Examples Of Nick's Judgement In The Great Gatsby

“You can’t judge a book by its cover” is something that is taught to us throughout our lives, and this is because it can relate to many different things such as judging a person wrongly just by their first impression. The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald shows that one cannot properly judge a person based on a first impression. Nick makes this evident, when he perceives Gatsby differently throughout the novel, as more of Jay Gatsby’s character is unveiled to Nick.

Firstly, Nick perceives the man living in the mansion beside him, Jay Gatsby, as a man of great wealth. At the beginning of the novel, when Nick has not yet been personally introduced to Gatsby, he is led to perceive the man “Gatsby” solely based on his actions. One

of the things that stood out to nick is the extravagant parties that Gatsby hosts at his house almost every night “There was music from my neighbors house through the night.

In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald chapter 3 pg.41) What nick says about the parties makes evident to the reader that he thinks Gatsby is wealthy because he puts emphasis on describing his gardens in his house, the champagne, and the stars that are attending the party. As well, from this quote it is evident that nick puts an emphasis on the awe of the house and party. He puts emphasis on the size and how beautiful the gardens are, and how grand the party at his house was from the various stars to hard working men and women. From when Nick hasn’t even seen Gatsby, he has the impression that he is a great man. This is shown to us when Nick is describing the party and admiring the house beside him at the

beginning of the novel, because nick is a hard working man who isn’t making a lot of money, and he sees this Gatsby, living beside him, who has the appearance of living the American dream. Nick sees Gatsby at the beginning of the novel, even when he has not met him, as a great man because to Nick he has the illusion of living the American dream. Nick Perceives Gatsby, in the beginning of the novel as a man of great wealth, and because of his great wealth, Nick sees him as a “great” man.

Secondly, Nick perceives Jay Gatsby as an interesting man because of the mystery behind his character.

Gatsby has this mysteriousness about his character and in the novel when Gatsby first introduces himself to Nick; something is drawn to finding out more about the man called “Gatsby”. Gatsby only reveals little about himself throughout his relationship with Nick, and the first time that he reveals his character to Nick, he is very interested “ My incredulity was submerged in fascination now; it was like skimming hastily through a dozen magazines.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald pg.72) Nick’s perception of Gatsby is show through this quote by him showing fascination and interest towards Gatsby’s character. When Gatsby shows him tokens from his past, nick is like a kid in a candy store, looking through all of the tokens, wanting more and more, but Gatsby only tells him a little about himself. Nick thinks that Gatsby is interesting because of what he tells and shows him, but a major part of why he is so interesting to Nick is because he only has revealed little of his character, where Nick wants to see all of it. Gatsby is called a great man in this novel, and what makes him so great is the way that he reveals himself to others. Gatsby does not make interactions with too many people, and that is part of why he is so “great” when you meet him. At his parties there is a mysterious mood that settles once his name is said because of al the contradicting rumors of who he is. When Nick is

properly introduced to him, on the way to lunch, Gatsby shares a little of his past with Nick, and he finds Gatsby great because of the mystery behind him which makes you want to know more about him ad become closer to him.

Finally, throughout the novel, as more and more of Gatsby’s character is unveiled to Nick, he perceives him has a man of respectability. Nick, with the absolute truth of Gatsby’s past and how he got where he was gave made nick see him as a respectable man. The truth was told to nick “The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. “ (F. Scott Fitzgerald pg.105)