NICK CARRAWAY
The ONLY character that learns or changes is NICK CARRAWAY so if you get a question about what a character learns, the ‘journey’ of a character, or how he/she changes you can only talk about NICK.
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FSF uses Nick to show us the corruption of the American Dream – mention the corruption of the idealised dream and the materialistic version aspire to attain.
The experience of that 1922 summer leads Nick back to the West, to the values he grew up with. Nick ultimately understands and accepts that it is not the achievement (or attainment) of a dream but the pursuit that that is noble.
Describe the character of Nick:
a) He is from ‘old money’
b) Doesn’t criticise / judge others
c) He has moved East to make some money selling bonds. Rented a house in West Egg and is a neighbour of Jay Gatsby. Cousin to Daisy.
d) At the start of the novel Nick is a very accepting and open-minded person, which is first emphasised when he has lunch at his cousin Daisy's house. During this occasion he keeps his thoughts and judgement to a minimum and agrees with what Daisy and her other guests say. For example, when one visitor called Jordan explains to him that she cheated on a golf game
IMPORTANT: Nick initially seems to be drawn to the abundance, wealth, fast paced, fun lifestyle of the East.
However experiences change his mind and as life in the East is revealed we share Nicks disillusionment at the events he witnesses and the people he meets:
THE WILD PARTIES. Nick experiences these new values when he attends a party at Gatsby’s one Saturday night. The party’s incredible luxuries seem to be the fulfilment of the American Dream. FSF encapsulates the decadence and hedonism in the description of that party – the ‘blue gardens’, the ‘glistening hors d’oeurves” the ‘harlequin’ salads, the ‘floating rounds of cocktails”. Nick feels out of place, not comfortable with the...