The Great Gatsby / F. Scott Fitzgerald (pg 17-26)

I find it interesting that you do not find out the main characters first name until page 19.  On the third page you learn some of his family history but not his name.  The main character is also the narrator.  This is a first person point of view narration.  Not telling you the main characters name and having it be first person point of view adds to the feeling of being told a personal story or memory. That is however what the book is and the author did a good job of giving that feel to the book so far.  Telling a story like it is a personal memory I think helps the book be more engaging especially compared to House of Mirth’s third person point of view.  How he references the cultural feelings towards minority races is interesting.  “‘This fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us who ate the dominant race to watch our or these other races will have control of things’” (Fitzgerald 17).  This comment is by Tom a friend of Nicks.  I find it interesting how hardcore Tom takes to the ideas in the book.  It is also interesting that because it says it is scientifically proven it is that much more believable to Tom.