Analyzing Chapter One of The Great Gatsby

Within the first chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the reader can already see many plot elements beginning to take shape.
The first chapter of the novel chronicles the scene and environment that Nick Carraway arrives to in the "West Egg" portion of Long Island, New York. The residence that Carraway moves into in Long Island is situated next to "Gatsby's mansion", although there is of yet no meaning or explanation as to who Gatsby is or why his home should be of any significance. After settling into his home Carraway makes a journey to "West Egg" in order to visit his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan. While there, Carraway also meets Jordan Baker, a competitive golfer whom he is encouraged to take romantic interest in. At the very end of the chapter, Carraway encounters Gatsby for the first time, with his arms spread out over dark water. Gatsby's purpose in the story as well as what he is doing at the lake are left unanswered at the end of the chapter.

In choosing a character to focus on for the first chapter, there is perhaps no better choice than Nick Carraway himself. Located within the first chapter are many examples of quotes which can be used to define Carraway and his personality. One of the most interesting quotes which one can associate with Carraway is his statement that, "I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of oral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart." While it is difficult to attach any true meaning to such a statement as of yet, since we are aware of very little regarding Carraway's experiences and views in relation to the world, there can be no doubt that such a statement will be better defined in future chapters of the novel. Also interesting to take note of the early chapters of the novel are the qualities of Carraway and his overall personality. It seems as though Carraway is very well liked in terms of his peers and family members. However, one can also see view of snobbery within him. Note that Carraway begins his narrative with the advice that his father once passed on to him, in that he should not judge those who may not have had the particular advantages that he possessed at birth. From these statements, the reader can assume that Carraway may be very harsh in his judgments and evaluations of others. Although few characters have been given a definitive role and place by this point in the novel, it is safe to assume that Carraway will act as the protagonist throughout the story.

While there are many meaningful quotes within the first chapter of the novel, the one that really stands out can be found in the first few pages of the text. "I hope she'll be a fool-that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." As this quote is said by Daisy, much can be inferred about her personality and the world in which she lives as a result of her statement. Although Daisy does appear to be involved in the world around her, and at least semi-intelligent, it seems as though the entire culture at this time in history does not particularly value intelligence as a great personality factor, especially in terms of women. Thus, it can be said that this quote may play in very well with the rest of the novel, as well as the opinions which are presented in it during the later chapters. While there are also many other notable quotes which can be found within the novel, the one selected here is perhaps the most revealing in terms of the characters' personality traits and attitude towards life.

In addition to the possession of important quotations, Chapter One of The Great Gatsby also contains very important symbols, many of which can also be found at several other points in the course of the novel. The color green is one of the very important symbols that can be found early in the novel. The color green is though to represent many things throughout literature, In the case of this novel, green comes to represent Gatsby's hopes and dreams for his future, as well as many crucial aspects of his personality. Perhaps much can also be read into the idea that most of Carraway's books and volumes are unread and, for the most part, entirely unused.

Despite the lack of explanation that can be found for many things in the first chapter, it still serves as an impressive and interesting exposition for the novel. One can only wonder in what direction the plot and characters will progress from this point onward. Certainly, it will be very interesting to look into the actions and behaviors of Gatsby, as he appears to be a unique and complex character within the novel, at least for the present.