In the novel The Great Gatsby, three themes drive the book. Fitzgerald combines symbolism several times in the novel in order to fully understand the dialogue, settings, and actions. The use of tense, appearance/personality, and perspective are systematically addressed and are significant in many parts of the novel. The word time appears with great importance in the novel because it is obvious that Fitzgerald wanted to emphasize its importance. Gatsby's relationship with time is a central plot point. He wants to erase five years not only from his life, but also from that of his lover Daisy Buchanan. When Nick, the narrator, tells Gatsby that he cannot repeat the past, his response is very symbolic in that it shows the irony of Gatsby's fate. Gatsby quotes: “Can't repeat the past? Of course you can! »(110). Gatsby is so caught up in his own world that he cannot face true reality. Another time Fitzgerald incorporates time into the novel is when Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time in five years. As Gatsby leans on a fireplace, he begins to rest his head on a mantelpiece....