My own house was an eyesore, but it was a small eyesore, and it had been overlooked, so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor’s lawn, and the consoling proximity of millionaires—all for eighty dollars a month.
Chapter 1 · Narrator
Context
Nick compares his modest rented bungalow to the extravagant mansions around him in West Egg. He describes his lesser home with ironic humor but also acknowledges the attraction of living near wealth.
Analysis
The sentence captures Nick’s ambiguous relationship to wealth: he sees its absurdity, yet he also finds it "consoling." Fitzgerald uses irony here to show how material glamour exerts psychological power even over someone who claims detachment. The contrast between the shabby house and the millionaires nearby also reinforces Nick’s social position as both insider and outsider. This in-between perspective becomes central to his role as narrator.
How to Use in Essay
This quote is useful for essays on Nick’s class position, irony, or the allure of wealth in the novel. It also helps show how Fitzgerald balances satire with attraction.