The Great Gatsby: Character Summaries
Jay Gatsby
The mysterious protagonist of the novel, formerly James Gatz. He grew up in the Midwest,
but after being in the army and meeting Daisy, he reinvented himself into Jay Gatsby. A
wealthy, glamorous, elusive figure. He is Nick Carraway’s neighbour on the ‘new money’
West Egg. He regularly throws large, lavish parties. The mystery surrounding Gatsby means
that other characters (Tom Buchanan) refer to him as “Mr Nobody from Nowhere.” Gatsby is
surrounded by rumours, some believe “he killed a man,” others say he is a German spy.
Gatsby’s elusive nature dissolves as the novel progresses. We learn he met Dan Cody at a
young age, he became a father figure to Gatsby. When Cody died, Gatsby got involved with
the sinister Meyer Wolfsheim, suggesting he makes his money through criminality.
Throughout the novel, Gatsby goes to great lengths to present himself as a man of breeding,
hence his enormous house, outlandish car, and his way of speaking (“Old sport”). In doing
these things, he is acting out a role he believes will fit Daisy’s ideals. However, despite all his
attempts to portray himself as a new world aristocrat, he still exudes the superficiality of
new money. He met Daisy while he was a soldier, they fell in love but noting could come of
it due to the gap between their social statuses. This set Gatsby on the path to become ‘good
enough’ for Daisy, however this was a vicious cycle, in trying to recapture the past he got
further and further away from who he used to be.
Nick Carraway
The narrator of the novel. He is Daisy’s second cousin and Gatsby’s neighbour. Like Gatsby,
he grew up in the Midwest but moved to New York. His role as a narrator allows the
audience to view him in two ways, as both a character and a narrator. His poetic, lyrical
narration contrasts with his dull job as a broker. This suggests that being in the presence of
colourful, complex characters drew his creativity to the surface of his reserved demeanour.
Nick reveals little (or false) information about himself, giving him little reliability as a
narrator. He seems to see the world as a sad, bleak place: “At the enchanted metropolitan
twilight I felt a haunting loneliness.” This melancholy is prominent when Nick thinks about
growing old. This draws him to Gatsby, it’s as though being close to someone who chases
the past will somehow slow the passage of time. Nicks romance with Jordan and with “a girl
out west” is all subplot, making the sole focus Gatsby and Daisy.
Daisy Buchanan
She Grew up in a wealthy family in Kentucky, where she met Gatsby when he was a young
officer in the army. The reader gets a sense that she was hugely popular in her youth, but at
the time of the novel her social life seems diminished, a probable outcome of her marriage
to Tom. It is implied that her delicateness is part of her allure, even her name ‘Daisy’
suggests fragility. Fitzgerald also presents her voice as alluring: “There was an excitement in
her voice that men who cared for her found it difficult to forget.” Throughout the novel
Daisy’s bored tone is interspersed with bursts of both excitement and cynicism. These fickle
emotions contribute to the sense of superficiality surrounding her. Daisy appears to Gatsby
full of the appeal of ‘old money’ an elevated social class. She was the first “nice girl” he ever
knew. Due to her embodiment of this wealthy, privileged way of life, she appears to enchant
Gatsby; he is enthralled by the life she represents, not by her as an individual. The imagery
of Daisy and Jordan on the sofa when the reader is first introduced to them suggests that
Daisy tends to ‘float’ around in the world of romance and fancy instead of being a realist.
She constructs a façade of relaxed, easy prosperity. However, the reader sees through this
Jay Gatsby
The mysterious protagonist of the novel, formerly James Gatz. He grew up in the Midwest,
but after being in the army and meeting Daisy, he reinvented himself into Jay Gatsby. A
wealthy, glamorous, elusive figure. He is Nick Carraway’s neighbour on the ‘new money’
West Egg. He regularly throws large, lavish parties. The mystery surrounding Gatsby means
that other characters (Tom Buchanan) refer to him as “Mr Nobody from Nowhere.” Gatsby is
surrounded by rumours, some believe “he killed a man,” others say he is a German spy.
Gatsby’s elusive nature dissolves as the novel progresses. We learn he met Dan Cody at a
young age, he became a father figure to Gatsby. When Cody died, Gatsby got involved with
the sinister Meyer Wolfsheim, suggesting he makes his money through criminality.
Throughout the novel, Gatsby goes to great lengths to present himself as a man of breeding,
hence his enormous house, outlandish car, and his way of speaking (“Old sport”). In doing
these things, he is acting out a role he believes will fit Daisy’s ideals. However, despite all his
attempts to portray himself as a new world aristocrat, he still exudes the superficiality of
new money. He met Daisy while he was a soldier, they fell in love but noting could come of
it due to the gap between their social statuses. This set Gatsby on the path to become ‘good
enough’ for Daisy, however this was a vicious cycle, in trying to recapture the past he got
further and further away from who he used to be.
Nick Carraway
The narrator of the novel. He is Daisy’s second cousin and Gatsby’s neighbour. Like Gatsby,
he grew up in the Midwest but moved to New York. His role as a narrator allows the
audience to view him in two ways, as both a character and a narrator. His poetic, lyrical
narration contrasts with his dull job as a broker. This suggests that being in the presence of
colourful, complex characters drew his creativity to the surface of his reserved demeanour.
Nick reveals little (or false) information about himself, giving him little reliability as a
narrator. He seems to see the world as a sad, bleak place: “At the enchanted metropolitan
twilight I felt a haunting loneliness.” This melancholy is prominent when Nick thinks about
growing old. This draws him to Gatsby, it’s as though being close to someone who chases
the past will somehow slow the passage of time. Nicks romance with Jordan and with “a girl
out west” is all subplot, making the sole focus Gatsby and Daisy.
Daisy Buchanan
She Grew up in a wealthy family in Kentucky, where she met Gatsby when he was a young
officer in the army. The reader gets a sense that she was hugely popular in her youth, but at
the time of the novel her social life seems diminished, a probable outcome of her marriage
to Tom. It is implied that her delicateness is part of her allure, even her name ‘Daisy’
suggests fragility. Fitzgerald also presents her voice as alluring: “There was an excitement in
her voice that men who cared for her found it difficult to forget.” Throughout the novel
Daisy’s bored tone is interspersed with bursts of both excitement and cynicism. These fickle
emotions contribute to the sense of superficiality surrounding her. Daisy appears to Gatsby
full of the appeal of ‘old money’ an elevated social class. She was the first “nice girl” he ever
knew. Due to her embodiment of this wealthy, privileged way of life, she appears to enchant
Gatsby; he is enthralled by the life she represents, not by her as an individual. The imagery
of Daisy and Jordan on the sofa when the reader is first introduced to them suggests that
Daisy tends to ‘float’ around in the world of romance and fancy instead of being a realist.
She constructs a façade of relaxed, easy prosperity. However, the reader sees through this
