A wise man discovers a gem in every step of his life. For this reason, it is said that a wise man learns by observing the mistakes of those around him, while a fool learns from his own mistakes. In the classic novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator, Nick Carraway, due to his observant nature and open-mindedness, opens up a treasure of Gatsby’s story for the readers and himself entailing the discovery of individualism, heroism, and hope. As Nick Carraway learns to take a moral stance, understands the shallow lifestyle of the wealthy, and realizes the importance of living a fulfilled life, the summer of 1922 exemplifies qualities of a worthwhile learning experience as opposed to a detrimental learning experience.
Most importantly, …show more content…
At the onset of the novel, Nick is impressed by the glamorous lifestyle of the affluent. He is truly fascinated by the “cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion” and the “line of French windows, glowing now with reflected gold” (Fitzgerald 9). He seeks the “proximity of millionaires” and envies the enormous wealth of Tom Buchanan (Fitzgerald 8). However, as the plot develops, Nick understands the carelessness and the hollow lifestyle of the likes of the Buchanans. He comments, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (Fitzgerald 142). Instead of facing the consequences that arise from their actions, the rich seek refuge behind the shield of their wealth and status. As a result, their prosperity precipitates their lack of guilt for their irresponsible behaviour. Moreover, the shallow character of the wealthy is also observed in Gatsby’s partygoers. They become mysteriously busy elsewhere and abandon Gatsby when he could no longer do anything for them. Consequently, Nick is disillusioned and distances himself from these people. When he meets Tom after Gatsby’s death, Tom remarks, “‘What’s the matter, Nick? Do you object to shaking hands with me?’ ‘Yes. You know what I think of you’” (Fitzgerald 142). This emphasizes Nick’s disgust and disapproval of the distorted moral standards of the rich. To summarize, Nick understands the shallow lifestyle of the wealthy, the distorted moral standards of the East and as a result, detaches himself from them as the plot evolves. On the other hand, the summer has resulted in his superficial attitude. Even though, Jordan Baker is dishonest, Nick continues to spend time with her. “[Nick] was flattered to go
Most importantly, …show more content…
At the onset of the novel, Nick is impressed by the glamorous lifestyle of the affluent. He is truly fascinated by the “cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion” and the “line of French windows, glowing now with reflected gold” (Fitzgerald 9). He seeks the “proximity of millionaires” and envies the enormous wealth of Tom Buchanan (Fitzgerald 8). However, as the plot develops, Nick understands the carelessness and the hollow lifestyle of the likes of the Buchanans. He comments, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (Fitzgerald 142). Instead of facing the consequences that arise from their actions, the rich seek refuge behind the shield of their wealth and status. As a result, their prosperity precipitates their lack of guilt for their irresponsible behaviour. Moreover, the shallow character of the wealthy is also observed in Gatsby’s partygoers. They become mysteriously busy elsewhere and abandon Gatsby when he could no longer do anything for them. Consequently, Nick is disillusioned and distances himself from these people. When he meets Tom after Gatsby’s death, Tom remarks, “‘What’s the matter, Nick? Do you object to shaking hands with me?’ ‘Yes. You know what I think of you’” (Fitzgerald 142). This emphasizes Nick’s disgust and disapproval of the distorted moral standards of the rich. To summarize, Nick understands the shallow lifestyle of the wealthy, the distorted moral standards of the East and as a result, detaches himself from them as the plot evolves. On the other hand, the summer has resulted in his superficial attitude. Even though, Jordan Baker is dishonest, Nick continues to spend time with her. “[Nick] was flattered to go