The Great Gatsby "Repeating the Past" Reoccurring Theme
Life is a balancing act between the past, present, and future. Expressing guilt and regret about the past is almost instinctual, but we accept that it is unchangeable and we put it behind us. However, there are some, who so desperately cling to the idea of the past and believe that they have the power to repeat it. While an action can be repeated in order to emulate an action of the past, the entirety of the moment can never be recreated. This is due to the fact that unlike a physical action, the emotions and intent behind the action are impossible to duplicate.
The character Jay Gatsby in Fitzgerald’s iconic novel, The Great Gatsby, embodies the desire to, “beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past,” (189). Regarding his relationship with Daisy, Gatsby tries so desperately to override this inability to repeat the past. Gatsby, “wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: “I never loved you.” After she had obliterated three years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to be taken,” (116). What he did not realize is that even if Daisy had returned to her relationship with Gatsby after the five years they were separated, it would not be the same as it was. Though the action of the relationship would be repeated, the emotions and intent behind the actions would have been altered, mostly due to the factors of time, environment, and the changes in both Gatsby and Daisy since their relationship during wartime. When Gatsby made the statement, “’Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!’”(117), he did not take into consideration that Daisy is not in the same emotional state as she was five years ago, and neither is he.
For an individual, history can never be recreated. This is because the personal change that occurs after the first instance stands in the way of repeating the past. Daisy is now married, and a mother, and Gatsby spent the past five years trying to be the
The character Jay Gatsby in Fitzgerald’s iconic novel, The Great Gatsby, embodies the desire to, “beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past,” (189). Regarding his relationship with Daisy, Gatsby tries so desperately to override this inability to repeat the past. Gatsby, “wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: “I never loved you.” After she had obliterated three years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to be taken,” (116). What he did not realize is that even if Daisy had returned to her relationship with Gatsby after the five years they were separated, it would not be the same as it was. Though the action of the relationship would be repeated, the emotions and intent behind the actions would have been altered, mostly due to the factors of time, environment, and the changes in both Gatsby and Daisy since their relationship during wartime. When Gatsby made the statement, “’Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!’”(117), he did not take into consideration that Daisy is not in the same emotional state as she was five years ago, and neither is he.
For an individual, history can never be recreated. This is because the personal change that occurs after the first instance stands in the way of repeating the past. Daisy is now married, and a mother, and Gatsby spent the past five years trying to be the