Why Is Nick Carraway Successful In The Great Gatsby

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel, The Great Gatsby, the protagonist Jay Gatsby is a very mysterious and overwhelming presence all over New York. Every weekend as night falls, hundreds flock from miles around to his gaudy mansion to enjoy a night of partying, fame, and a few drinks being thrown around here and there. One significant detail however is that not many people have met or even ever seen this mysterious host. As the novel goes on readers begin to piece together just exactly who Jay Gatsby really is as he befriends his neighbor, the narrator, Nick Carraway. Readers get a look into just how great Gatsby really was as he reveals his poor upbringing in the fields of North Dakota, his shot a fame and success, and his pure love for

During the first few chapters of the novel, readers hear Gatsby’s name pop up quite a few times, every time with an air of mystery around it. Nick Carraway is especially curious to find out more about his mysterious neighbor due to all the loud parties being thrown at his mansion every weekend. After being personally invited to one some odd night, Nick realizes that Gatsby is as mysterious and absent to him as he is to all of his other guests. When Gatsby and Nick finally meet, Nick sees how great Gatsby's hospitality really is by finding numerous party guests like Owl Eyes and Klipspringer around the mansion and how Klipspringer actually stays at the mansion. Nick can't wrap his head around the fact that despite all the booze, music, and temptation for fun that comes with these parties, Gatsby is rather cut off and absent from it all. When spotting Gatsby through the crowd of partiers Nick details, “ I could see nothing sinister about him. I wondered if the fact that he was not drinking helped to set him off from his guests, for it seemed to me that he grew more correct as the fraternal hilarity increased” (50). Gatsby’s true greatness shows at these parties because he is giving up his home and spending time and money to throw them for the enjoyment of others. The generosity that goes into having a party of a couple dozen people and over is immense that one can't even imagine hosting hunderends. Instead of hiding behind his wealth, Gatsby shares it with the world and spends a good chunk of it on the infamous parties he throws for others. Another factor that adds to his greatness is that he even houses Klipspringer and allows him to roam around as if it were his own. There is only one key thing that is missing from all these parties however, Gatsby’s love interest, Daisy