4.1.1
Nick Carraway
Background to Nick Carraway's Character
Background to Nick Carraway's Character
Nick Carraway is the narrator of the story.
Location of Nick Carraway
Location of Nick Carraway
- After fighting in World War I, he moved from his home in the Midwest to work in the world of finance in New York City.
- At the time of telling the story, Nick has moved back to the Midwest and has become a writer.
Relationships
Relationships
- He is a distant cousin of Daisy Buchanan.
- While living in Long Island, he was Jay Gatsby’s next door neighbour.
Nick Carraway - Old Money Connections
Nick Carraway - Old Money Connections
From the beginning of the story, Nick places himself in the ‘old money’ section of society.
Family wealth
Family wealth
- He reveals that he is from a 'prominent, well-to-do' family in America’s Midwest region.
- The family’s wealth comes primarily from a hardware business, which Nick’s father still runs.
- 'Old money' is fortunes dating from before the 19th century. 'New money' is recently acquired fortunes.
Nick's experience in war
Nick's experience in war
- Despite a privileged upbringing, Nick did join the army and fight in World War I.
- This means he would been exposed to the cruelty of mankind at a young age, possibly saving him from becoming too sheltered like some of his privileged contemporaries.
Dislike of West Egg
Dislike of West Egg
- Nick’s refined background is clear through his initial dislike of West Egg.
- West Egg and East Egg are two areas on Long Island.
- He considers West Egg to be 'the less fashionable of the two' (Chapter One), presumably because West Egg is the home to the ‘new money’ class, while East Egg is where the ‘old money’ people live.
- As such, Nick finds himself caught between the two worlds.
Disapproval of new money world
Disapproval of new money world
- Nick is not used to the vast displays of extravagant wealth he encounters at Gatsby’s parties.
- In fact, at the end of the novel, he confesses that he 'disapproved of' (Chapter Eight) the ‘new money’ world which Gatsby represented.
Nick Carraway - Educated and Wise
Nick Carraway - Educated and Wise
Nick has benefitted from a good education having graduated from the prestigious Yale University, and Nick confesses that he was 'rather literary in college' (Chapter One).
Poetic writing style
Poetic writing style
- As well as the narrator of the story, Nick is a key character in it. Because he is telling the story as he is writing it, we learn a lot about him from the way he expresses himself.
- Nick’s writing style is often thoughtful and poetic, for example, his final comment about how 'we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past' (Chapter Nine) is equally beautiful and thought-provoking.
Reflection on his finance aspirations
Reflection on his finance aspirations
- Because of this poetic style of expression, it is perhaps surprising that Nick was trying to make a name for himself in the world of finance, and perhaps this helps us to understand why he never really fitted into that world.
Chooses words wisely
Chooses words wisely
- Nick considers himself to be 'unusually communicative in a reserved way' (Chapter One).
- This juxtaposition between being both 'communicative' and 'reserved' seems to suggest that Nick chooses his words wisely.
- Juxtaposition is putting two contrasting words or ideas next to each other so the reader compares them.
1Specification Overview
1.1Specification Overview
2Context
3Plot Summary
3.1Chapter One
3.2Chapter Two
3.3Chapter Three
3.4Chapter Four
3.6Chapter Six
3.7Chapter Seven
3.8Chapter Eight
4Character Profiles
4.3Daisy Buchanan
4.5Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
6.1Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice
7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis
7.1Love Through the Ages
Jump to other topics
1Specification Overview
1.1Specification Overview
2Context
3Plot Summary
3.1Chapter One
3.2Chapter Two
3.3Chapter Three
3.4Chapter Four
3.6Chapter Six
3.7Chapter Seven
3.8Chapter Eight
4Character Profiles
4.3Daisy Buchanan
4.5Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
6.1Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice
7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis
7.1Love Through the Ages
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