The narrative point of view adopted by F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby supports the novel's criticism of the upper class and the importance of wealth in society . Fitzgerald uses Nick Carraway as a narrator who sees the upper class as entirely superficial. Through observation of the people at Gatsby's party at the beginning of chapter three, Nick seems to feel that the rich are clones of an accepted stereotype of their own making. It seems to him that this society is based on appearance and recognition and judges people based on how much they have rather than what they believe. Nick's criticisms are accepted by the reader as impartial because Nick is the only major character who is not concerned with wealth. This is established in the first few pages of the novel where Nick describes himself and his upbringing in a way that immediately gains the reader's trust. This allows Nick to serve as a measuring stick for other characters who are continually seeking money and power. Fitzgerald creates a particular impression of Nick in the first pages of the novel so that Nick comes across as honest and secures the reader's trust. Fitzgerald does this by describing Nick's upbringing and his opinion of himself. Nick says he is “inclined to reserve all judgment,” which is “a matter of infinite hope.” This has the immediate effect of presenting Nick as an impartial narrator. When he states that his tolerance has a limit, the reader feels that he would only judge people if they went too far. The importance of this is that Nick forms very strong opinions about the characters later in the novel. This encourages the reader to see these characters as developing… midway through the paper… between the reader and Nick for the reader to accept Nick's opinions as unbiased. It places Nick in a typical situation where wealthy people interact. The reader is encouraged to view the upper class as superficial and as a group of clones who choose to fit a single, self-created stereotype. By focusing on only a few individuals at Gatsby's party, Nick quickly and effectively presents the reader with the pretentious behavior of the entire class. The importance of appearance and recognition for these people is highlighted several times by Nick when he describes groups of people behaving in their typically superficial way. The narrative point of view adopted by F. Scott Fitzgerald fully supports this novel's criticism of wealthy people and the way they choose to lead their lives. Works Cited: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Macmillan, 1992.