Isabelle Kim

Hitchens 3
21 December 2015
Gatsby Essay
F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, and his
works still hold prestige today. Many of his books are widely read and taught in schools across
the country. Easily his most famous book, The Great Gatsby was published in 1925 and takes
place in New York City in the early 1920s. The book opens with a monologue from Nick
Carroway, a young man who has just recently moved to the Long Island area and acts as the
narrator for the book. Through his descriptions of himself and his upbringing and his attitude
towards Gatsby, Fitzgerald characterizes Nick as open-minded yet pretentious.
Nick Carroway discusses himself and a little bit about the way he was raised to give
readers the impression that he is open-minded, while subconsciously implying his
pretentiousness. When Nick was growing up, his father told him that he shouldnt criticize
people because all the people in this world havent had the advantages that [Nick has] had, a
piece of advice that Nick holds close to this day. The wording suggests that Nicks family is quite
wealthy, and he is and has been aware of this for quite a while. Being aware of ones own
affluence since such a young age would make anyone a little bit of an egotist, and in Nicks case,
he is quite egotistical. Although he plays the part of a conceited young man, Nick is also
inclined to reserve all judgments, due to the advice his father gave him. This is a desirable trait
and one that is not the most common, especially among rich, young, white men in the time of
The Great Gatsby. It is very difficult for a person to not judge anyone at all, but Nick suggests
that he feels obligated to hold back his thoughts, implying his own open-mindedness. The fact

that he even attempts to hold back judgmentalBecause he has this quality, many people come to
him with their secrets and problems, most of [which] were unsought. Not many people would
willingly go up to someone and tell them things that are personal, and the fact that Nick attracts
these kinds of confessions suggests that he is uncritical and not the most judgmental person.
Although he gives off this vibe, the reality is that he isnt as open-minded as people think he is.
He seems to brush these people off, dismissing them as unimportant, frequently [feigning]
sleep, preoccupation, or a hostile levity so that people wont tell him such things. Nick comes
off condescending and flippant by not giving the people the respect they deserve, especially since
they are sharing such intimate revelations. His attitude is that he doesnt want people confiding
in him and he just doesnt want to hear it because he thinks they all sound the same. Nick
establishes himself as above these people, and looks down on their silly and unoriginal
revelations. By describing Nick and his upbringing in this fashion, Fitzgerald characterizes Nick
as approachable yet snobbish.