Chapter 1

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald opens the novel by teaching us about his characters through their actions. Nick, the narrator, is a "pious" and unjudging observer of society as he tries to cement his place in the both the East and West Eggs. Daisy is immediately characterized as an enrapturing beauty with a secret, sad wisdom who is trapped in her marriage. On the other hand, her husband Tom appears to be the "bully" of their relationship as his controlling nature bleeds through even the first chapter. He is constantly cutting her off and driving the conversation around topics that interest him. We learn through Nick that Tom was once a football star and it is implied that he is still searching for that same kind of achievement and excitement in his life now, "I felt that Tom would drift on forever seeking, a little whistfully, for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game," (Fitzgerald, 6). This quote in many ways relates to people today. Everyone has a tendency to sometimes live in the past, to want those same feelings, experiences, and emotions. In reality, we probably remember those experiences better than they actually were, and therein lies the danger: recalling and enjoying past experiences is a good thing, but taking it just a touch over this line and refusing to live in the present can lead to unhealthy decisions and dissatisfaction with life.