The Great Gatsby: Characterization

"Now he was a sturdy, straw haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner." (page 11)

The above quote is a description of Tom Buchanon. It is direct characterization because Fitzgerald is stating exactly how Tom Buchanon is instead of allowing the reader to imply it. Characterization is all in this book. It's seriously everywhere. Perhaps this is because I am only supposed to read the first half of the book so far. In the beginnings of books, this is where characters are introduced. This allows the reader to figure out what is going on. However, I still feel incredibly immersed in the characterization of this novel. I also find it ironic how most of the characters are simply described explicitly. Characters such as Tom and Daisy are described to a T when it comes to who they are and their appearances. When it comes to Gatsby, the characterization is more implied. Yes, some of the characterization is described explicitly, but not all. I think that this is due to the characters and the stories themselves. For example, everyone in the story is kind of placed into the stereotype as to caring so much as to how they look. Yes, they are all easily distinguishable due to how they look, but their personalities don't really matter to each other. Everyone is so excessive with materialism that they have lost sight as to what truly matters. Gatsby, on the other hand, cares about material possessions, but he also shows sign as to caring about others' personalities. I realized this on page six when Nick said, "Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction- Gatsby who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn." Gatsby is different, and this is evident through the way Fitzgerald characterizes him.