Summary of major Great Gatsby characters

Few works of literature are as representative of a particular time period as F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is of the 1920's. First published in 1925, the novel was an instant hit, though some critics panned it and Fitzgerald as not serious enough. Despite that early criticism, it is now one of the most highly-revered works of American literature, consistently taught in high school, college and even graduate level English courses.

While there are plenty of other novels set in the 1920's, Gatsby has come to personify that luxuriousness of that era. The Great War was finally over and for many, it was time of unique prosperity (of course, for many others, it was time of serious hardship, but Fitzgerald only hints at that world in the The Great Gatsby, instead of focusing on the lavish parties and extravagant tastes of New York's East and West Egg, but that's too much Great Gatsby summary.)

It's in this world of wealthy frivolity that the narrator of the Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, finds himself at the beginning of the story. Nick is from the Midwest and though he had a comfortable upbringing, is of a modest disposition and, thanks to his father's advice, restrains from judging people as much as he can. The book opens with this advice, and it's easily one of the most famous Great Gatsby quotes, " In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice I've been turning over in my mind ever since. 'Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'"

It's Nick's very willingness to withhold criticism and give everyone the benefit of the doubt that allows him to become such great friends with his mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Despite their extreme differences, Nick and Gatsby strike up a friendship. Nick finds Gatsby to be beguiling, and possibly not trustworthy, but is willing to reserve judgment and learns that his new acquaintance has a truly fascinating, if intensely complicated, past.

Shortly after Gatsby and Nick begin their friendship, the reader discovers just how interconnected all of the Great Gatsby characters actually are. In the kind of twist of fate that only seems to exist in novels and movies, it turns out that Nick's cousin, Daisy (who is married with a child) has long been the object of Gatsby's affection and is in fact motivated him to pursue the extensive wealth and status that he has achieved.

It's when Gatsby decides to pursue Daisy again that things get complicated for all involved. Daisy's husband, Tom, is furious, despite his own infidelities and even Nick is having difficulty restraining himself from judging the morality of those involved, because while there are lots of actions he doesn't feel the need to criticize, watching people treat other carelessly is something he just can't do.

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