Gatsby 1-14-10

Contrary to Nick's statement, "In consequence, I'm inclined to reserve all judgments . . ." I think he is in constant judgment. I read on previous posts that he showed his "reservation of judgment" when he learned of Tom's affair. To be fair, he did when he initially heard it, aside from his discomfort and wanting to call the police (pg16), but if you recall when he was leaving he said (pg20), "It seemed to me that the thing for Daisy to do was to rush out of the house, child in arms-but apparently there was no such intentions in her head." Then he continues on Tom, "As for Tom, the fact that he "had some woman in New York" was really less surprising than that he had been depressed by a book." Nick later refers to Tom as egotistical and that Tom no longer nourished his peremptory heart.
Nick also has characteristics of a cynic. All the way to page sixty in the book, he has allowed me to like only two and a half characters. I like Jordan (who later he criticizes her driving, calls her incurably dishonest and, begins his contempt for her) and, of course, Jay Gatsby due to curiosity. I say half because Daisy is only partially scrutinised by Nick. We tend to be on her side because she is victimized by her low-life husband Tom, but Nick finds her slightly irritating I believe. She laughed an absurd laugh as if she had said something witty. She disgusted him when bringing up his engagement. He didn't like that she was giving out meaningless compliments, that he said were untrue, just to improvise the situation.
I lightly mentioned before of Nick's cynicism, I need to elaborate on why. Every other character (other than the two and a half) mentioned in the book was subject to Nick's judgment. Mr. Wilson was a "spiritless man." Mr. Mckee was a "feminine man" and he continued to point out appearance flaws like the spot of lather left on his cheekbone. Catherine was a "worldly girl." Even though these examples are quite subtle, they aren't the only ones on each character. Nick will take a little verbal jab here and there that influences our perception of these people slowly, but surely. (These weren't all the characters he did this with)
Taking a more in depth look at Nick, I feel like he has feelings of inadequacy and likes to remind himself of that constantly. Instead of living on the "East Egg," he went to the less liked side, but to stay consistent with my theory, when he went to that side he put himself in an eighty dollar a month home in between two homes that go for 15,000 a season. He is constantly surrounding himself with people far more wealthy and much more famous than he. Nick tries too have others perceive him as nonjudgmental in hopes that they wont judge him. This is why he sits around like a bump on a log and does nothing to change or engage conversations. He wanted to walk to the park but didn't even have the nerve to do that. What a sissy! It's too risky. He's monotonous. He feels low so he cuts others down in his own mind and tells himself "holier than though" statements (like the one about him being honest) to balance out his feeling of inadequacy.