Chapter 1 Analysis

The Great Gatsby begins with an introduction to the narrator's past. The narrator, Nick as we will later find out, says that his father once told him that “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had”. Therefore, right at the start of the book we realize that many of the characters of this book are privileged and wealthy. Because of the narrator’s nonjudgmental attitude, many people go to him with their stories and problems. The narrator tells of his journey to the East Egg. He tells of how he dislikes most of the people who are from there. The one person that he has some respect for and appreciation of is Jay Gatsby. During our narrator, who we now know as Nick’s journey to the East Egg, he stays with his second cousin daisy and her husband. As the night goes on, more secrets of their household are reviled. Nick finds out that Daisy’s husband has been cheating on her. It becomes evident that everyone knows about this affair. Probably because his girlfriend blatantly call the house when they want him. The lack of tact involved his affair leads to a tensioned marriage and an embarrassing reputation in the community. The people with the “new money” have a distraught life. Right in the first chapter, we see the major difference between “New money” and “Old Money”, East Egg and West Egg. Nick, from the West Egg, was taught that he should not judge anyone and be appreciative of his advantages, whereas Daisy and her family in the East Egg are selfish and constantly wanting more and are not happy with what they have.