Chapter 1: Rhetorical Analysis of Nick Carraway
Nick Carraway introduced the book with a person story of his childhood; a story that was a connection between his father and himself. The first chapter mentions a lot on what the lack of family some have and how that effects their upbringing. Carraway introduces the story with an anecdote of his own life from the past, and then continues into the beginning of his time living in New York, or West Egg, which is the community in which he took residency. He moved for his job of wanting to be a bondman on Wall Street. Moving from inland United States to the East Coast was due to his time in the war. The war changed his view on life and society, making him want to move away from what he had previously called home. Moving to a new city made him feel more comfortable than where he had grown up, where he was surrounded by family.
The only family that he obtained in New York was his distant cousin Daisy. She lived a lavish life with her husband that achieved his life goal at age twenty two leaving him to feel empty and restless for his life. Nick Carraway introduces Tom as a broad man with strength that can be seen in his muscle and in his eyes. Carraway describes Tom Bucannan as a man with strength and pride, but filled with emptiness because his life was always filled with the same things, money and success.
Nick describes Daisy, I assume how he sees her, happy and full of life, unlike Tom, which allows for the audience to peer into their marriage within the first chapter. Nick also recalls the persistent phone calls during his dinner at the Bucannan's house; the phone calls left everyone in the room uncomfortable. Daisy and Tom have two year old girl, many would assume, including Nick, that she would be delighted to have a child with her husband. But as Daisy relays the story of her night of labor, she tells Nick that she is cynical, contradicting the personality which was seen in the early of the night. Daisy says she only wished one thing for her daughter when she was born, that she would be a fool, because all woman can be in a world full of dominating men, is a beautiful fool. Ms. Baker, a friend of Daisy and someone that can be foreseen to make Nick's acquaintance for the summer. Ms. Baker seem to share a more carefree personality, which is late explained by Tom because the lack of Ms. Baker's parental guidance. However carefree Ms. Baker may be, she seems to know everything that is happening, like Tom's phone calls that lead to his affair that even Daisy knows about and everyone, including Mr. Gatsby, Nick's neighbor.
Nick does not speak much of Gatsby in the first chapter because he does not actually see Gatsby until the last paragraph of the chapter, where Mr. Gatsby just disappears. Nick knows little about the mysterious man, as many know very little. Ms. Baker mentions him briefly only to bring up his name and to flaunt her ability to know everything social. Daisy becomes alert when Ms. Baker brings up Gatsby's name, before anyone can dwell on her alertness, dinner is called and never again is his name mentioned. Gatsby lives in the lavish house, mansion, next to Mr. Carraway's small cottage. Though they do not speak, you can feel the connection between Carraway and Gatsby because Nick points out that it is Gatsby who changed him and made him forget the path about true man, he was looking for.
The fact that Nick's character was in the Great War and went to a prestigious college builds up his ethos, that he does fit in with some of the New York crowd. He may not have money as Tom or Gatsby does, but his family was able to make a living that gave them spending money, not just living. Fighting for your country and receiving and education are both things that strong men would have done; Nick was strong, in a different way than Tom was, it was not in his demeanour but just in his knowledge.
The only family that he obtained in New York was his distant cousin Daisy. She lived a lavish life with her husband that achieved his life goal at age twenty two leaving him to feel empty and restless for his life. Nick Carraway introduces Tom as a broad man with strength that can be seen in his muscle and in his eyes. Carraway describes Tom Bucannan as a man with strength and pride, but filled with emptiness because his life was always filled with the same things, money and success.
Nick describes Daisy, I assume how he sees her, happy and full of life, unlike Tom, which allows for the audience to peer into their marriage within the first chapter. Nick also recalls the persistent phone calls during his dinner at the Bucannan's house; the phone calls left everyone in the room uncomfortable. Daisy and Tom have two year old girl, many would assume, including Nick, that she would be delighted to have a child with her husband. But as Daisy relays the story of her night of labor, she tells Nick that she is cynical, contradicting the personality which was seen in the early of the night. Daisy says she only wished one thing for her daughter when she was born, that she would be a fool, because all woman can be in a world full of dominating men, is a beautiful fool. Ms. Baker, a friend of Daisy and someone that can be foreseen to make Nick's acquaintance for the summer. Ms. Baker seem to share a more carefree personality, which is late explained by Tom because the lack of Ms. Baker's parental guidance. However carefree Ms. Baker may be, she seems to know everything that is happening, like Tom's phone calls that lead to his affair that even Daisy knows about and everyone, including Mr. Gatsby, Nick's neighbor.
Nick does not speak much of Gatsby in the first chapter because he does not actually see Gatsby until the last paragraph of the chapter, where Mr. Gatsby just disappears. Nick knows little about the mysterious man, as many know very little. Ms. Baker mentions him briefly only to bring up his name and to flaunt her ability to know everything social. Daisy becomes alert when Ms. Baker brings up Gatsby's name, before anyone can dwell on her alertness, dinner is called and never again is his name mentioned. Gatsby lives in the lavish house, mansion, next to Mr. Carraway's small cottage. Though they do not speak, you can feel the connection between Carraway and Gatsby because Nick points out that it is Gatsby who changed him and made him forget the path about true man, he was looking for.
The fact that Nick's character was in the Great War and went to a prestigious college builds up his ethos, that he does fit in with some of the New York crowd. He may not have money as Tom or Gatsby does, but his family was able to make a living that gave them spending money, not just living. Fighting for your country and receiving and education are both things that strong men would have done; Nick was strong, in a different way than Tom was, it was not in his demeanour but just in his knowledge.