F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a novel recounted from the perspective of the main character, Nick Carraway. Nick’s assignment is to relate the tale of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy and enigmatic character who throws lavish parties to win back Daisy Buchanan, his ex-lover (Olofsson). The question of whether Nick is a reliable or unreliable narrator has been a topic of debate among literary scholars, but in this case, I will argue that Nick is a questionable storyteller.
Firstly, Nick’s bias in favor of Gatsby colors how he recounts the story. Nick respects Gatsby’s aspiration and drive for the American Dream. Nick’s judgment is clouded by this admiration, causing him to ignore Gatsby’s faults. For instance, Nick cannot recognize the immorality of Gatsby’s business transactions, which entail illegal practices such as bootlegging. The bias against Gatsby damages Nick’s trustworthiness as a raconteuse.
Furthermore, Nick is a faulty chronicler due to his constrained viewpoint on the events. Nick is the only character whose perspective is used to recount the story and is not present for all of the novel’s events. This implies that only what Nick sees and knows is revealed to the observer. For example, Nick must depend on Gatsby’s account of what transpired because he is not present when Gatsby and Daisy resume their relationship (Olofsson). Due to this constrained perspective, it is challenging for the reader to develop a thorough understanding of the novel’s events.
Another reason Nick is a questionable anecdotist is his inconsistent narrative. He contradicts himself repeatedly, and his account of what happened evolves as the story continues. For instance, he first calls Gatsby a man of “enormous wealth” but later confesses that he is unsure of Gatsby’s source of income (Olofsson). As a result of this contradiction, the reader cannot be confident in the veracity of Nick’s story and has reason to question Nick’s credibility as a narrator.
According to some readers, Nick’s honesty and dependability make him a good chronicler. However, this argument ignores the reality that Nick’s honesty is contingent upon his own biases and experiences and is therefore susceptible to bias. Nick is also only sometimes open with information and frequently leaves out information that would put him in a negative light.
Nick is a capricious fabulist due to his flaws and emotional problems. Nick is a character with his issues rather than an impartial observer. In this instance, he has a romantic interest in Jordan Baker, which affects his interactions with her and his perception of her actions (Olofsson). Furthermore, Nick has a history of alcoholism, which may impair his recall and judgment. Because of these personal problems, the reader finds it challenging to believe Nick to be a dependable raconteur because of these personal problems.
A counterargument could be made that Nick is a decent relater because he is honest and does not intentionally deceive the reader. While this may be true, Nick’s honesty does not make him a dependable chronicler. His bias towards Gatsby, limited perspective, and personal issues undermine his credibility as a relater.
In conclusion, Nick Carraway is not a conscientious storyteller in The Great Gatsby. The reader finds it challenging to believe him to be a reliable narrator because of his prejudice against Gatsby, his constrained understanding of the events, and his personal problems. Nick’s honesty is admirable, but it is insufficient to make him a trustworthy raconteur. The novel’s happenings should be read critically, and the reader should be aware of Nick’s limitations as a narrator.
Work Cited
Olofsson, E. “What Loving Gatsby Does to the Narration of a Novel.” 2020, Web.