The Great Gatsby Characters

The main characters in The Great Gatsby are Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and Jordan Baker. 

  • Jay Gatsby, born James Gatz, is a now-wealthy bootlegger in love with Daisy.
  • Nick Carraway is the narrator of the novel. He befriends Gatsby and assists him in meeting Daisy.
  • Daisy Buchanan is Nick’s cousin and the former lover of Gatsby.
  • Tom Buchanan is Daisy’s domineering, patrician husband. He is having an affair.
  • Jordan Baker is Daisy's lifelong friend and a professional golfer. She and Nick strike up a romance.

Characters

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Jay Gatsby

Jay Gatsby embodies the American Dream, ascending from poverty to a station of immense wealth. He is born James Gatz and grows up on his family’s farm in the midwest. He attends college in Minnesota, working as a janitor to pay his tuition, until he meets Dan Cody, a wealthy gold miner. Cody takes Gatsby under his wing, mentoring him and introducing him to the lure of wealth and materialism. Gatsby remains Cody’s protege until Cody’s death, at which point Gatsby joins the army. (Read our extended character analysis of Jay Gatsby.)

Nick Carraway

Nick Carraway narrates the novel’s events. Nick comes from a well-to-do but unglamorous upper-midwest background. When he moves to New York, where he lives in a cottage next door to the Gatsby Mansion and sells bonds on Wall Street, he is reunited with his cousin Daisy Buchanan. As a crucial link between long-lost paramours Gatsby and Daisy, Nick falls into the rushing current of the plot. (Read our extended character analysis of Nick Carraway.)

Daisy Buchanan

Daisy is a “golden girl,” born with money, beauty, and status. All throughout her life, her beauty and wealth have made men covet her, and she has honed her charms well. However, despite her advantages, Daisy appears to be an unhappy cynic, married to an unfaithful husband and left hoping that her daughter will be a “beautiful fool,” as she once was. (Read our extended character analysis of Daisy Buchanan.)

Tom Buchanan

Tom Buchanan is a brute who embodies the preening, power-hungry narrow-mindedness of the East Egg elite. Nick, who knew Tom from their time at Yale, remarks that Tom was once an incredibly talented football player. While still wealthy and physically imposing, Tom, at the young age of 30, is already past his prime. Tom seems to be drifting through life, seeking out some “irrecoverable football game.” (Read our extended character analysis of Tom Buchanan.)

Jordan Baker

Jordan Baker is the childhood friend of Daisy Buchanan. A professional golfer, she quickly attracts the attention of Nick Carraway, and the two begin a romantic relationship. Nick is initially taken in by Jordan’s apparent detachment from the rest of the elitist East Egg society. However, she quickly proves to be just as vapid and dishonest as the rest of the “secret society.” (Read our extended character analysis of Jordan Baker.)

Minor Characters

In addition to the characters above, Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby includes many minor characters. For more information about these characters, read more about them on their own page.

Expert Q&A

Compare and contrast Daisy and Myrtle in The Great Gatsby. What is Fitzgerald revealing?

Though Daisy and Myrtle in The Great Gatsby appear vastly different, due to factors such as their differences in classes and backgrounds, they are greatly alike, as is exhibited by their materialism, affairs with other men, dissatisfaction with sharing Tom, toleration of abuse, and more.

Which main characters in The Great Gatsby are dynamic and which are static?

In The Great Gatsby, dynamic characters include Nick Carraway, who becomes disillusioned with the wealthy lifestyle, and George Wilson, who transforms from meek to vengeful. Static characters include Tom Buchanan, who remains arrogant; Daisy Buchanan, who stays superficial; Jordan Baker, who remains unattached; Myrtle Wilson, who clings to her dreams; and Jay Gatsby, who remains hopeful about Daisy.

Did any characters in The Great Gatsby cheat on their spouses or partners?

In The Great Gatsby, both Tom and Daisy Buchanan cheat on each other. Tom has an affair with Myrtle Wilson, while Daisy rekindles a romance with Jay Gatsby, visiting him frequently. Additionally, Nick Carraway, despite having a girlfriend back home, shows romantic interest in Jordan Baker, indicating a minor episode of infidelity.

What adjectives describe Daisy, Tom, and Jordan in The Great Gatsby?

In The Great Gatsby, Daisy, Tom, and Jordan are described as shallow and wealthy, prioritizing their desires over loyalty or morality. Tom is characterized as arrogant, abrasive, racist, and cruel. Daisy is intelligent, flirtatious, dissatisfied, weak, and practical, often taking the easy way out. Jordan is enigmatic, dishonest, and emotionally unflappable, maintaining a cool demeanor amidst chaos. All three are socially privileged and comfortable in their elite circles.

How old are Myrtle Wilson, George, and Gatsby in The Great Gatsby?

Myrtle Wilson is described as being in her middle-thirties, while George Wilson's age is not specified but inferred to be between his middle and late thirties. Jay Gatsby is explicitly stated to be a year or two over thirty. Although the novel hints that other characters are around the same age as Gatsby, Myrtle and George's exact ages are not definitively given.

Which characters from The Great Gatsby fit different character descriptions?

In The Great Gatsby, Jordan Baker and Myrtle are flat characters. Jordan remains an egocentric socialite throughout, and Myrtle is depicted as an obnoxious, party-loving woman. Nick Carraway is the most dynamic character, evolving from being torn between allure and repulsion of the rich lifestyle to becoming more cynical and returning to a traditional Midwestern life.

