Question

5. Find the following conversation between Nick and Daisy:

I told her how I had stopped off in Chicago for a day on my way east and how
a dozen people had sent their love through me.
"Do they miss me?" she cried ecstatically.
"The whole town is desolate. All the cars have the left rear wheel painted black
as a mourning wreath and there's a persistent wail all night along the North Shore."
"How gorgeous! Let's go back, Tom. Tomorrow!" Then she added irrelevantly,
"You ought to see the baby." (9)
Discuss the tones of the characters' speech in this passage.
What textual evidence implies these tones?
I
Discuss inferences you can make about Nick's and Daisy's characters from this passage.
P

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The tone in this passage can be described as playful and enthusiastic for Daisy, and somewhat amused for Tom (Nick is not speaking). This can be inferred from Daisy's exclamation of "Do they miss me?" and her excitement to return to Chicago. The mention of the cars being painted black as a mourning wreath also highlights Daisy's playfulness, as she finds it "gorgeous" rather than mourning.

As for Tom, his response of "Let's go back, Tom. Tomorrow!" suggests that he is used to indulging in Daisy's whims and going along with her desires. This can also be seen as a sign of his passive personality and willingness to go along with her demands.

From this passage, we can infer that Daisy is spontaneous, impulsive, and lacks a sense of responsibility or seriousness. On the other hand, Tom is portrayed as passive, accommodating, and perhaps even submissive to Daisy's desires. These inferences about the characters are based on their speech patterns and interactions in this particular passage, and may not hold for the entire novel.