Scott Fitzgerald seemingly establishes an honest and reliable narrator in Nick Carraway to contrast the corrupt society into which he has fallen. As Carraway better acquaints himself with the lives of Gatsby, Tom, Daisy and Jordan, he realizes his misinterpretation of the aristocratic lifestyle and recaptures an appreciation for Midwestern life. Carraway's upbringing and morals shrewdly contradict the reckless lifestyles of the characters of the East Egg. In the midst of alcohol, week-long parties and carelessness, Carraway's prudence, temperance and tolerance compel the reader to adopt his analysis of events. The belief of self-reliance, moral attitude and hard work in this age has become in the words of Nick Carraway, " the service of a vast, vulgar and meretricious beauty." .
Carraway asserts, "I have been drunk just twice in my life and the second time was that afternoon" (33). This demonstrates Carraway's self-control and inability to be influenced by temptation. Carraway seldom describes introspective events; rather the majority of his narrative consists of personal and dialectal interpretations of others. He views Gatsby's parties, but never fully experiences them. He is aware of the affair between Myrtle Wilson and Tom Buchanan, but never does he approach Tom, nor does he implement a plan to warn Daisy. Carraway's passivity is ideal for his reliability as narrator. .
Carraway's prime trait is his honesty. Carraway writes, "In consequence I"m inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me" (5). In order to create an objective account, personal judgments cannot be displayed by the narrator. In contrast to Nick's East Egg companions, he earns a living as a bond salesman. Carraway is not left his fortune like Tom, nor does he obtain it illegally like Gatsby. Gatsby is a self-made man with a pure dream who made his money and became rich through illegal dealings in organized crime.