Great Gatsby 2/20

Nick- Our narrator, Nick, is undoubtedly a hero in the Great Gatsby. We as the audience are intended to have similar views and values as Nick who is made easy to like because Nick is a rather passive individual. He encounters numerous situations that most people would have a definite opinion but Nick seems to just watch the scene fold out in front of him, never really having an opinion or judging. '"We're getting off," he insisted. "I want you to meet my girl."/ I think he'd flanked up a good deal at luncheon, and his determination to have my company bordered on violence." (pg. 24) Through this quote we see how Nick does not really comment on the doings of others. Tom is taking him to see his mistress and all Nick has to say is something about the manner of Tom's behavior after lunch. As a result of Nick's rather apathetic attitude, it is very easy for the audience to identify with him; you can't disagree with someone who does not have an opinion.

Tom- Villain. While Nick never says anything judgmental about Tom's behavior we as the audience see that Tom is not a kind or considerate man. He has a mistress whom his wife knows of but still cohorts with, not giving a moment of thought to Daisy's feelings. If that weren't enough, there seems to be a thread of violence and uncontrollable anger that runs through his actions. "Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand." (pg37) From this we see how easily Tom is rowed and violently he reacts. The audience is not supposed to like this character, categorize him as a villain, with his gallivanting around and beating women.

Daisy- For some reason Daisy seems to be a Tragic Hero. The audience is intended to like her and we do, but something is wrong. She does not seem happy being married happy to Tom. We get some insight into what she feels life is like when she tells Nick about her child. "'Alright,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool-that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."' The pain that is expressed through this sentence mirrors how Daisy feels about her own livelihood and life with Tom. At this point in the novel it may be slightly premature to label Daisy a "tragic" hero because we have yet to give her ample time to overcome her sadness and oppression from Tom but at the moment the label stands.

Gatsby- Hero, possibly Antihero. At this time the Jazz Age is in full swing meaning that parties are not out of the ordinary, although the scale to which Gatsby throws them might be. Because of this I don’t know if Gatsby can be classified as an Antihero because firstly, he has received so little description thus far and secondly, he has not rejected all societal values by throwing the parties. He has instead embraced the values of the current popular culture. Nick describes him to be a very special kind of a man the kind of man whose smile had "a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in live."From this I do not believe that Gatsby is a villain, so therefore he is a hero, but the jury is still out on whether he is a Hero or Antihero, or for kicks he may even be a Tragic Hero. Who knows. We've only read 10 sentences about him.