Nick Carraway despite not being the central character to the story, plays an important role nonetheless. He is the author within the book. He observes Gatsby at his peak, his chase for true love and his demise. Nick serves as an outlet for the author’s opinion and at the same time as the insider into the life of Gatsby. He is the closest character to a reader, because he also observes and analyzes at the same time.
Nick is a former soldier, who is willing to start a new life in New York after the war albeit having been born in a small town far to the west of New York. He is in the eye of the storm that would be called later the roaring twenties. He does not find joy in what he sees or experiences. He has a good life, has no need for money whatsoever and is able to allow himself many things of luxury. He is joyless nonetheless. He thinks that his way of life is phony and that there is very little real substance to it. Amongst this boredom with nothing real, he suddenly meets Gatsby. Nick is immediately impressed: “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 understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself.” Nick is enthralled with Gatsby’s powerful seemingly pure personality and determination.
For a time, Nick’s existence is defined by that of Gatsby’s. He assists him in approaching Daisy. He is the mediator of their meeting. He is Gatsby’s confidante. Nick does not mind such devotion, because Gatsby reminds him of an elusive rhythm, a fragment of lost words, meaning heroism. Nick enjoys Gatsby’s company, because he sees a true feeling within the man. He sees Gatsby’s devoted meditations with the green light that symbolizes happy future for him, when he finally manages to win Daisy over.
Nick is a snob. He despises everyone in the East, which is a general epitome of fast pace, decadent partying and decaying values. Nick attempts to stay away from the partying, because he sees no value in it. Such is his attitude before meeting Gatsby. Even though he lives next door, he is not curious to meet the opulent legendary neighbor. He understands that Gatsby is different. He is not from the East. Nick sadly remarks in chapter 9: “That’s my Middle West… I see now that this has been a story of the West.” Indeed, all major characters are from the West including Tom and Jordan. The difference between them is that some still manage to cling on to something pure and uncorrupted while others have no values left at all. Tom and Daisy are gone as far as having values is concerned. Gatsby, while having done lots of criminal acts and dishonest deeds, still had a pure idea that he held in highest esteem and as his primary aim.
Gatsby’s only friend starts believing in the green light too, “the orgastic future” only to be disappointed later. Nick understands that there is no place for purity in the East. With the death of Gatsby, who proved to be his closest friend, nothing holds him within the decadence of Long Island and New York. He is willing to return home where he hopes more reality can be found and the pace of life is slower.
Without Nick, we would have never found out about Gatsby’s true personality. Hence, Nick Carraway is the cornerstone character of the novel. Nick possesses enough skill and patience to observe the subtle things in order to uncover the essence of other personas. He is in the midst of events but is often able to think clearly and make proper conclusions. “The Great Gatsby” de-crowns the corrupted American Dream thanks Nick, who could be considered the embodiment of Fitzgerald himself.
