"The Great Gatsby" and "Zorba the Greek"

Paper Summary:

In this essay the characters of Jay Gatsby and Nick in "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zorba and his Boss in the novel "Zorba the Greek" by Nikos Kazantzakis are discussed. The author of the paper shows that in both books, the narrator is a part of the story and through his eyes the main character or characters come to life. Moreover, the reader gains insights through the narrator's perceptions and interactions with the other characters.

From the Paper:

"Nick was clearly an observer in his role as the narrator in The Great Gatsby. He was not a major participant in the story line. He more or less took on a voyeur role, as if he was studying the habits and attitudes of a species foreign yet familiar to him. The narrator in Zorba the Greek was a full participant in the story. Without his quests for truth and his childlike innocence of the grit of the world, Zorba would never have had a reason or opportunity to express and expound on his philosophies of life and love. Zorba is a mentor to Boss. He teaches him the madness of the world and the madness within himself. Boss more or less becomes a man during his time with Zorba, much like Nick sheds his illusions of the rich and powerful after his summer in New York."

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