The Great Gatsby

"He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself." -Great Gatsby (Chapter 3)

Within this quote, the reader sees Nick, the narrator of the story, meet, analyze, and closely examine Gatsby, his character, and his appearance. Gatsby is a rich man whose story is not fully known or even understood. His name and money were the only things people knew about him. However, Nick is not one to judge someone for their money. Nick was a kind hearted person who saw Gatsby differently from everyone else. He saw Gatsby's character and qualities by seeing him smile. His smile was special; it was rare and genuine. This quote is important since it is the point where Gatsby, an important character is finally introduced, and it's when Nick's and Gatsby's relationship first begins. Nick saw hope in his smile and seemed fascinated and inspired by it. Gatsby had the ability to make anyone he smiles at feel special. This shows that Gatsby is a man full of hope and kindness. It leads the reader to think that only good will follow him.