The reliability of the narrator
“The reliability of the narrator, Nick Carraway, in the Great Gatsby is limited”. Is this statement true? Further your response by making links to the narrator in The Sun Also Rises.
Many would say that The Great Gatsby is a book that is hard to clarify. The reader of the book must comprehend views from all characters, the main one being the narrator, Nick Carraway. The reader must also take into consideration the time period of which the book is written (the 1920’s, similarly to The Sun Also Rises which was also set in the 1920’s). Throughout the book, we learn to believe Nick as a narrator as he presents idea’s to us through symbolism, pathetic fallacy, imagery and personal reflection and therefore leads us to make judgement based on his opinions of other characters throughout the novel. His character however fails to be looked upon on in the same manner as we see him as corrupt and deceptive. These negative characteristics civilise him and therefore allow us as readers to relate to him more.
Nicks thoughts as a narrator are not always the same as what he portrays as a character. At the start of this book we learn that Nick is “inclined to reserve all judgements” but that his “tolerance has a limit”. Although his opinions might not be voiced in words to the other characters, we as readers have to consider that those opinions still exist. The role of Nick is to make us aware of his own judgements as his character bypasses acting upon these judgements. Assorted literary techniques allow us to gain closure on characters and how we perceive them ourselves. The most interesting technique used is symbolism and most symbolism lasts throughout the novel, such as the “foul dust”. The reoccurring symbolism of this always appears when something is about to go severely wrong. The “foul dust” portrays when something is about to corrupt. People could also say that it also represents the lives of Daisy, Tom and Jordan. People would say this because they are immoral
Many would say that The Great Gatsby is a book that is hard to clarify. The reader of the book must comprehend views from all characters, the main one being the narrator, Nick Carraway. The reader must also take into consideration the time period of which the book is written (the 1920’s, similarly to The Sun Also Rises which was also set in the 1920’s). Throughout the book, we learn to believe Nick as a narrator as he presents idea’s to us through symbolism, pathetic fallacy, imagery and personal reflection and therefore leads us to make judgement based on his opinions of other characters throughout the novel. His character however fails to be looked upon on in the same manner as we see him as corrupt and deceptive. These negative characteristics civilise him and therefore allow us as readers to relate to him more.
Nicks thoughts as a narrator are not always the same as what he portrays as a character. At the start of this book we learn that Nick is “inclined to reserve all judgements” but that his “tolerance has a limit”. Although his opinions might not be voiced in words to the other characters, we as readers have to consider that those opinions still exist. The role of Nick is to make us aware of his own judgements as his character bypasses acting upon these judgements. Assorted literary techniques allow us to gain closure on characters and how we perceive them ourselves. The most interesting technique used is symbolism and most symbolism lasts throughout the novel, such as the “foul dust”. The reoccurring symbolism of this always appears when something is about to go severely wrong. The “foul dust” portrays when something is about to corrupt. People could also say that it also represents the lives of Daisy, Tom and Jordan. People would say this because they are immoral