'Incessantly' vs 'Ceaselessly'

[halfmoon25]

Fitzgerald frequently uses the word (or some form of the word) 'incessantly' throughout "The Great Gatsby." I never noticed until this read-through, but why would he choose to use the word 'ceaselessly' in the very last line of the novel?

[Rachel Bentham]

[QUOTE=halfmoon25;1248204 why would he choose to use the word 'ceaselessly' in the very last line of the novel?[/QUOTE]

That's a really good question...and happens to be one of my all time favorite stories. "Incessantly" means, steadily, repeatedly, and has almost a negative connotation as the action that is so incessant actually irritates one party or another. "Ceaselessly", however, has not only a more audibly aesthetic quality, but it means unending, never, ever stopping.

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” it seems a sad ending...and doubly so had Fitzgerlad not chosen Ceaselessly. Yes, it is our plight, as humans, our lives will get to that point, where it seems as if we have made no progress...that constantly we are beaten by the currents that contain every past regret and sorrow, mistake and misplaced trust. However...we are borne back ceaselessly into the very same past that gave us our brightest moments. The hours we could not restrain the laughter, the days we knew it was going to be okay after all. It is a bittersweet ending, to be read and interpreted with the experience that great work the book itself gave us.

[kelby_lake]

Rachel's analysis is perfect. 'Ceaselessly' sounds wistful but there is also a degree of comfort. The past will never truly leave us- if you're unlucky, that can be interpreted as the past always catching up with you. Gatsby cannot escape his past.