Final answer:
The theme of the past in "The Great Gatsby" is supported by several quotes, such as "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past" and "You can't repeat the past?" These quotes emphasize the characters' inability to escape the past and Gatsby's delusion that he can recreate it with Daisy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theme of the past in "The Great Gatsby" is supported by several quotes. One of these quotes is "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." This quote emphasizes the characters' inability to escape the past, suggesting that the past continues to haunt them. Another quote that supports the theme of the past is "You can't repeat the past?" This quote reflects Gatsby's delusion that he can recreate his past with Daisy, despite the impossibility of doing so. Finally, the quote "His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it." highlights Gatsby's longing for his idealized past with Daisy, and his belief that he can achieve it.