The Great Gatsby Character Analysis

Character Analysis

• Jay Gatsby: Central character known for his immense wealth and extravagant Saturday night parties. His deep love for Daisy Buchanan motivates many of his actions throughout the story.

• Nick Carraway: The novel's narrator, a World War I veteran, and Yale graduate. Moves to New York to pursue a career in bonds. Renowned for his honesty and trustworthiness, he provides a moral framework for the story.

• Daisy Buchanan: Nick's cousin who embodies wealth and social status. Despite her romantic past with Gatsby, she marries Tom Buchanan and lives across the bay from Gatsby, creating a tension-filled love triangle.

• Tom Buchanan: Daisy's wealthy, physically strong husband who attended Yale with Nick. Characterized by his bullying nature and infidelity, he has an affair that highlights his moral shortcomings.

• Jordan Baker: A friend of Daisy and a representation of the modern woman in the 1920s. Nick becomes romantically involved with her. Athletic and self-centered, she reflects the changing social norms of the era.

• Myrtle Wilson: Tom's mistress, discontent with her marriage to George Wilson. She seeks to elevate her social status, revealing themes of aspiration and class struggle.

• George Wilson: Myrtle's husband, depicted as weary and disillusioned. He operates a struggling auto shop, symbolizing the American Dream's disappointment for some.

• Owl Eyes: A quirky, inebriated guest at Gatsby's party who observes the disparity between Gatsby's wealth and genuine substance. His interest in books suggests a disconnect between appearance and reality.

• Klipspringer: A freeloader living at Gatsby’s mansion, representing superficial relationships that lack depth or loyalty, contrasting with Gatsby's genuine but unreciprocated love.

• Meyer Wolfsheim: A figure connected to organized crime, revealing Gatsby's questionable ties to the criminal underworld and adding complexity to his character.