Sunday, July 20, 2014

What are some of the main conflicts that Nick experiences throughout The Great Gatsby?

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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