Nick Carraway introduced himself in the book starting with a story from a childhood memory. This story was an association with himself and his father. During the first chapter on the book, Carraway mentions the lack of family many people in the world have and the effects that could cause on a person's upbringing. Carraway starts off the story talking about the past of his own life, and then continued into the beginning of his life in New York,in an area also known as West Egg. He moved to West Egg in order to change his job and become a bondman in Wall Street. Carraway moved to the East Coast because of his time in the war. Due to being in the war, his whole view on life was change, which made him want a change of scenery and made his leave he place he called home all of his life. When moving to the city, Carraway began to feel much more comfortable and genuinely happy with life, rather that where he grew up, even though he was no longer surrounded by family.
Carraway's only family in New York was a long lost cousin named Daisy. She lives with her husband in a rich society because he had achieved great goals as a young man and now feels as though he has achieved everything in his life and there is nothing else to work for. Carraway proposes Tom as a sizable man with muscles of great strength and determined eyes. Tom Buchanan is seen as a man of strength and dignity, but also shows a slight bit of loneliness because he has already received so much success, fulfillment, and money early in his life.
Carraway portrays his cousin Daisy, as a woman who is a very happy and bubbly person. She would be the opposite of Tom, which gives an idea of how their marriage may be in the first chapter. Together, Daisy and Tom have a two year old girl, and it is assumed that Daisy is thrilled to have a child with Tom. As the first chapter progresses, Daisy recalls the story of her labor giving birth to her daughter. She tells Nick that she was cynical, which is the reverse of her normal personality. Daisy says she only wished one thing for her daughter when she was born, that she would be a fool, because all woman can be in a world full of dominating men, is a beautiful fool.
Nick Carraway doesn't talk much about Gatsby throughout the first chapter due to the fact that he does not see him until the very end of chapter, when Gatsby vanishes. Carraway doesn't know a whole lot about Mr. Gatsby, and finds him to be a very perplexing man. Daisy, who becomes vigilant when Ms. Baker brings up the name Gatsby at dinner, before the guest could linger the thought of Daisy's alertness, dinner was called and the time had passed, causing the his name to not be mentioned again. Mr. Gatsby lives in the beautiful mansion beside Nick Carraway's small home, and even though they did not speak, if can be inferred that there is some sort of connection between the two men. This idea is pointed out when Nick recalls that Gatsby is the one who changed him as a man and caused him to abandon the concept of a true man.
Nick Carraway's character in The Great Gatsby was during the time period of the Great War and he attended a well thought of college, Yale, immensely builds his ethos. Although he is not as rich as Tom or Gatsby for that matter, he still makes a living and has extra money used for pleasure. NIck Carraway both fought for our country and received a brilliant education, giving him the image of a very strong, hard working man.