Experiences from the past shape who we are and how we perceive the world around us. Nick shares how …show more content…
Gatsby lives in the past and longs to relive his time with Daisy before the war. "Can 't repeat the past? He cried incredulously. Why of course you can” (Fitzgerald 116). Gatsby believes he can recreate what it was like five years ago, but he fails to realize that he and Daisy have both changed overtime, and nothing will ever be the same. Both have had different experiences which have molded their perception of the universe and their motives. The past is something to learn from, not something to repeat. However, the past shouldn`t hold us back. A visitor at one of Gatsby`s parties states “I`d hate if he got anything on me” (Fitzgerald 32). The stranger and Gatsby are both examples of living in the past. They are stuck in their memories and believe that their past is who they are. “My past does not define me, because my past is not today” (Ingram). Throughout The Great Gatsby, Gatsby longs for Daisy but in the end, his protection of Daisy was his downfall. Gatsby`s love for Daisy made him be her protector; he would do anything for her, even die for her, regardless that she would not abandon her social status for him. Gatsby learned the value of sacrifice from his passion for Daisy. Like Cesar Chavez once said, “When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit that our lives are all that really belong to us, so it is how we use our lives that determines what …show more content…
Our experiences and our surroundings are the sculptors of who we are; they paint the picture that is our life and our story. Whenever we are working towards improvement is like the rising climax of a book. However, there are those that seek to deceive us and lead us on the path of destruction; they are the antagonists of life, while we seek enlightenment and everlasting happiness. Like any tale, there must come an end. Whether it be one of despair or of glory, that is decided by every individual because they are the writers of their own life. Society is merely the editor that seeks to change our journey down the river of existence. “Life is like a book. Each day is a new page. May your book be a bestseller with adventures to tell, lessons to learn and tales of good deeds to remember” (Lynn). Life is to be cherished, not wasted. Life is to be celebrated, not destroyed. Life is to be lived, not languished. Don’t be stuck on the past, live life in the moment and for the