Reliable Illusions In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Nicks Reliable Illusions In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” Nick Carraway serves as the narrator, and the eyes through which we see the novel unfold. The insight we have into the intricacies of relationships and overall happenings comes solely from Nick, and from the beginning of the novel, the readers learn that Nick is “inclined to reserve all judgments”(1). However, it is clear that he has certain affinities and relationships with other characters that alter the way the story is told; after all, Nick is not only an observer in this story, he is a participant as well. His relationship with Gatsby, in particular leads to unreliable and biased narration, in which he favors Gatsby over the likes of someone like Tom. Nick’s infatuation

The characters that Nick shows an affinity towards, particularly Jordan and Gatsby, ultimately end up disappointing him. He puts faith into his relationship with Gatsby and Jordan, however by the end of the novel he is left alone, displaying the disillusionment of those particular relationships. Firstly, looking at Nick's relationship with Gatsby, he invests himself greatly into Gatsby's stories and into hopes for his success. His infatuation with Gatsby is displayed multiple times, notably near the end of the novel where he shouts out to Gatsby, “They’re a rotten crowd. . . You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.”(95). No character in this story is particularly good; Tom is a cheating and manipulative husband, and Gatsby is an obsessive materialist who makes his money illegally. However, Nick pours his heart into Gatsby and his story. Further, this quote displays how obsession can lead you places you don’t want to be; both Gatsby and Nick do not like the people they surround themselves with: they are a “rotten crowd.” However, due to Gatsby's obsession with Daisy, and Nick's obsession with Gatsby, they surround themselves with corrupt and immoral people. While it cannot be said that Gatsby did not reciprocate love towards Nick, he ultimately betrays him by allowing his obsession with wealth and Daisy to lead to his death: “Gatsby

While Nick and Jordan maintain a decent relationship throughout the majority of this novel, by the end of it, he realizes that Jordan is a willing accomplice to the destruction that is being caused by these relationships. While Jordan is certainly different from the women in this novel, a self made woman with no need for a man, she still thrives and takes advantage of this materialistic world that Nick doesn’t want to be a part of. Nick is initially drawn to Jordan’s beauty and confidence: “I hate careless people. That’s why I like you.``(39), Nick says to Jordan at one of Gatsby's parties early on in the novel. Due to his love for her, he sees her as separate from the group he despises. He recognizes that she is bad for him, however it is clear that for the majority of this novel, Nick's love for Jordan overrides the flaws she sees in her, very much like the way he sees Gatsby. He describes her as “incurably dishonest,”(35), displaying his knowingness that she is not the best for him. However, he continues to describe their relationship as strong. For instance on the way back from the city, he describes an intimate scene between himself and Jordan: “Tom talked incessantly, exulting and laughing, but his voice was as remote from Jordan and me as the foreign clamour on the sidewalk or the tumult of the elevated overhead.”(84). Fitzgerald uses this simile to illustrate that Nick feels as though himself and Jordan are separate from