How do characters in The Great Gatsby demonstrate determination?

In The Great Gatsby, characters like Gatsby epitomize determination through their relentless pursuit of goals. Gatsby's life is driven by his obsession with marrying Daisy, despite her being married. His determination is evident in his rise to wealth from nothing, and his refusal to abandon his dream even after Myrtle's death. This unwavering resolve, seen when he stands outside Daisy's house, highlights his inability to let go of his romantic vision.

Compare and contrast Jordan Baker and Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby.

Nick Carraway is non-judgmental, responsible, and a good listener, which makes him endearing to others. Conversely, Jordan Baker is portrayed as shallow, ornamental, and careless, using people for her advantage. While Nick works for a living and has been to war, Jordan indulges in recreational activities like golf. Their brief relationship highlights their differences, with Nick's sense of responsibility contrasting Jordan's self-centeredness.

What does the following quote reveal about women's portrayal and the characters of Tom and Daisy Buchanan in the novel?

“Oh, yes." She looked at me absently. "Listen, Nick; let me tell you what I said when she was born. Would you like to hear?"
"Very much."
"It'll show you how I've gotten to feel about—things. Well, she was less than an hour old and Tom was God knows where. I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling and asked the nurse right away if it was a boy or a girl. She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. 'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”

This quote reveals that women in the novel's society are valued for beauty over intelligence, with Daisy expressing a belief that being a "fool" is preferable for a woman's happiness. Daisy's narrative highlights her feelings of abandonment by Tom, who is absent during significant moments such as their child's birth. This reflects Tom's selfishness and insensitivity, while Daisy's statement also mirrors her disillusionment with marriage and her emotional response to Tom's infidelity.

How does Gatsby's obsession with Daisy affect other characters?

Gatsby's obsession with Daisy affects other characters significantly. It drives Nick and Jordan to facilitate their reunion, involving Nick deeply in their lives. Daisy's affair with Gatsby strains her marriage to Tom, leading to a confrontation that exposes Gatsby. Daisy's reckless driving results in Myrtle Wilson's death, prompting her husband, George, to seek revenge. Misinformed by Tom, George kills Gatsby and himself, making Gatsby's obsession a catalyst for tragedy.

In The Great Gatsby, how is Gatsby, despite his criminal activities, portrayed as more sensitive to life than other characters?

“If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity of the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away."

Gatsby is portrayed as more sensitive to life than other characters through his profound belief in the "promises of life," particularly his dream of rekindling his romance with Daisy. This sensitivity is akin to the optimism of early American settlers. Gatsby's lavish parties and attention to detail, like replacing a guest's gown, further demonstrate his sensitivity and contrast sharply with Tom Buchanan's callousness. Gatsby's gestures are "gorgeous" because they reflect an extraordinary pursuit of his dreams.

The characters most responsible for the deaths in The Great Gatsby

The characters most responsible for the deaths in The Great Gatsby are Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. Tom's deceit and manipulation, Daisy's reckless driving and failure to take responsibility, and Gatsby's obsessive pursuit of a dream lead to the tragic events in the novel.

Analysis of Jordan, Daisy, and Myrtle's attitudes towards men, their motivations, and their relevance to contemporary women

Jordan, Daisy, and Myrtle in The Great Gatsby exhibit varying attitudes towards men shaped by their social aspirations and personal desires. Jordan is independent and cynical, valuing her autonomy. Daisy is driven by material comfort and social status, leading to her shallow relationships. Myrtle seeks escape from her lower-class life through an affair. Their motivations reflect ongoing issues of autonomy, materialism, and social mobility relevant to contemporary women.

Myrtle and George Wilson: Character Analysis and Role in The Great Gatsby's Setting

Myrtle and George Wilson in The Great Gatsby are depicted as contrasting characters living in the Valley of Ashes. Myrtle, Tom Buchanan's mistress, is vivacious and materialistic, seeking wealth and status, while her husband George, a naive and passive garage owner, is unaware of her affair. They symbolize the struggle and desperation of those outside the elite class. Their tragic fate underscores the destructive impact of the Buchanans' carelessness and the stark class divide in the novel.

Analysis of Heroes and Villains in The Great Gatsby

In The Great Gatsby, heroes and villains are complex and multifaceted. Jay Gatsby can be seen as a hero for his relentless pursuit of his dreams and love for Daisy, but also as a villain for his involvement in illegal activities. Tom Buchanan is often viewed as a villain due to his arrogance, infidelity, and oppressive behavior, yet he also exposes Gatsby's criminal background. The characters' actions and motivations blur the lines between heroism and villainy.

Antagonist in The Great Gatsby

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan is often seen as the antagonist due to his wealth, arrogance, racism, and misogyny. He opposes Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, his wife, and plays a pivotal role in Gatsby's downfall by revealing Gatsby's criminal activities and indirectly causing his death. Daisy Buchanan is also viewed as a villain for her self-centeredness and willingness to let Gatsby take the blame for Myrtle's death. Gatsby, despite his flaws, is depicted as a tragic hero driven by idealism and the American Dream.

The significance and roles of both major and minor characters in "The Great Gatsby."

In The Great Gatsby, major characters like Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick drive the main plot, highlighting themes of the American Dream and social stratification. Minor characters, such as Jordan Baker and Myrtle Wilson, serve to deepen the narrative and provide contrast to the main characters, emphasizing the novel’s exploration of moral decay and the pursuit of wealth.

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