The Great Gatsby Group

Question:

dkc
dkc
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What is the theme of the following quote from "The Great Gatsby":

" I know. I've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything... Sophisticated - God im sophisticated!" - Daisy

or the character revelation and plot significance of the the quote.

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Posted by dkc on Monday March 9, 2009 at 9:34 PM and tagged with character, great gatsby, plot, quote, the great gatsby, theme.

Answers:


  1. luannw Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Best answer as selected by question asker.

    This quote, from the first chapter, is spoken by Daisy to Nick right after she told him about the birth of her daughter and how Daisy cried. Daisy reveals to the reader in this conversation that she is a sad person.  The first part of the conversation, when she talks about Pammy's birth, reveals that Tom has been cheating on Daisy for a long time since he was "...God knows where..." when Pammy was born.  Then Daisy's comment about being glad she had a girl and how she hoped her daughter would be a beautiful little fool tells us that Daisy realizes that her life is shallow and she feels it has no meaning.  It also tells us that Daisy has been hurt by life and that shying away from reality - acting as a fool - is the best way to protect oneself from the bitterness of reality. The next part of the conversation where Daisy talks about sophistication tells us further that Daisy sees her life as shallow.  One of the themes of the book is the culture clash that occurs between Daisy and Jay and how the two cultures can never co-exist.  The remark about being so sophisticated reveals that she realizes she has been thrust by birth into a station in life and that nothing she does will get her out of that station.  She feels bound by fate to be among the rich, priviledged class of people.  In truth, she is too weak to break free from that station and part of her realizes that, too.  She enjoys what her position in society affords her because she doesn't like reality and she doesn't like responsibility which is part of reality.  Daisy is a smart women, smart enough to realize her place and how to keep it and smart enough to realize that she is a shallow irresponsible woman who is too weak to change it.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/great-gatsby/chapter-1-summary-anal...
    http://www.enotes.com/great-gatsby/character-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/great-gatsby/themes

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    Posted by luannw on Tuesday March 10, 2009 at 4:15 AM