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Fitzgerald emphasizes the effects of attempting to relive a past life through the character Gatsby. Gatsby's lack of happiness, loss of morals, and unfulfilled dreams are shown as effects of his past life.

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Nick's final words in the story revolve around the issue of the past. He compares life to a boat moving against the current. It is always a goal to fix the issues of the past, but when you attempt to relive your previous life you will be stuck trying to move into something that is behind you. Trying to repeat the past will forever handicap the events of the future, and prohibit any improvement or growth in the future. Gatsby was a victim of the past, never able to truly escape.

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At the end of the story, after Gatsby's death Nick reminisces about the green light that Gatsby saw long ago. Nick comments that Gatsby's dreams were admirable, however he was unaware that his goals were already behind him. He was trying to create a life that had already been lived. Gatsby was trying to bring back past memories and actions that would forever be behind him, never in his current reach.

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After Gatsby is confronted by Tom about his love for Daisy, Gatsby claims that Daisy was never in love with her husband. This may be somewhat true, however Daisy was able to move on and create a life for herself. Daisy did not dwell on her past wishing it could be repeated as Gatsby did. Gatsby's entire life revolved around getting Daisy to love him again, which ultimately was in impossible task. Repeating the past causes destruction in all aspects of current life. Gatsby was reaching for a dream that would end in tragedy.

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When Gatsby is told that the past cannot be repeated, he is in severe disbelief. Gatsby is stuck hoping that he can repeat his past, and he holds this belief high over all morals in his life. Gatsby spends his days trying to repeat the past, and is never able to move forward. Gatsby never gets to enjoy the amazing parts of his life, because he is always stuck, wishing for the past.

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Later in the story, Fitzgerald explains Gatsby's motive for purchasing his house. He strategically bought the house across the bay from his lover Daisy, in order to attempt to restore his prior connection with her. Gatsby has lived his whole life waiting for a woman of his past to come along, which ultimately causes him a life of misery, and struggle, reaching for a dream that has already passed him.

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From the very beginning of the story, Fitzgerald begins describing Gatsby's troubles involving his past. Within the first two chapters, Gatsby is seen standing on a dock with "stretched out arms" staring at a green light (Fitzgerald 24). It is made clear later in the story, that the green light he is reaching for, is the house of his past lover Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby spends his entire life in love with a woman from his past. His failure to move on in life prevents Gatsby from finding love, happiness, or a meaning in life. His entire life stems around Daisy.

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"'She never loved you, do you hear?" he cried. "She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me!'"(Fitzgerald  139).

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"Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay'" (Fitzgerald 85).

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"He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock"(Fitzgerald 24).

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"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past"(Fitzgerald 180).

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"But what he did not know was that it was already behind him, somewhere in the vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night"(Fitzgerald 180).

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It is impossible to move forward in life if you are stuck living in the past.

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"You can't repeat the past."
"Can't repeat the past?" he cried incredulously. "Why of course you can!"(Fitzgerald 118).