There is no running from the past. Yet, there is no going back either. The past can not be altered, and it is impossible to recreate the past. Although it is plausible to buy materialistic objects that represent the past or are from earlier years, it is unfeasible to capture the same feelings and emotions that happened before. As well as recreating the past, there is not time machine that someone can go back in and change their life. This dilemma was the conflict of the famous Jay Gatsby in the all time classic, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In this generation defining novel, Nick Carraway, the young protagonist, meets his mysterious neighbor Gatsby life is veiled behind fancy suits and outlandish parties. As Nick learns more about
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Although Gatsby attempts to erase some of his personal past, Gatsby tries to recreate his romantic past, in which his obsession of reuniting with Daisy and not living in the present seals his inevitable tragic fate. As Gatsby attempts to reclaim his romantic days with Daisy, he specifically attempts to avoid his former moments that were shady and possibly illegal. Gatsby, in many ways, tries to wipe out some of his past to resemble a better person that his once was. When Nick and Gatsby are driving to town, Gatsby opens up about his past, which ends up being false. Gatsby claims that he “[is] the son of some wealthy people” (Fitzgerald 65) and that he was “educated at Oxford, because all of [his] ancestor [had] been educated there” (Fitzgerald 65). Yet, later on, Nick says that all of these statements “weren’t even faintly true” (Fitzgerald 101) and that Gatsby really grew up with parents who were “unsuccessful farm people” (Fitzgerald 98). Gatsby is clearly trying to create a new identity for himself with these fantastic lies he creates. He tries to hide that he was once poor, knowing that Daisy will not go back to him if he was born an extremely poor man. Also, he tries to seem smarter and …show more content…
Gatsby is consumed by his past life and can not see the present life and events. He’s always trying to recreate the past and does not live in the present. Specifically when Gatsby is driving with Nick, it is obvious Gatsby holds onto those things that happened in the past. Gatsby always has images or items from his past. He tells Nick “‘Here’s another thing I always carry. A souvenir of Oxford days’”( Fitzgerald 67). Gatsby just happens to have a photo of him at Oxford, which symbolizes the importance of those moments at Oxford. Since it is something he “always carr[ies]” suggests that he is always thinking about those days in the past. Also, he keeps mentions those “Oxford days” as if they were the best days of his life, furthermore suggesting his obsession with the past. Since he is always thinking about the past, he can not understand the present situation, especially with Daisy. Gatsby thinks he can swoop in and take Daisy from Tom because Daisy “never loved [Tom]” (Fitzgerald 132). This is false because it is not that easy to just take away someone’s wife like Gatsby dreams of doing. Since Gatsby is so excited by the fact that he will be able to re-experience his past with Daisy, he is blind to the current situation in front of him, which eventually leads to his
Although Gatsby attempts to erase some of his personal past, Gatsby tries to recreate his romantic past, in which his obsession of reuniting with Daisy and not living in the present seals his inevitable tragic fate. As Gatsby attempts to reclaim his romantic days with Daisy, he specifically attempts to avoid his former moments that were shady and possibly illegal. Gatsby, in many ways, tries to wipe out some of his past to resemble a better person that his once was. When Nick and Gatsby are driving to town, Gatsby opens up about his past, which ends up being false. Gatsby claims that he “[is] the son of some wealthy people” (Fitzgerald 65) and that he was “educated at Oxford, because all of [his] ancestor [had] been educated there” (Fitzgerald 65). Yet, later on, Nick says that all of these statements “weren’t even faintly true” (Fitzgerald 101) and that Gatsby really grew up with parents who were “unsuccessful farm people” (Fitzgerald 98). Gatsby is clearly trying to create a new identity for himself with these fantastic lies he creates. He tries to hide that he was once poor, knowing that Daisy will not go back to him if he was born an extremely poor man. Also, he tries to seem smarter and …show more content…
Gatsby is consumed by his past life and can not see the present life and events. He’s always trying to recreate the past and does not live in the present. Specifically when Gatsby is driving with Nick, it is obvious Gatsby holds onto those things that happened in the past. Gatsby always has images or items from his past. He tells Nick “‘Here’s another thing I always carry. A souvenir of Oxford days’”( Fitzgerald 67). Gatsby just happens to have a photo of him at Oxford, which symbolizes the importance of those moments at Oxford. Since it is something he “always carr[ies]” suggests that he is always thinking about those days in the past. Also, he keeps mentions those “Oxford days” as if they were the best days of his life, furthermore suggesting his obsession with the past. Since he is always thinking about the past, he can not understand the present situation, especially with Daisy. Gatsby thinks he can swoop in and take Daisy from Tom because Daisy “never loved [Tom]” (Fitzgerald 132). This is false because it is not that easy to just take away someone’s wife like Gatsby dreams of doing. Since Gatsby is so excited by the fact that he will be able to re-experience his past with Daisy, he is blind to the current situation in front of him, which eventually leads to his