This novella is written as a flashback from Nick 's memory, two years after Gatsby’s death. He clearly states at the beginning of Chapter IX, “After two years I remember the rest of that day” (Fitzgerald 155). He has the privilege of better understanding the events after they happened. By this time, most of his emotions and opinion about the characters have died away with time. This gives …show more content…
Nick says, “I’m inclined to reserve all judgment” (Fitzgerald 7). Nick is tolerant and a good listener, so the description he gives of each event and character is highly detailed and less biased than other characters. Nick 's ability to reserve judgment kept him in the light of current events. Tom had total trust in Nick when he introduced him to his mistress Myrtle. Tom never suspected that Nick would tell Daisy what he knew about Tom 's affair with Myrtle. Likewise, Daisy never suspected that Nick would share with Tom his knowledge of Daisy 's and Gatsby 's affair. Everyone trusts Nick to keep silent about secret affairs. Nick knew what everyone was doing behind the other 's back, but he never shared his classified knowledge. This characteristic kept Nick at the heart and center of the action of the book. At the end of Chapter III Nick tells the readers, “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” (Fitzgerald 59). Nick is surrounded by dishonest people and he says he is the most honest of them all. By reserving judgment about the other characters and, telling the honest truth, the reader can form his or her own opinion of what is happening in the