As the novel is called “The Great Gatsby”, I think the crucial point to the plot in chapter 1 deals with the mysteriousness of Gatsby himself. We are introduced to Nick’s cousin, college acquaintance, and of course the intriguing Ms. Baker. However, the relevance that Jordan Baker mentioned Gatsby over dinner adds to the suspense of revealing who Gatsby is! 2. How does Nick describe himself at the beginning of the novel?
In the exposition he describes that Gatsby had, “...one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across five or four times in life” (48). Nick created Gatsby as someone he can never be, someone who impresses women with just one glimpse. Nick wants to be dreamy and irresistible just like Gatsby seems to be. Other than his appearance and personality, Nick also envies Gatsby's wealth when he describes his parties with great detail, “ On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city…” (39). Nick is fascinated by Gatsby's wealth.
From this quote, the reader can see that Nick finds Gatsby to be a unique and once-in-a-lifetime type of person. This explains Gatsby’s uniqueness and Nick’s immense interest in Gatsby. As Nick continues describing Gatsby, he personifies his smile and mentions that it “understood you”,
The reason F. Scott Fitzgerald chose Nick as the main character is because he is the new guy in town and he is an outsider looking in. As is read on page on page 3, "My family have been prominent, well-to-do people in this middle-western city for three generations". This quote says that Nick's family have little to no connection to New York. This quote also explains that Nick is unbiased and is just observing what is going on in the book, just as the reader is. Nick role in The Great Gatsby is to be an outsider that tries to introduce all the other character with very little opinion.
Nick describes meeting Gatsby for the first time at one of his parties and one thing that strikes him is Gatsby’s smile. The smile is personified in that it is said to concentrate on the one it is directed at and have prejudices. Fitzgerald may be characterizing Nick with this smile. Nick may see what he wants to see in the smile. Having recently moved to West Egg to try his hand in the bond business, Nick may be in search of the understanding, assurance, and support that the smile is providing.
Nick seems to profess love for Gatsby in ways of such admiration, so much of which to make the reader believe that this might not be a simple platonic relationship between the two males. A really intense passage within the novel that shows the utmost admiration for the man in the pink suit is when our narrator is describing Gatsby’s smile: He smiled understandingly—much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced—or seemed to face—the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on YOU with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.
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.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a novel that explores the complex relationships between the wealthy elite of the Jazz Age. The story is set in the wealthy enclave of East Egg, where the excesses and moral decay of the time are on full display. Two of the most important characters in the novel are Gatsby and Nick, who form a bond that is based on mutual respect and a shared understanding of the world around them. In this essay, I will explore the relationship between Gatsby and Nick, and the significance of the East Egg setting in the story. Gatsby and Nick come from very different backgrounds, but they share a sense of disillusionment with the world around them.
Also, in the passage, Nick uses many phrases to describe Gatsby that expresses his emotions. For instance, Nick characterizes his feelings for Gatsby who represents, “an unaffected scorn” which deals with everything Nick dislikes. As seen earlier in the passage, Nick
After the official introduction between the men, Nick noticed “[Gatsby] smiled understandingly... It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” (Fitzgerald 52). Nick then realizes that “some time before [Gatsby] introduced himself [Nick] got a strong sense that he was picking his words with care”(Fitzgerald 53). Nick at first sight did not notice Gatsby as he only saw him and talked to him like he was a guest.
Moreover, Nick Carraway thought of the time meeting Mr.Gatsby, as he was supposedly wholesome. However, there was one thing that caught Nick’s meticulous attention when meeting on a particular occasion with Mr.Gatsby, and it was his genuine smile. As stated, “He smiled understandably—much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” This quote demonstrates that no one can identify the motive of Gatsby presence, as it is beyond comprehension.
It is made clear to the reader that Nick gains quite an interest in Gatsby. He actually begins to become obsessed with him. The book states, “Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him… It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.”
In the book The Greats Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the clock on Nick’s mantle represents Gatsby’s attempt to recreate the past because there relationship is already broken and they won’t ever have the same relationship as they use to. Nick invited Daisy over to his home and told her to have tea with him. Nick and Gatsby planned to reconnect Gatsby with Daisy so he could show her his wealth. There conversation is awkward but broken
While Gatsby is smiling at Nick he realizes for a split second that Gatsby has one of those rare smiles that makes you feel understood and believed in. “He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself” (48). Gatsby’s smile makes one feel that they are believed in and that he has an opinion f
In the third chapter Nick had met Gatsby for the first time at one of the large parties thrown at Gatsby 's mansion. Nick hadn 't realized he had met Gatsby until Nick said something about not meeting the host of the party. Gatsby had then stated whom he was and then said "I thought you knew, old sport. I 'm afraid I 'm not a very good host.". Nick had then stated, "He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly.
