How Is Nick Carraway Told In The Great Gatsby

In the book The Great Gatsby the author F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the narrator Nick Carraway to introduce his characters and each of their stories to the reader. As Fitzgerald acquaints his readers with each character he also gives the reader a chance to build his own opinion of Nick himself. The first four chapters of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald represents how money and power alone do not make a person happy but rather sad and miserable.
Fitzgerald first starts by giving the reader a glimpse of the background of Nick Carraway. Based on the words of Fitzgerald, Nick seems to be a man raised with not only money but also with good values. Fitzgerald introduces this aspect when Nick recounts the words of his father "Whenever you feel like criticizing

anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had” (Fitzgerald, Ch. 1). As the story continues Fitzgerald tells how Nick has returned from war affected by his experience there. We know this by when Fitzgerald states“ When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart” (Fitzgerald, Ch. 1). In my opinion, this statement shows the darkness that Nick has experienced with the human heart, therefore, showing the depth of his happiness.
Next Fitzgerald introduces Daisy and Tom Buchanan, an overall wealthy couple but by all means completely unhappy.

This is easy for the reader to comprehend when Fitzgerald tells of not only the open affair Tom is having with his mistress Mrs. Wilson but also the discontent with one another during their visit with Nick. For example, Tom constantly cuts his wife short during the conversation and shows irritation at the mention of them moving. Daisy, however, tries to present herself as the happy wife but a hint of her unhappiness is displayed after Mrs. Wilson call during dinner. When she reenters the room she states "It couldn't be helped! cried Daisy with tense gayety” (Fitzgerald, Ch. 1). Although both Daisy and Tom Buchannon act as though they are the devoted couple the underlying words Fitzgerald portrays speaks

otherwise.
Lastly, there is Gatsby whom Fitzgerald presents to his readers as dark and mysterious.

Obviously, a man of wealth but seems to have met his fortune later in life rather than being born into it. Several times in the texts Fitzgerald speaks of Gatsby standing in the shadows leaving his readers wondering more about this man. Our first glimpse of Gatsby when Nick met him for the first time gives us the illusion that Gatsby is a standard gentleman but in reality, his is a man that will use his money and power to get whatever he wants. This part of Gatsby is revealed during his first luncheon with Nick. The reader can see that Gatsby is a man that is used to getting what he wants when he pulls up in Nick’s yard unannounced and says “You're having lunch with me today and I thought we'd ride up together” (Fitzgerald, Ch. 4). There was no question here but rather a command. Even with all of Gatsby’s wealth and power Fitzgerald shows his unhappiness and his vulnerability when Mrs. Baker reveals to Nick what Gatsby wants him to invite Daisy to his house so that Gatsby can see her again. Fitzgerald reveals this vulnerability when Mrs. Baker says "He's afraid. He's waited so long. He thought you might be offended. You see he's a regular tough underneath it all"(Fitzgerald, Ch. 4). This is the first time Fitzgerald lets the reader see that under all that dark mystery lies a longing and

unhappiness.
With each character, Fitzgerald openly shows their wealth and the power that comes along with it. In the case of Nick and the Buchanan’s wealth was a family heritage while Gatsby’s seemed to come later in life. I feel that the dynamics of how the character’s earned their wealth helps Fitzgerald to deliver his point that it does not matter how much money and power a person has, it does not determine their happiness.