Many critics of The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, say that Nick is the hero of the story. They believe this, because Nick is the only dynamic character in the story, he is the protagonist of the book, and he is the character that initiates most of the action in the novel.
Nick as a Dynamic Character
One reason that many critics of this novel believe that Nick, not Gatsby, is the hero of this book is because nick is the only dynamic character in the story. Although many would argue that Gatsby was the hero, by the end of the book Gatsby's outlook on life was exactly the same. Gatsby still believed that he could change the past and died thinking he had. Nick, on the other hand, changed throughout the book. His entire viewpoint on the American Dream was changed by the end of the novel. He realized that the moral decay of the east had destroyed the American Dream and he had to move back west to keep that dream alive. He also realized that you “can” repeat the past. His mindset is changed and he realized that the past is doomed to repeat itself, whether it is good or bad.
Nick as the Protagonist
The second reason why many say that Nick is the hero of this book is because he is considered the protagonist. Although Gatsby comes in a close second, Nick is the most prevalent character of the book. The novel not only starts and ends with Nick, Nick, himself, is the narrator of The Great Gatsby. Nick told this story from his point of view sometime after the events had taken place and he had been able to bring all of the facts together. Because of his involvement in the story, and his narration of the story, it proves that he is the protagonist of the book. Further proving the point is Nick's antagonist, society. Society's pull tries to change Nick. The moral decay of the East during this time period is the main antagonist of the book and the character it quarrels with the most, is, without a doubt, Nick. By the end of this novel, Nick is forced to overcome society's moral decay and move back west where life is simple and morals are present.
Nick as the Main Initiator of Action
Finally, it is easy to see that Nick initiates most of the action in the book. Without Nick's connection to all of the main characters in the novel, many of the conflicts that arose would never have happened. Nick's friendship with Gatsby, and family ties with Daisy made it possible for them to reconnect. Gatsby may never have had the courage to meet with Daisy and tell her he still loved her if Nick hadn't have been there for support and to help with the planning. Nick also wraps up many of the stories in the book. Through Nick's actions and thought, Gatsby's, and many other characters', true colors are revealed and a lot can be learned about them. Nick is the main imitator of action in the story and can be exclusively linked to almost every major occurrence in the novel.
Conclusion
Nick, not Gatsby, is the hero of this novel. The critics who believe this are right in their thinking for many reasons. It is easy to see that Nick is the protagonist of The Great Gatsby, it is a fact that he is a dynamic character, and he is essential to almost every action that takes place in the novel. Nick is the hero of The Great Gatsby.
