Characters and Their Roles In The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a classic piece of American literature. It signifies the turn of the century and the American ideology that would hold the 20th century hostage. Materialism and the American dream are evident in Jay Gatsby’s pursuit of happiness, which he believed would be the money and power he was acclaimed for, but it was not. Each character plays and important role in the theme of this novel and each has his or her own way of having an affect on the Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway is the narrator of the story and is not from New York where the book is set. He was originally from the Mi