Nick Carraway

Nick Carraway
The Great Gatsby character
File:NickCarraway1.jpg Carraway as portrayed by Tobey Maguire in The Great Gatsby (2013)
Created by	F. Scott Fitzgerald
Portrayed by	Neil Hamilton (1926 film) Macdonald Carey (1949 film) Sam Waterston (1974 film) Paul Rudd (2000 film) Tobey Maguire (2013 film)
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Bond salesman
Family	Daisy Buchanan (cousin)
Nationality	American

Nick Carraway is a fictional character and narrator in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.

Character biography

In his narration, Nick Carraway explains that he was born in the Middle West. The Carraway Family owned a hardware business (opened in 1851) and were something of an established family. Nick served in World War I in the Third Division. At a young age his father advised him to reserve all judgements on people. After the war he moved from the Midwest to West Egg, a wealthy enclave of Long Island, to learn about the bond business. He takes up residence near his cousin, Daisy Buchanan and her wealthy husband Tom, who was Nick's classmate at Yale University. They introduce him to their friend Jordan Baker, a cynical young heiress and professional golfer. She and Nick have a brief romance.

Another neighbor and Daisy Buchanan's lover, Jay Gatsby, invites Nick to one of his legendary parties. Nick is immediately intrigued by the mysterious socialite, especially when Gatsby introduces him to the gangster Meyer Wolfsheim, who is rumored to have helped Gatsby make his fortune in the bootlegging business. Gatsby takes a liking to Nick, and confesses to him that he has been in love with Daisy since before the war and that his extravagant lifestyle is just an attempt to impress her. He asks Nick for his help in winning her over. Nick invites Daisy over to his house without telling her that Gatsby will be there. When Gatsby and Daisy resume their love affair, Nick serves as their confidant.

Nick later discovers that Daisy struck and killed George's wife (and Tom's lover), Myrtle Wilson, in Gatsby's car. Tom then tells George that Gatsby had been driving the car. George then kills Gatsby and then himself. Nick holds a funeral for Gatsby and decides to leave West Egg and return to his native Midwest, reflecting that the era of dreaming that Gatsby represented is over.

Portrayals

Film

• Neil Hamilton portrays Carraway in the 1926 film The Great Gatsby.
• Macdonald Carey portrays Carraway in the 1949 film The Great Gatsby.
• Sam Waterston portrays Carraway in the 1974 film The Great Gatsby.
• Tobey Maguire portrays Carraway in the 2013 film The Great Gatsby.

Television

• Paul Rudd portrays Carraway in the 2000 television adaptation.

Radio

• In October 2008, the BBC World Service commissioned and broadcast an abridged 10-part reading of the story, read from the view of Nick Carraway by Trevor White.
• Bryan Dick played Carraway in the 2012 two-part BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial production.