The Great Gatsby - Chapter One

In the first chapter of 'The Great Gatsby', we get a great sense of where you come from affecting who you are and how you're seen, for example the mid-westerners seen a lot more calm and serene than those who have grown up in the east.  We are also given an insight into Nick's character, when he says: 'I'm inclined to reserve all judgements' as if he's been brought up in a particular way, and since moving to a 'looser' place he is slightly alienated and out of his comfort zone.  

He spends a large majority of his time observing, particularly observing wild behaviour. 'Accused of being a politician' shows how he may try to please everyone, and get on their good side.  It also presents the idea that he is old for his years, possibly having been matured by war.

Later on in the chapter, we meet Daisy, Jordan, and Tom, and straight away are given a sense of how wealthy they are from the line: 'They had spent a year in France for no particular reason'. Throughout Nick's visit to their house, it made obvious how arrogant Tom is. For example when he says 'I've got a nice place here', normally this is a phrase given to someone else as a compliment, however Tom is saying it about himself. Also, he later says that 'he'd be a damned fool to live anywhere else', not only showing off about where he lives, but also trying to make Nick look inferior for living somewhere else. When Tom talks about how he has read a book claiming that 'the white race will be - will be utterly submerged', we are shown that not only is Tom arrogant and self centred, but he is racist as well. Finally, Tom takes a phone call from his mistress in the middle of dinner, not only being rude by missing dinner, but not being even slightly subtle in the presence of Daisy.

A feature of F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing that is shown clearly at the end of the chapter, is his use of vivid detail to create interesting images for the reader.  He often uses phrases such as 'pools of light' and 'loud, bright night' in his work, and oxymoronic language such as 'paternal contempt'.