Nick Carraway | |
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The Great Gatsby character | |
Created by | Francis Scott Fitzgerald |
Portrayed by |
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Information | |
Gender | Male |
Occupation |
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Significant other(s) | Jordan Baker |
Nationality | American |
Nick Carraway is a fictional character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (1925).
In his narration, Nick Carraway explains that he was born in Minnesota, and served in World War I. After the war, he moves to West Egg, a wealthy enclave of Long Island, from Minnesota to learn about the bond business. He lives near his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and her wealthy husband Tom, who was Nick's classmate at Yale University. They introduce him to their friend Jordan Baker, a cynical young heiress, and she and Nick have a brief romance.
Another neighbor, Jay Gatsby, invites Nick to one of his legendary parties. Nick is immediately intrigued by the mysterious socialite, especially when Gatsby introduces him to the gangster Meyer Wolfsheim, who is rumored to have helped Gatsby make his fortune in the bootlegging business. Gatsby takes a liking to Nick, and confesses to him that he has been in love with Daisy since before the war and that his extravagant lifestyle is just an attempt to impress her. He asks Nick for his help in winning her over. Nick invites Daisy over to his house without telling her that Gatsby will be there. When Gatsby and Daisy resume their love affair, Nick serves as their confidant.
Nick later discovers that Daisy struck and killed Tom's lover, Myrtle Wilson, in Gatsby's car. Myrtle's husband, George had been told by Tom it was Gatsby who had been driving the car when it hit Myrtle; in which he killed Gatsby and then himself. Nick has a funeral for Gatsby and decides to leave West Egg, reflecting that the era of dreaming that Gatsby represented is over.
Paul Rudd portrays Carraway in the 2000 television adaptation.