Nick, the narrator of The Great Gatsby, goes through the
following
conflicts:
- East
Coast-bias vs. Midwestern-bias: Nick, who is from Minnesota, thinks that
most of those from the Northeast are careless, shallow, and materialstic. Implicitly,
he believes those from the heartland are most honest. Although he moves to the
Northeast in hopes of financial success, he ultimately moves back
home. - Reserving Judgement vs. Gossiping
Later: Nick confesses on the first few pages that he has been taught by
his father to reserve all judgment. He also admits he is the only honest person he has
ever met. But, doesn't he reserve judgement so that he can be privy to gossip by those
with loose lips? Isn't the entire novel a kind of gossipy violation of his own
principles? - American dream: reality vs.
myth. Nick presents two Americas: one of opportunity (Gatsby's); one of
exclusivity (Tom's). In Gatsby, he gives a picture of promise and tragedy. In the end,
after Gatsby's death and Nick's migration back home, we must wonder if he believes the
American dream to be a false promise.
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