Throughout The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald represents the unforgiving reality of life through the depiction of Jay Gatsby's intense love for Daisy Buchanan. Just before Nick leaves New York, he returns to Gatsby's house and goes out to the terrace one last time: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay And as I sat there brooding about the old unknown world, I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first chose the green light at the end. from Daisy's Wharf. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close to him that he could hardly fail to grasp it. Little did he know that it was already behind him, somewhere in that vast darkness beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled beneath the night. Gatsby believed in the green light, in the orgastic future that, year after year, recedes before us. It escaped us then, but it doesn't matter – tomorrow we will run faster, we will stretch our arms more… and one fine morning. So we continued, boats against the current, constantly taken back into the past (193). This scene represents not only how Gatsby lived his life, but also why his life ended the way it did. Gatsby tried to take his past and make it his present. However, that's not how time works. The words “he didn't know it was already behind him” sum up Gatsby's reality. Because he and Daisy were lovers before he left for the war, Gatsby thought she would take a break to wait for him. Even more so, the only reason he bought the house he lived in was because his dock was right across from the green light, which was at the end of Daisy's dock. Gatsby's "dream" of getting the green light is a metaphor for Daisy's return to his life. Even though the green light is across the bay, and even though he searches for the light every day, he can never catch it. So, he will never be able to “bring” Daisy back into his life the way he wants. Earlier in the novel, Daisy tries to say this to Gatsby when she says, "Oh, you want too much...I love you now – isn't that enough?" I can do nothing about the past” (141-142). Daisy implores that although she still loves Gatsby, she is married to Tom and that won't change. Daisy tries to let Gatsby down easily, as her words "I can't help what's past" indicate that she enjoyed her past, but her present and future existence includes being with Tom, not Gatsby . Nevertheless, Gatsby continues to try to convince Daisy. In fact, Daisy's misbehavior is what led to Gatsby's death. Gatsby died trying to recreate his past. The phrase “so we continue, boats against the tide” compares humans in boats on the sea to humans and time. Additionally, it symbolizes Gatsby's position in the world. As open waters wait for no man, neither does time. Gatsby, for all his wealth and connections, thought he could break this concept, but nevertheless he could not. So while Gatsby was trying to reclaim his past, the present was passing him by, leaving him in the dust. Daisy knew it. Nick knew it. Gatsby didn't do it, and that's why he died.