F. Scott Fitzgerald
As we begin our journey through the 180-page (thank you, merciful Fitzgerald) The Great Gatsby, as in most stories, the author introduces us to the major parts of the story, the most important being, in my opinion, the main characters. We can assume quickly that Nick the narrator and Gatsby will be major characters in the story, but one must read the handy-dandy summary to find out that Gatsby's future romantic aspirations will make the already married Daisy Buchanan another major character.
I was afraid I wouldn't find a GIF for this section.
The first character Fitzgerald presents is Nick Carraway who recounts the story in the first person. His opening and the opening of the book comprises of his father's old adage reminding him to be always aware of the advantages of his inherited upbringing. However, Nick doubts that the advantages his father mentioned were financial advantages but rather the advantages of the narrator's character. The narrator mentions that, "I was unjustly accused of being a politician, because I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men" (Fitzgerald, 1). Because of this sensitivity that has already surfaced several times in this section, Nick will likely serve as a tool to portray the contrasts between outer splendor and inner conflicts in other characters. In addition, his modest proximity to extravagance parallels his detached observance of the wealthy class.
So far, very little is known of Gatsby; he hasn't even made an appearance yet. What can be told for sure from the story is that he is extremely wealthy. From the summary, we know that Gatsby will pursue the narrator's married second cousin Daisy Buchanan. Based on the above quotation, I will guess that this pursuit will result from Gatsby's wild risks evinced by his financial success and include more inner heartache than his surroundings would suggest.
Daisy Buchanan, Nick's second cousin, lives a rather lavish lifestyle with her husband, Tom. Throughout the entire scene at the Buchanan house, Daisy, Tom, and Daisy's friend Miss Baker, seemed unsatisfied despite their beautiful home. Nick noticed that Daisy in particular acted as if she were always concentrating on the fact that the dinner must end at some point. This observation combined with the fact that Tom peaked fairly early in his life, provides a glimpse into Daisy's character. Even though she lives in success, her life provides very little thrill. Her desire for more exciting days will likely lead her to take more of an interest in Gatsby, who already has a reputation for being somewhat of a wild thing.
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