Topic > Point of View in The Great Gatsby - 1442

In The Great Gatsby, Nick does not have the supernatural ability to read the thoughts of the characters around him, or the ability to be in multiple places at once. Nick has the ability to look at the expressions of the characters around him and conclude a possible thought that the character is experiencing, but Nick is not completely certain that the expression seen is the sensation felt. Furthermore, Nick misses the opportunity to participate in many relevant conversations and events that could have greatly influenced the reader's understanding. In chapter 5, Gatsby arranges a secret meeting for him and Daisy at Nick's house. As Gatsby breaks the uncomfortable wall established between him and Daisy, Nick leaves the scene. When Nick returns "Daisy's face was covered in tears [...and Gatsby was] literally [brilliant]" (89). Ever since Nick left his house to leave Gatsby and Daisy alone, the reader has no idea what they said to each other and what they said to each other to produce those kinds of emotions. The reader may assume that the tears were produced by joy, but he loses the opportunity to obtain information that would later be essential in the novel. Another example where an omniscient point of view would have been significant is when Gatsby tells Nick that Daisy is the one who drove the vehicle that killed Myrtle in chapter 7. Gatsby had previously established himself as a dishonest man when he lied about his initiation humble. Therefore, since Nick was not in the same vehicle as Gatsby and Daisy, he does not know if everything Gatsby said is true. The reader is only exposed to what Gatsby says happened at the time and which may very well not be the truth. The reality is that Nick is not a God and has no clear image of one