How is the story told in Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby

The first few pages can be described as a brief summary of Nick Carraway and his life where as a reader we begin to create and establish our perceptions of his character. Through the early summary, “In my younger and more...” , Nick is summarising his life; it is as if he is shortening and quickly describing snap snots of his life. Fitzgerald has created the character of Nick as a participant of the story, although he is more of a spectator. The brief beginning summary is then followed by “And so it happened that on a warm windy evening..” which can mark the beginning of the narrative and again shows the clever way that Fitzgerald has used Carraway’s character as a participant and a writer of the Gatsby story. This narrative technique focus’s the readers attention and creates a link between the reader and the character of Nick as it feels like he is personally relaying the story. Whereas through the later stages of the Chapter “the other girl, Daisy, made an attempt” is much more descriptive and film like, this technique continues through the book and shows how Fitzgerald is using the character of Nick to narrate the story like a writer. This is essential in the effect of the Novel as a whole.

        Another technique used in linking with narratorial voice is dialogue. The narrator being a character in the story therefore affects the way the story is told and the use of dialogue changes this and creates a factual and unchanged event. The first use of dialogue is deep into the first chapter and is essential as although it is through the eyes of Nick it reveals lots of information about all the characters represented, we learn of the distance between Nick, Daisy and Tom and of the odd relationship there characters travel on. The next use of dialogue in chapter one is equally important, “civilization’s going to pieces….if we don’t look out all the white race will be..” begins the decaying perception of Tom’s character and Fitzgerald has used the idea of a racist character to create the hatred and dislike for the character of Tom which helps us to agree with Nicks actions through the latter chapters of the novel.

        Through chapter one there are many critical points that effect and relay the story like the characterisation and the structure, along with the setting, time and context but the point of view of the narrator Nick dominates through the early descriptive judgements and this strong narratorial voice is essential in the telling of the story whilst Fitzgerald has also used the complicated and descriptive writing of Nick to establish the varying characters.