Character analysis

The Great Gatsby has a several characters, here they are.

The first character to be presented is Jay Gatsby. Already when the title is read it is clear that the story will be about someone called Gatsby and later, on page eight, this sentence is written:

“Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction – Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. “ Page 8

This sentence plus the title makes it quite clear that Jay Gatsby is the main character, the protagonist without having read that much. But also later when the whole book has been read it is clear that every occurrence has connection with Gatsby in one way or another.

But another major character called Nick could also be seen as the protagonist. Because it is his story too, the story when he moved to West Egg and met Jay Gatsby. Nick is almost always present in the story but most time he is not a central figure. Since Nick is not that central as Gatsby it is maybe more suitable to title Gatsby as the protagonist.

Then there are two characters that have a little minor importance than Gatsby and Nick, but still they are major characters. There are Tom Buchanan and his wife Daisy. Daisy is the person Gatsby had a relationship with for five years earlier and he is still in love with her. In addition she is Nick’s second cousin. Daisy contributes with more tension in the story because Gatsby has decided to win her back even though she is married.

Since Daisy is Gatsby’s goal, Tom Buchanan is the antagonist. Tom is the person who prevents Gatsby from getting married with Daisy. Even though he has a secret relation with a woman called Myrtle he does not want Gatsby to steel his wife. Tom’s actions do not surprise the reader and can be seen as a flat character. He is quite aggressive, false and heartless and that is the only personalities he shows.

Myrtle Wilson is Tom’s mistress. She is a static and flat character whose function probably is to show that Tom is a liar and a bad husband. Furthermore she is the reason to Gatsby’s death. Her husband George Wilson is also a flat character, but in contrary to Myrtle he develops and turns out to be a dynamic character in the end when Myrtle dies.

Finally there are many minor characters whose only purpose is to present rumors about Gatsby or give clues of what he actually is working with and what kind of people who is visiting his parties. But also a few other minor characters who not have this function. The minor characters that are connected with Gatsby are very important because they help to create the mystery around Gatsby, which makes the reader curious. The two following paragraphs show two of the rumors:

“’ I live at West Egg.’ ’Really? I was down there at a party about a month ago. At a named Gatsby’s. Do you know him?’’I live next door to him.’ ’Well, they say he’s a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm’s. That’s where all his money comes from.’” Page 38 

 “The two girls and Jordan leaned tighter confidentially. ‘Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once.’” Page 50

As a reader you begin to wonder who he really is and if the rumors are true. They also show that Gatsby is quite famous.

This was the character analysis and the final analysis will be about  the theme.