The Great Gatsby · Character
Nick Carraway
Also known as Nick
- Major
- First seen · Book 1
Nick Carraway is a major character in The Great Gatsby (Book 1).
- Gender
- male
- Age
- 30
- First appears
- Book 1
- Books
- 1
Description
Nick Carraway is a clean-cut young man in his late twenties with fair skin. His face resembles the hard-boiled portrait of his great-uncle, giving him a straightforward and earnest look. He is typically dressed in white flannels and carries a hat, presenting the image of a reserved gentleman from the Midwest adapting to life in 1920s New York.
Connections
Family & partnersFriends & mentorsRivals
Daisy Buchanansecond cousin once removed
Nick visits Daisy and Tom for dinner; family connection facilitates Nick's entry into their social circle.
Jordan Bakerlove interest
Flirtatious connection develops; Jordan reveals Gatsby's past with Daisy to Nick; ends acrimoniously.
- NC
Nick Carraway's fatherfather
Gave Nick advice about reserving judgment and emphasized family advantages; they maintain reserved but communicative relationship.
Jay Gatsbyneighbor and confidant
Nick narrates Gatsby's story with admiration; Gatsby invites Nick to parties and asks him to arrange Daisy meeting.
Tom Buchanancollege acquaintance
Knew each other at New Haven; Nick visits them, and Tom later takes Nick to meet his mistress.
Story so far
BOOK 1The Great Gatsby
Key events
- Book 1
Ch. 1Nick Moves to West EggNick Carraway rents a modest bungalow in West Egg next to the opulent mansion of his mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby. - Book 1
Ch. 1Dinner at the BuchanansNick visits his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom in East Egg, where he learns of Tom's infidelity and Daisy's disillusionment. - Book 1
Ch. 1Nick Sees the Green LightNick observes Gatsby reaching toward a distant green light across the bay, symbolizing his longing and dreams. - Book 1
Ch. 2Tom's Party in New YorkTom takes Nick to meet his mistress Myrtle Wilson in the Valley of Ashes, leading to a chaotic party in her apartment that ends with Tom breaking her nose. - Book 1
Ch. 3Nick Attends Gatsby's PartyNick attends one of Gatsby's lavish weekend parties, finally meeting his enigmatic host and observing the extravagant excess and wild rumors. - Book 1
Ch. 4Gatsby Reveals His Past to NickDuring a car ride to New York, Gatsby shares a dubious backstory of Oxford education, European extravagance, and wartime heroism. - Book 1
Ch. 4Jordan Reveals Gatsby's Love for DaisyJordan Baker recounts to Nick the story of Gatsby and Daisy's past romance in Louisville and Gatsby's purchase of his mansion to be near her. - Book 1
Ch. 5Gatsby and Daisy ReuniteGatsby and Daisy reunite at Nick's cottage after five years apart, their meeting marked by awkwardness that dissolves into intimate joy. - Book 1
Ch. 6Gatsby's True Origins RevealedNick learns that Gatsby was born James Gatz to poor North Dakota farmers and reinvented himself after meeting millionaire Dan Cody. - Book 1
Ch. 6Tom and Daisy Attend Gatsby's PartyTom and Daisy attend one of Gatsby's parties, where Daisy's discomfort with the vulgar crowd exposes class tensions. - Book 1
Ch. 7Confrontation at the Plaza HotelAt the Plaza Hotel, Tom exposes Gatsby's bootlegging past and Oxford fraud, forcing Daisy to admit she once loved Tom but now loves Gatsby. - Book 1
Ch. 8Gatsby's Murder and Wilson's SuicideGeorge Wilson, grieving and obsessed with the yellow car, murders Gatsby in his pool and then takes his own life. - Book 1
Ch. 9Gatsby's FuneralGatsby's sparsely attended funeral in the rain underscores his isolation; only Nick, his father Henry Gatz, and a few others attend.
Gallery
Book 1: The Great Gatsby
Appearances
Next stop
Meet Nick Carraway in Bookworm
Meet Nick Carraway in your EPUB — spoiler-safe to the book you're on.
Ask about The Great Gatsby
Answers come from this wiki, only up to the book you're on.