Can one truly repeat the past? Most would argue that it is impossible to repeat the past, but when faced with this argument a man known as Jay Gatsby asserted, “‘Can’t repeat the past?’... ‘Why of course you can!’” (Fitzgerald 116). Jay Gatsby was a mysterious man, known personally by few. Gatsby had worked hard to escape his poor upbringing and earn a name for himself as well as an honorable amount of money. Five years ago, prior to the start of the novel, Gatsby met a woman named Daisy and fell greatly in love with her. Daisy was from an upper class family and Gatsby had very little money, making him seem unstable in Daisy’s eyes. Daisy did not want to commit herself to being with Gatsby and instead married a wealthy man named Tom Buchanan.
