Morality And Gatsby Essay, Research Paper

Morality and Gatsby

Morality is a very controversial issue. That is one of the reasons what people are

interested in reading about it. Morality can lead to many questions essentially it can lead

to the question between right and wrong. In The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway is faced

with a constant struggle between right and wrong.

Truth is an issue of morality. ?It all happened in a minute but it seemed to me that

she wanted to speak to us, thought we were somebody she knew.? (Fitzgerald 151) Daisy

and Gatsby tried to hide the fact that they hit and killed Myrtle Wilson while driving home

from New York. Nick Carraway, however, knew the truth and had to decide if he was

going to help hide the truth or let Daisy and Gatsby suffer the consequences. ?I don?t

think that anybody saw us but of course I can?t be sure.? (Fitzgerald 151). Gatsby felt

that he could hide the car and with it he could hide the truth. The truth is that Myrtle

Wilson was killed and Daisy and Gatsby are the ones to blame. They cannot hide that

truth.

The friendship between Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway is a questionable one and

full of doubt. ?He had seen me several times and had intended to call on me long before

but a peculiar combination of circumstances had prevented it-signed Jay Gatsby.?

(Fitzgerald 45-46) The two had lived next door to each other for awhile however, they

had never associated. Therefore, along with the invitation to the party there was some

suspicion. Jay Gatsby is a very wealthy man. Nick Carraway, although he lives in West

Egg, is not wealthy nor elegant. The two are certainly opposites. Gatsby and Carraway

are bound to take advantage of each other.

In The Great Gatsby morality is often put to the test. In the book, as well as real

life, there are consequences that follow the actions that are taken. Morality differs from

person to person. However, there is one thing that is the same. Morality is a judgment

call determined by each person, there are no set rules.

1. Fitzgerald, Scott F. The Great Gatsby. Simon and Schuster, New York. 1925