myrtle's husband Mr. Wilson. This shows that Nick is trustworthy and superficially loyal because he doesn’t say anything about other characters' personal affairs and keeps them in between himself and them. Does this necessarily make Nick an Amazing

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685 Words | 3 Pages

He is always thinking of how he can help those closest to him, and of how he can stay true to himself. At one point Gatsby offered Nick a position on a lucrative side job that Gatsby was working on. Gatsby was trying to help Nick earn some extra money. Nick was highly offended that Gatsby wanted him to join in his illegal business and declined his offer ‘”I’ve got my hands full,” I said, “I’m much obliged but I couldn’t take on any more work”’ ( Fitzgerald 88). In this example Nick is showing how loyal he is to his own personal beliefs which are that one should be honest, and a lucrative and illegal side business is no way to hold up that belief.

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510 Words | 3 Pages

Nick is not going to be a good person for helping Gatsby have an affair with Tom’s wife Daisy. Tom doesn’t know that Nick is helping Gatsby so what he is doing is going unnoticed, but in general, the kind of favors Nick is doing for Gatsby does not make him a good person. Nick might think as a person he is just an innocent bystander but he is the whole reason everything happened the way it did, like the reunion of Gatsby and Daisy, the death of Gatsby, etc. Tom might not know Nick is all behind this meeting but to Tom, Nick is a reliable person an example of this is when Tom is having an affair with Myrtle, Nick is tagging along because Tom just assumes Nick is reliable proven in the quote on page 28, “There is always a halt there of at least a minute, and it was because of this that I first met Tom Buchanan’s mistress.” At this point Tom knows Nick won’t tell otherwise this wouldn’t have

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1313 Words | 6 Pages

He knows that Daisy is married and is aware that Gatsby does not have a chance with her. Yes, he is trying to help him out in the spur of the moment, but his decisions are hurting Gatsby long term. Even after Gatsby's death Nick finds a way to make him look innocent and like a good friend. Nick says, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy” (Fitzgerald 137). Although Tom and Daisy are partially responsible as well, Nick points the blame right to them.

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456 Words | 2 Pages

Although he might not feel he is doing anything wrong, he is helping them cheat. He helps Daisy and Gatsby unite at his house, overlooking the immorality of it all. He does not even care that Gatsby is trying to take Daisy away for Tom. Nick is very disloyal because he has known Tom longer; he should be more loyal to him than to Gatsby, the guy he just met. Nick is willing to jeopardize Tom’s and Daisy’s marriage to please Gatsby.

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917 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout the entire novel Nick remains loyal to Gatsby, and that is very obvious. At the very beginning of chapter one it says, “ ‘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.” Nick’s dad had taught him the valuable life skill of ensuring the fact that he would not judge people. Seeing that there is lots of drama going on in this novel and in Gatsby’s life, Nick still remains loyal and is always there for him.

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687 Words | 3 Pages

Near the beginning of The Great Gatsby Nick assumes these ideas that he has heard about Gatsby, he puts his initial trust into the ideas of others. As the novel goes on though and Nick meets Gatsby he learns much about the true character of Gatsby and his trust in Gatsby evolves. This is exemplified in the New Great Gatsby Movie during the scene where Nick is at Gatsby’s funeral and no one shows up except him. Nick was the only one who was brave enough to actually interact with Gatsby even with all of his preconceived notions of the man. This bravery and trust allowed for these notions to be tested and that gave Nick an even more trusting relationship with Gatsby.

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699 Words | 3 Pages

He naively assumed no one would be bothered by his adultery, but it leaves Nick disgusted and hurts his wife. In the beginning of the book it is clear that everyone including his wife knows he is being unfaithful. Yet he carries on shamelessly, going as far as referring to her as “my girl” and introducing her to nick. His arrogance led to his wife being totally ok with beginning to see Gatsby.

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531 Words | 3 Pages

Nick always saw the good in everyone, and thought everyone was good. As the story went on he figured out he was about the only honest person he knows. As he states here “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” He became very close to Gatsby, and truthfully was Gatsby's only real friend. When Gatsby’s dad started talking to NIck they started talking about him and Gatsby’s father asked if they were friends and nick said “We were close friends.”

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1326 Words | 6 Pages

Throughout the novel, Gatsby’s treatment of Nick can be seen as both very kind as well as very selfish and sneaky. When Jay first invited and met Nick at his party, he was very cordial and courteous. He invited Nick to

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874 Words | 4 Pages

This instance makes him a very trustworthy character for everyone to be able to entrust their secrets with. Nick proceeds to describe himself as an honest person but saying how, “Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” (Fitzgerald 170) . Nick knows that he is an honest person and that goes into him being trustworthy. Throughout the book he kept Gatsby and Daisy's secrets and he never said anything about what was going on, even when Tom wanted to know.

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507 Words | 3 Pages

At the beginning of the book we find out that Gatsby is Nick's next door neighbor and Nick wants to learn more about the mysteries of Gatsby. Gatsby lied about his past by saying it was great while he had to bring himself up. Gatsby left for the war and while he was enlisted he and Daisy sent letters of communication. Daisy made it a point to explain “I wish we could just run away. ”even

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703 Words | 3 Pages

At one point in the book he lets Nick in and tells him a great deal of his past, but he never reveals to Nick how he acquired his great wealth and status. However in a later chapter when Nick, Daisy, Tom, Gatsby, and Jordan go to lunch. While at this lunch Tom reveals he has done some research on Gatsby and says “I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong.” (Gatsby 7,133) this shows us that where Gatsby money came from isn’t legit and he’s a gangster of sorts.

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822 Words | 4 Pages

However, Nick doesn’t question the situation and even goes on to get as debauched as everyone else at the party. Nick’s “bystander complex” is further cemented when he sneaks out of the party amongst the chaos and spends the rest of it with McKee. Socially, Nick wasn’t in any position that would hinder him from offering to help Myrtle or even to stop Tom from abusing her. He was after all closest to Tom in

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1042 Words | 5 Pages

As the story begins, Nick says, “...I’m inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me…” (Fitzgerald 1). Although Nick claims he has been taught to not judge others, he does quite frequently. Nick insults Daisy and Tom,

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1142 Words | 5 Pages

Unfortunately, his relationship with Jordan was not long lasting because of her behavior and dishonesty, so who did Nick truly love? In terms of “romantic” pairs, Daisy had Tom, Tom had Myrtle but whom did Nick truly have? Gatsby. In a novel filled with lies and deceit, their relationship was the only “honest one” in terms of love.

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