Roles Of Characters In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby was written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and focuses on the lifestyle of American civilization during this time period known as the “Roaring Twenties”. The characters in The Great Gatsby all have specific roles which are shown to the reader as they progress through the novel. Although the characters have roles which are apparent to the reader, roles are also present that can be interpreted differently. The perspective that the readers takes when analyzing the text can change the meaning of the characters. Due to the fact that the novel is narrated from the perspective of Nick Carraway, the reader is only exposed to his viewpoint and his opinion. Although this is true, many underlying meanings are still present for each of the characters in the novel. Jay Gatsby is seen as the protagonist and main character of the novel. He is around thirty years old, and lives in West Egg along with the narrator Nick Carraway. His focus is mainly on Daisy Buchanan, a girl who he loved from the past. He is a man that is stuck in the past and bent on repeating it in order to win Daisy. When Nick stated “You can’t repeat the past”, he incredulously replied “Why of course you can” (Fitzgerald 116). This shows his commitment to the past and also to winning Daisy back. Though it is apparent to the reader that he loves …show more content…
With this being stated, each character has a meaning that can be interpreted differently. The reader can use what they know about this time period coupled with what F. Scott Fitzgerald states about each character to form a completely new meaning from the one that is presented to the reader. Another key point is that all the characters are linked on a fundamental basis: the love of money. All three individuals have a basic love, understanding, and need for money, overshadowing their own individual characteristics in some