"The Great Gatsby". Discusses Nick's "honesty" with God's point of veiw.

Essay by Angeleyez8577High School, 11th gradeA+, June 2003

download word file, 2 pages 5.0

Downloaded 26 times

Nick From The Great Gatsby said, "Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have every known." After reading the beginning of this book, I have concluded that Nick was either mistaken or lying. Though Nick appears to be a good guy, he does not know what true honesty is. Many of his actions prove him to be dishonest and morally wrong.

Nick believes that honesty means being a good person, and having nothing to hide. This is not true though. For example, when Tom openly had an affair on his wife, he did not show honesty. He did not hide that he was having an affair. He was not honest; he was shameless. Honesty requires sincerity and integrity. Americans in the 1920's did not commonly have these attributes. You cannot blame Nick for not knowing what honesty is; he never knew anyone who was honest.

Nick showed his dishonesty in his relationship with Miss Baker and with the girl back home. On page 64 he says, "But I am slow thinking and full of interior rules that act as they brakes on my desires, and I knew that first I had to get myself out of that tangle back home. I'd been writing letters once a week and signing them 'love, Nick,' and all I could think of was how when a certain girl played tennis, a faint moustache appeared on her upper lip. Nevertheless there was a vague understanding that had to be tactfully broken off before I was free." Nick goes by the emotions he has by the moment. He does not know what commitment is. He 'loved' this girl back home, but as soon as he found someone...