“They’re a rotten crowd,” I shouted, across the lawn. “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together” (Fitzgerald 162)

This is where Nick first expresses to Gatsby how he feels about him, which is the perfect moment seeing as Gatsby didn’t live for much longer. Even though Nick disapproves of him all along, he is still able to put his thoughts aside and give a compliment that Gatsby would never forget. This passage is very important to the novel because Nick never tells the other characters what he thinks about them, the readers are the only ones that get a chance to see what Nick is thinking. The significance in this passage is that Nick starts to develop as a character, finally expressing his thoughts to the others, even if he wasn’t Gatsby’s biggest fan. Perhaps the reason that Nick never criticized the other characters face to face was due to his fathers influence. Earlier in the novel, Nick shares a quote from his father. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you have had.” (Fitzgerald 5). This could have affected Nick and his actions, which is why he never expressed his thoughts openly. So when Nick did finally compliment Gatsby, and Gatsby replied with an understanding smile, Nick felt content with his decision to say what he said. Even though Nick constantly shows the readers that he does not approve of Gatsby, he never regrets telling Gatsby how he felt about him.