Here is a list of things I thought about that the Force Awakens recycled or copy and pasted from OT/PT
Han offers Rey a job.[Han offered Luke a job.]
Han's death is the older mentor dying, being a catalyst for the protagonist [Rey] to take their power to the next level.
[Qui-Gon's death fueled Obi-Wan right in front of him. Obi-Wan's death fueled Luke]
The Death Star's successor wipes out an entire solar system of inhabited planets.
[Death Star wiped out Leia's home.]
Resistance squadron destroys the base.
[Rebel squadron destroys the Death Star.]
Rey must visit Luke to learn more about the force.
[Luke must visit Yoda to learn more about the force.]
A droid is used to transport a very important piece of information to General Leia.
[A droid is used to transport Leia's important message to Obi-Wan].
Millenium Falcon is taken over in auto-pilot taken into a bigger ship.
[Millenium Falcon driven by Han is taken over in auto-pilot to a bigger ship].
Rey's vision of losing everything dear to her.
[Anakin's nightmares of all his loved ones dying]
Kylo Renn is an erratic, naive, compassionate, torn, young, immature, full of power and potential.
[Anakin was the same way]
Stormtroopers invade village on desert planet, burn it to the ground.
[Stormtroopers invaded Skywalker's Farm, burned it to the ground]
Poe is interrogated very harshly by Renn. (Don't remember if Renn was asking about Droid, or resistance's home)
[Leia is interrogated badly by Vader].
Han's death is the older mentor dying, being a catalyst for the protagonist [Rey] to take their power to the next level.
[Qui-Gon's death fueled Obi-Wan right in front of him. Obi-Wan's death fueled Luke]
The Death Star's successor wipes out an entire solar system of inhabited planets.
[Death Star wiped out Leia's home.]
Resistance squadron destroys the base.
[Rebel squadron destroys the Death Star.]
Rey must visit Luke to learn more about the force.
[Luke must visit Yoda to learn more about the force.]
A droid is used to transport a very important piece of information to General Leia.
[A droid is used to transport Leia's important message to Obi-Wan].
Millenium Falcon is taken over in auto-pilot taken into a bigger ship.
[Millenium Falcon driven by Han is taken over in auto-pilot to a bigger ship].
Rey's vision of losing everything dear to her.
[Anakin's nightmares of all his loved ones dying]
Kylo Renn is an erratic, naive, compassionate, torn, young, immature, full of power and potential.
[Anakin was the same way]
Stormtroopers invade village on desert planet, burn it to the ground.
[Stormtroopers invaded Skywalker's Farm, burned it to the ground]
Poe is interrogated very harshly by Renn. (Don't remember if Renn was asking about Droid, or resistance's home)
[Leia is interrogated badly by Vader].