Why Is Nick Carraway Important In The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, tells the story of a man by the name Gatsby through the eyes and ears of Nick Carraway. The young man from Minnesota travels to New York to learn the bond business and gets caught in the middle of love affairs and rich socialites. In West Egg, Nick buys a small cottage next-door to the young and wealthy, Jay Gatsby. Nick Carraway brings a charming and personal voice to the people of New York through his honesty and observations of those around him. Nick Carraway is one of the most complex characters in The Great Gatsby along with Jay Gatsby. His story is not as complex as Gatsby’s but his thoughts and role in the novel are. Carraway is also one of only honest characters in the novel. He calls himself “one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” (59 Fitzgerald) Readers can see that Nick has an open mind and is non-partial. He does not judge Gatsby because of his extravagant gift of hope but is more loyal to him than any other character in the novel. Other qualities of Carraway include that he is quiet, a

As Gatsby’s next-door neighbor Nick gets to know him. Nick is the connection between Daisy and Gatsby that begins their love affair. Nick as Daisy’s cousin and Gatsby as Nick’s neighbor the two become reunited again. Nick and Gatsby’s relationship though is more than the affair with Daisy. The two’s friendship is where the real story is and Barbarese writes, “For the real love story lies in the friendship of Nick and Jay Gatsby.” Even after Gatsby dies Nick is still there and is not leaving him until he is in the grave. He was the only one with the heart to stay with Gatsby until the end. Fitzgerald writes, “Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead,” (172 Fitzgerald). Nick Carraway is the only one of Gatsby’s real friend’s that is with him from the beginning all the way to the