Oftentimes, those who cling to the past find themselves in a world of delusion, thinking they can recreate what once was if they try hard enough. These individuals are startled when others around them seem changed, having moved on to face reality. They eagerly try to impress those around them with newfound luxuries to prove their worth. In the novel "The Great Gatsby," F. Scott Fitzgerald uses poignant diction to create deep symbolism, highlighting how people are often blinded by their optimism in restoring the past, this creates the misbelief that they are right to recreate the past which conflicts with reality and leads to denial, this denial causes their own potential to be wasted. Initially, Gatsby's love for Daisy was rooted in his own illusions. When he gets the chance to meet …show more content…
This supports the idea that Gatsby is out of sync with others, who are realistic and in reality, while he remains fixated on the past. His apology for breaking the clock “I'm sorry about the clock” (pg 84) highlights his struggle with time, wanting to hold onto the past and his inability to accept reality, especially Daisy's changes since she is not who she was in the past. Gatsby is seemingly unclear on how he feels about Daisy. Now he knows her true self, his face showing “a faint doubt/of his present happiness” (pg 96). He questions if he and Daisy can return to how things were for them, since he realises Daisy does not match up with his exaggerated standards. Gatsby’s own expectation influences his reaction to Daisy. "Daisy tumbled short of his dreams/colossal vitality of his illusion." (pg 96) he held such an unrealistic ideal for Daisy she falls short of what he constructed in his mind, his reunion with Daisy further disappoints him as he hoped Daisy would be who she was back then so they could start anew and fulfil his desire. Incapable of accepting the past Gatsby loses his composure when he realises Daisy does not like the party he threw, because Daisy