Desire and The Great Gatsby
Nick and Gatsby
The least emphasized of the relationships I’m writing of is that of Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. It is not romantic, but instead the relationship seen between friendly neighbors. It is shown most clearly by the trust Gatsby places in Nick, telling him his entire true story, and the care and effort that Nick puts into Gatsby’s after-death arrangements. Perhaps the best line for showing Nick’s opinion of Gatsby is when he calls out to Gatsby, saying, “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together” (Fitzgerald 154). The bunch he is referring to is Tom, Daisy, and probably Jordan, too. Though Nick disapproves of Gatsby’s dealings, he approves of Gatsby in some ways, wanting “to get up and slap him on the back” after Gatsby, in telling the truth, one-ups Tom (Fitzgerald 129). Gatsby is an important memory to Nick, as the whole novel is Nick’s writing. Nick and Gatsby’s relationship is important to the book. -EB
Intrinsic or Extrinsic?
What type of love do Gatsby and Nick show each other in their bond? I argue that it is love best understood in terms of the intrinsic value of the beloved. The criterion of not existing to serve a particular use or purpose is filled. Though the relationship starts off as extrinsic, with Gatsby using Nick to get to Daisy and Nick using Gatsby to pass the time, by the end they are no longer getting anything out of each other except companionship, and when Gatsby dies, Nick remains loyal, trying to gather up people for the funeral, answering the questions of the police, and playing host to Gatsby’s father. He had nothing to gain, but felt like he must do something for Gatsby when all others had left him. This relationship surely shows intrinsic love. -EB
This quote comes right after Gatsby has told Nick his true past. Even though Nick disapproves of how he has reached his position, as evidenced by “I disapproved of him from beginning to end,” he tells Gatsby that he thinks Gatsby is still better than the whole company they have been around that summer. (Fitzgerald 154) -EB
“They’re a rotten crowd,” I shouted across the lawn. “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.”
I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end. First he nodded politely, and then his face broke into that radiant and understanding smile…”
Fitzgerald, Page 154
Is it really Gatsby that Nick cares about or is it what Gatsby represents?
A Counterargument
A possible argument against the idea that Nick and Gatsby have a relationship of neighborly love is that the love isn’t between Nick and Gatsby but instead between Nick and what Gatsby represents (he is typically said to represent the American dream of upward mobility). I disagree with this perspective. Nick has understood Gatsby’s faults by the end, and because he still stuck around and stood up for Gatsby even past his death, it seems that he sees him as a fellow human, not just as a representation. -EB
A Positive Note
As the only relationship of these four major bonds that is founded on intrinsic love, Fitzgerald is showing that though mutual respect and intrinsic love are not necessarily common, they are possible. -EB