p. 21:
‘And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’
Now this is interesting. Daisy said this – or says she said this – at the birth of her nameless little girl. It’s kind of a proto-feminist’s lament, that society is rigged to limit any meaningful goals for women, so they’re reduced to having their happiness depend on men, who are destined to disappoint them. So the best thing is to be beautiful enough to attract the best man, and foolish enough to be blissfully ignorant of his failings.
Daisy says it to Nick, and maybe she means it, but what she really revels in is the cynical sophistication of her saying it. She doesn’t care about women’s rights, she barely cares about her daughter in this moment – what she cares about is her trying on this attitude like this season’s latest fashion.
….this quote came to me in the middle of the night; from no where. and i couldnt continue to sleep, or attempt to sleep till i found out where it came from. So thanks in a small way…by the way her little girls name was Pam.
Teresa
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Ah yes, Daisy calls her ‘Pammy’ in Chapter 7, rendering her nameless no more. Now you’ve solved a little mystery for me as well.
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