In the Great Gatsby, how does Nick mature as a character?

Question

DOes Nick seem to interact wih people differently, or behave differently as hte book progresses?

Answer 1

Nick matures and changes all through out the novel as he is exposed to sights and actions that forces him to some bitter conclusions.

He falls in love with a dishonest woman, Jordan Baker, who certainly bitters his outlook on love and ends in a nasty hang up rather than the edgin from the previous relationship he had been in--playing tennis and writing "Love Nick" at the end of all his letters.

Through both Tom and Gatsby Nick encounters a world outside his midwestern ideas, a world full of cheating, gambling, lying and underhandedness. You can see the toll on him when his 30th birthday comes and he only notices it in passing, or when Jordan hangs up on him and he is strangely relieved and unhurt by their break up.

However he remains truly the only honest and lawful person in the novel--acting as an anchor for the other, less concerned with their concequences characters like Daisy and Tom.

Though I have always been inclined to believe the biggest changes occured in his life prior to his narration--when he fought in the war. The other characters can note a slight change in him due to what he saw in war, and this, I believe makes him more tolerant of the shortcomings in Daisy, Tom, Gatsby and Jordan--as he is aware of greater things that occur in the world aside from retreating into wealth and money.

Answer 2

I think Nick matures when he arrives at Gatsby's funeral and sees that all his so called friends except one (the owl eyed man from the library) have better things to do and don't come. I think it shows Nick that people arent always what they claim to be and that most of them - including his beautiful cousin Daisy are just users.

Answer 3

Best Answer - Chosen By Voters

Hi,

I noticed no one is answering!?

I'd check www.wikipedia.org.

Also you may want to repost this under Home->Education-Homework Help. Many , many school curriculums include this in thier subjects and assigned readings as homework. You’ll find a much more ready, and willing to answer, audience under this category!