Chapter 18: The Past and Present
第18章：过去与现在
The tension between past and present was central to Gatsby's tragedy. He was obsessed with recapturing the past, convinced that he could repeat his romance with Daisy exactly as it had been five years earlier. This was impossible, and his refusal to accept this truth led to his downfall.
过去与现在之间的紧张关系是盖茨比悲剧的核心。他痴迷于重获过去，确信他可以完全像五年前那样重复他与黛西的浪漫。这是不可能的，他拒绝接受这个真理导致了他的垮台。
Gatsby's inability to move beyond the past prevented him from seeing Daisy as she actually was—a flawed human being with her own weaknesses and desires. Instead, he pursued an idealized memory that could never be realized, no matter how much wealth and effort he invested.
盖茨比无法超越过去阻止他看到黛西实际上是什么样的人——一个有自己弱点和欲望的有缺陷的人类。相反，他追求一个永远无法实现的理想化记忆，无论他投入多少财富和努力。
Nick recognized this fundamental truth: we cannot repeat the past. The novel suggests that the human tendency to romanticize the past prevents us from living fully in the present and accepting the inevitable changes that life brings.
尼克认识到这个基本真理：我们无法重复过去。小说表明，人类浪漫化过去的倾向阻止我们完全生活在现在并接受生活带来的不可避免的变化。