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In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.  


The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches...

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.  


The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how people with "abnormal mind[s]" seek him out, and how he has "feigned sleep" or "preoccupation" to avoid hearing any "intimate revelation[s]" that they might present, which he claims are "usually plagiaristic."   


Moreover, Nick's prejudices in favor of Gatsby are also made immediately apparent. He has already exonerated and forgiven Gatsby for his transgressions, praising Gatsby's "gift for hope" and "romantic readiness," and blaming his downfall solely on "the foul dust [that] floated in the wake of his dreams." 


To be fair, Nick readily admits that his "tolerance ... has a limit," yet he simultaneously prides himself on having more "fundamental decencies" than most.  He's an interestingly flawed narrator, and his inconsistencies add to his complexity.  The first chapter's narration carries a tone of authority and even-handedness; he's self-deprecating when he admits to living in the "less fashionable" West Egg, and his initial presentation of Tom Buchanan is justifiably critical, so it's not as though the reader should be skeptical. But in spite of his father's advice, we see Nick passing judgment throughout the text, somewhat contradicting his claimed "habit" of "reserv[ing] all judgments."

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