Course Of The Novel Nick Befriends Gatsby example essay topic

Nick Carraway In many novels there are controversial characters, or characters that cause controversy or problems. As in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, there are several characters that fit this description. Both Myrtle Wilson and Jay Gatsby cause conflict between Daisy and Tom Buchanan. Because of these two characters, one of the biggest conflicts in the book arises.

However, not all characters fit this description. There are characters that area major part of the storyline, but they are not the cause of all the conflicts. Nick Carraway is one such character. He is a reserved man who is a bystander in all the situations of the novel, and he is a friend in whom Gatsby can confide. Nick is also the most loyal of all the people whom Gatsby surrounds himself. Throughout the novel, Nick is there in every scene and in every situation.

Much like the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, which look upon and see everything, Nick observes all the problems quietly. Nick is the first character introduced in the novel because he is the narrator. He goes to To mand Daisy's house where he meets Jordan Baker, a woman with whom he will hopelessly love throughout the book. When Tom and Nick go to New York with Myrtle Wilson, Tom's mistress, Nick just listens to all the two say and watches everything they do.

Later in the novel when a rendezvous between Gatsby and Daisy is arranged, Nick remains there at all times with them. He remarks that it seems that having him there with them made the couple feel more comfortable then being alone together. Both of these scenes illustrate one of the traits that is most desirable in Nick. He does not go and gossip tothe spouses of each of the adultery or adulteresses; he simply observes the relationships. As a controversial character might cause a problem by telling the spouses, it is shown that Nick is not such a character. Another of Nick's qualities is his being a friend in whom Gatsbycan confide.

Nick first encounters Gatsby as his gaudy neighbor who throw slavish soirees every weekend. One day one of Gatsby's butlers comes to Nick house to invite formally invite him to the party. While Nick is there, meets movie producers and people with new money. When Nick finally does meet Gatsby, he doesn t even realize that he is speaking to Gatsby. Throughout the course of the novel Nick befriends Gatsby and is there for Gatsby when heneeds to talk. Nick arranges the date between Gatsby and Daisy, and he respects the confidentiality of the situation.

When Nick learns some of Gatsby's business affairs, such as his dealings with Wolfsheim, he also keeps this information confidential. Nick is one of the few people whom Gatsbycan call a true friend, a person in whom Gatsby can confide. The best quality of Nick Carraway is his loyalty to Gatsby. Even if Nick doesn t agree with Gatsby's dealing or his lifestyle, Nick is still always there for him. At the end of the novel when Gatsby is killed, Nick is there this mansion making all the arrangements and trying to get all the people who had claimed to be Gatsby's friends to come to the funeral. When Nick calls upon Wolfsheim, Wolfsheim says he wishes he could go, but he doesn t like to involve himself in death.

Klipspringer calls to Gatsby's house the day before the funeral, and Nick thinks that he has called to get the information about the funeral, but Klipspringer just calls about a pair of tennis shoes that heneeds to be sent to him in Greenwich. Nick finds that all the people who took advantage of Gatsby's generosity are not really Gatsby's friends at all. They are all there for the partying and the good times, but when it is time fora solemn moment, Gatsby's death, hardly anyone comes around. On the day that Gatsby is buried, Nick asks the priest to stall for thirty more minutes to see if anyone will show up, but nobody does. Only the owl-eyed man whom Nick had met in Gatsby's library so long before was there to mourn Gatsby death, along with Nick, Mr. Gate, and the servants. The brutal reality is that even though one may think that he has many friends, maybe those friends are only interested in what they can acquire from him.

Nick illustrates his loyalty as Gatsby's best friend well. In conclusion, Nick Carraway is character who is quite the opposite from all the other characters in the novel. He is a good friend to Gatsby and proves this by his being there even when Gatsby is killed. Nick can be defined as a soul mate for Gatsby, a person who challenges him and brings out qualities otherwise left undiscovered..