The Great Gatsby Character Analysis

877 Words4 Pages
The question being asked is if Nick Carraway an honest narrator. This question is being asked due to mixed emotions of this particular narrator. At times it feels like Nick is holding back his honest opinion because he doesn 't want to hurt anyone or just because Nick doesn 't want to say the harsh truth. This affects the story at times such as Nick knowing about Tom 's mistress and never telling Daisy about her. Which in the end resulted in a very unfitting demise for Gatsby and Myrtle. Nick is not an honest storyteller but he is a reliable narrator because throughout the story he has been judgemental towards others and not saying the full truth or truly giving the reader the satisfaction of knowing his feelings. In the beginning, he said this “In consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores.” (Pg.1). Thus from the very beginning of the novel, Nick was stating he had to reserve all judgments but as the reader continues to read on this statement turns out to be false as he in multiple occasions judges a character such as Tom, Gatsby, and Daisy. Nick is a reliable narrator though he tells the full truth all the way to the end well at least to the reader not actually to the characters in the novel.
The first time you realize Nick was not really being an honest narrator is when he finds out that Tom, Daisy’s husband was cheating on her, instead of telling