The Great Gatsby Past Essay

800 Words2 Pages

From Past to Present As easy as it may sound, learning to forgive and forget is much harder than it seems. Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, it was clear that past experiences and decisions, no matter how simple or complex, influence decision making and mindset for the future. These times past impact how one acts in character, the way they make decisions and the actions they decide to take in the present. First, it is important to understand past experiences from the perspective of Helga Ryan, an inductor of hypnosis. One of her many articles describes how on a spiritual level, we hold the energy of our past experiences and memories in every cell we are made of. Because of this, we are constantly forced to relive these memories …show more content…

Early in the novel, the narrator talks about the past of Tom Buchanan. Tom was, “among various physical accomplishments, had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven- a national figure in a way” (Fitzgerald 6). In Tom’s past, he was praised and honored and even after he left New Haven, he continued to see himself as the college star he was. Many years later, “he was a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and supercilious manner” (Fitzgerald 7). In the present, Tom acts like this big player and his personality even shown through his appearance as his, “Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward” (Fitzgerald 7). Like many people today, Tom Buchanan lives in his past. He simply cannot get over the fact that he peaked in college and the energy that spread throughout him then has transformed into energy that he uses …show more content…

Jordyn Baker tells Nick about Daisy’s one, horrific experience with alcohol. Jordyn, “found her lying on her bed as lovely as the June night in her flowered dress- and as drunk as a monkey” (Fitzgerald 76). Later into the conversation, Jordyn reveals more about Daisy. As she gossips about Daisy and Tom’s west coast life, she says, “They moved with a fast crowd, all of them young and rich and wild, but she came out with an absolute perfect reputation. Perhaps because she doesn’t drink” (Fitzgerald 77). From the information given by Jordyn, it is seen how Daisy abused alcohol once in her life and that ever since, she hasn’t touched the substance. The experiences Daisy encountered with alcohol in her past inhibit her decision to stay sober in the

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