Nick as reliable narrator Essay

I am wiz of the few h hotshotst people that I have ever known. Discuss. break off Carraway, the narrator of the great American novel The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is often heralded as one of the greatest narrators of all time. However, whether chip was a reliable narrator is an issue that is up for debate, with my personal belief being that gouge was not a reliable narrator, due to his fondness for exaggeration and contradiction, and his patent idolization of Jay Gatsby. Firstly, Nick is predisposed with a theatrical and exaggerated nature. This is visible from the very quote being discussed in this essay Nick states that he is one of the few honest people he knows. This shows clearly how Nick does not put much in store by modesty or restraint or objectivity, even when discussing his self. These theatrics furthermore lead to inconsistencies and further contradictions within the munimentNick states at one point that sometimes party guests came and went to Gats bys parties with a simplicity of mettle but that he, actually, was invited the honor would be entirely Gatsbys if I would attend his little party. However, its inviten later on in the narrative that condescension Nicks posturing, Gatsby does not recognize Nick at his own party. This therefore shows how Nicks theatrical and exaggerated nature occasionally compromises the objectivity of his narrative, and therefore, with his history of being distant (as evidenced in the previous paragraph) this therefore shows clearly that Nicks objectivity is not to be trusted, and that he is an unreliable narrator whose vanity supercedes his honesty.Furthermore, Nick exhibits his tendency toward contradiction with various points in the text. He states very early off in the text that hes inc taskd to reserve all judgment, when he, in fact, does nothing but pass (negative) judgment on other people repeatedly end-to-end the text he describes George Wilson as a spiritless man and Jordan Baker as being incurably dishonest, Tom as pathetic and Mr McKee as feminine. However, Nick lauds himself as being one of the few honest people he knowssomething his clearly judgmental behavior proves him not to be. This, in and of itself, is indicative of Nicks contradictory nature. The fact that Nick is so given to contradiction therefore casts doubts on whether his narrative is completely trustworthy. It is also important to note that Nick, as a narrator, does not seem to be intentionally malicious in making judgments of other peoplethese judgments instead seem tointegrate themselves effortlessly into the narrative in a way he seems not to notice (except in the case of Gatsby, as will be expounded upon later on in this essay). His contradictory nature kicks in mostly in his expansive descriptions of himself (his tendency toward exaggeration/theater, as explained above), in his describing himself as honest and, later, as an esteemed invitee of Gatsbys party, to name a few examples. This am biguous contradiction therefore blurs the line between fact and fiction as the reader, led through the story through Nicks perspective, is caught in the ambiguity of Nicks judgments and is unable to detach himself to decide whether they are, as unconscious as they seem, truth or critical fiction.In other words, the reader is made uncertain if Nicks contradictory narrative is purely a result of his exaggeration and his conceit, or whether a grain of truth lies in his judgments. Therefore, we can see how Nicks contradictory nature and his tendency toward ambiguity clearly makes Nick Carraway not an straightforward and objective narrator who is reliable in any way. Finally, Nick is an unreliable narrator due to his obvious partiality toward Gatsby. Nick states clearly at one point that Gatsby represents everything for which he has an unaffected scorn, and repeatedly expresses his good opinion of Gatsby through favorable descriptions of him and his actions (elegant young rough-neck). He also opens the novel with a line that seems to beg the readers good opinion of Gatsby, beseeching the reader to remember that all the people in the world havent had the advantages that youve had.This fairness is evident throughout the text, where Nick will repeatedly disregard right and wrong or the feelings of others to benefit Gatsby as evidenced by his assisting Gatsby with getting into Daisys favor. This shows clearly the extent of Nicks dedication to Gatsby, and the degrees to which Nick will go to protect him. This obvious and unflagging dedication to Gatsby therefore forces the reader to see the story through Nicks eyes of idolatry. Where the more ambiguous and offhand contradictions may at least provide the reader space to speculate, it is some impossible to imagine a story without Gatsby as how Nick portrays him a tragic, righteous heroand thus we can see that, in narrating Gatsbys story, Nick Carraway cannot be an objective narrator. Therefore we can see how, through various intervals in the text, Nick Carraway is actually not an unbiased and honest narrator as he is influenced variedlyby his contradictory and theatrical nature, as well as his obvious idolization of Gatsby.