End quote

The final quote of "The Great Gatsby" is one of the most important. It seems to sum up the major themes in the book. "So we beat on, boats agains the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past" (Fitzgerald 189). This quote explains how the characters are stuck in the past. They are always longing for their younger lives. An example of this longing for the past is Gatsby's obsession with Daisy. He is aware that his relationship with her is long gone, but he still strives for it as if it is possible. Now that she is married and has a child, it is clear that she has not waited for Gatsby the way he has waited for her.