Three Examples in the Text

X- The Great Gatsby

Y- Nike as a unreliable narrator

Nike as a narrator and witness in The Great Gatsby, his words and judgments may be subject. There are three examples in the text.

1.     The narration of Nike’s personal experience has inevitable subjectivity.

At the beginning of the story, the narration indicates that Nike is cautious, righteous and objective narrator. He is “inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores.” However, he is not so objective as he evaluates himself. He is siding with Gatsby. For example, in order to beautify Gatsby is a good person, Nike even does not mention too much about Gatsby’s illegal alcohol business.

2.  In Nike’s narration, the information from other characters will be twisted.

For example, Jordon tells Nike the past of Daisy and Gatsby. “One October day in nineteen-seventeen…..” However, Nike is the reporter for her narration so that the original ideas may be twisted by his subjectivity.  

3.     Nike edits something that he does not see for himself by using imagination.

a.     No one witnesses the scene how Gatsby is killed, so Nike’s narration about the scene is came up by his imagination.

b.     Nike claims that Gatsby is always looking at him which just because he gets the unique invitation letter. Therefore, it is possible that Nike imagines Gatsby is watching him.