Great Gatsby is arguably a story that regards the moral character of the people the author presents in the novel. Nick and Gatsby have very different moral centers and values. There are many examples of this in the story. Nick, until the end of the story, tried to hold true moral statue for himself. For instance, Nick says "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known- (64), upholding a virtue of honesty to himself and to others. Gatsby on the other hand, lied repeatedly to Nick and others over his past. Gatsby had stated that he had been educated at Oxford and participated in many romantic ventures across the world, while trying to escape a tragic past, and Nick had to "restrain . . . [his] incredulous laughter. The very phrases were worn so threadbare that they evoked no image except that of a . . . "character- leaking sawdust at every pore- (70). It takes Gatsby numerous attempts before he finally tells Nick the truth. Another example of the differences in the moralities of these two characters is in the way they maintained these morals. Nick tried to remain true to his beliefs despite many influences from other characters in the novel. On the opposite end, however, Gatsby sacrificed many of his morals, mostly to obtain and expand his wealth. This can be supported by Gatsby's speculated use of illegal bootlegging to obtain profit. Another example could be derived from the rumor that Gatsby had "killed a man once- (48) in connection to his wealth. Though this rumor is unfounded in the story, it supports Gatsby's moral degradation.
One of the most influential factors in The Great Gatsby, driving many of the events and also influencing many of the characters, is money. Nick and Gatsby both view and use money in the story very differently. Both characters aimed to profit while living in New York, but did so in very different ways. Nick went East to make money honestly in "the bond business- (7).
