Why Is Nick Carraway Important In The Great Gatsby

What constitutes love? Is it an everlasting bond between two people, or a disguised enchantment that blinds a summer romance and the true character of the people involved? In the American masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author puts into question the culture, lifestyle, and moral being of the 1920’s. The novel is centered around the high society of Long Island, New York, where Nick Carraway narrates his experiences encountering a quiet millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and the wealthy Buchanan family. Intertwined into the story of how each character interacts, there are lies, deceit, and disloyalty. Furthermore, Fitzgerald gifted certain weaknesses to each of his characters such as having no structure, set of beliefs, or guidelines.

Life in the roaring 20’s was full of excitement, adventure, and breaking from traditional beliefs, morals, and values. Thus, there is a war generated between what love is, versus what a summer romance is. In the novel, each character’s love is tested in that they have the fatal opportunity to break their commitment to each other, have a secret romance, and/or to decipher for themselves, what love truly is. Through this process, the true nature of each person is revealed.
The narrator of this wonderful novel is Nick Carraway.

Born from a wealthy family, educated, and having established a long distance relationship with a women, Nick goes to West Egg, New York to learn the trade of finance and live on his own. An important part of his character is that he withholds judgement from those he meets, until he has a greater understanding of who they are, and why they do the actions they do. He is the intermediary bond that allows Gatsby, his mysterious neighbor, and Daisy, Tom’s beautiful wife and cousin of Nick. The author develops a sense of responsibility that is placed on Nick’s shoulders, which the reader uses to monitor his every action. However, while in New York he begins to develop feelings for Jordan Baker, a famed golf athlete. In the novel it states, “...she had deliberately shifted our relations, and for a moment I thought I loved her. But...I knew first I had to get myself definitely out of that tangle back home”. In this segment, Nick is halting the developing chemistry between Jordan and him, because of his relationship with a long distance girl. This aspect of Nick suggests that he is careful in his actions and feelings. Although his affections are growing for Jordan, he has the respect and honesty to first end a relationship before professing his love. Furthermore, as time advances, Nick reaches the conclusion that he never fully loved Jordan, and thus decides to part ways. This is seen in the last few chapters when it states,

“Angry, and half in love with her, and tremendously sorry, I turned away”(p. 186). The realization that comes to Nick, is that his relationship with Jordan Baker was just an intimate summer romance. Even though he developed strong feelings for her, he didn’t believe it was right to commit to a relationship that isn’t mutual. For example, Jordan had hundreds of suters waiting for her in which with just a single word, she could have a husband who would idol her and treat her as a queen.
Nick wanted to settle down and fall in love, and what is more important is that he understood the importance and necessity of commitment and loyalty.
In contrast, Tom Buchanan does not understand what love is, nor commitment. He married Daisy, perhaps after developing an admiration for her beauty and foolishness, but their marriage never progressed or intensified. For example, he had many secret rendezvous and relationships that drew him away from Daisy. One secret affair in particular that Tom was entangled in, was with Myrtle Wilson, the wife of the local gas station owner. Mrs. Wilson wanted more than being stuffed up in a house while her husband worked. She wanted love, laughter, parties, and extravagance. Tom was the perfect candidate who wanted to “fulfill” his urges. In the Great Gatsby, Myrtle revealed her intentions with being Tom’s secret sweetheart stating, “All I kept thinking about over and over, was ‘You can’t live forever, you can’t live forever’”(p. 40). This revelation supports the claim that Myrtle wanted to live in the high life with a lover that treated her better than her husband. Taking into consideration that not all relationships are meant to last, Tom and Myrtle's relationship symbolizes a lack of commitment, loyalty, and honesty to their spouses. It also goes against religious beliefs, in which Myrtle happened to be a Catholic, who didn’t believe in divorce. Fitzgerald creates these scenarios to produce controversy in which the reader will decide who is right and who is in the wrong. The roaring 20’s was very influential in inspiring people to make short romances to experience a little entertainment. Tom and Myrtle are the perfect couple that represent the irresponsibility and carelessness of the 1920’s.