Question

Read the below snippets of dialogue from Daisy and Tom. Daisy is Nick’s cousin. Tom is her husband. DAISY: "Well, I’ve had a very bad time, Nick, and I’m pretty cynical about everything...[about her daughter]...let me tell you what I said when she was born. Would you like to hear?...It’ll show you how I’ve gotten to feel about--things. Well, she was less than an hour old and Tom was God knows where. I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling, and asked the nurse right away if it was a boy or a girl. She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. ‘All right,’ I said, ‘I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool--that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool TOM: "Civilization’s going to pieces...I’ve gotten to be a terrible pessimist about things. Have you read ‘The Rise of the Colored Empires’ by this man Goddard?...Well, it’s a fine book, and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be--will be utterly submerged. It’s all scientific stuff; it’s been proved...Well, these books are all scientific...This fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things." Station 3: Meet and greet the characters! Read the below snippets of dialogue from Daisy and Tom. Daisy is Nick’s cousin. Tom is her husband. What does the first passage reveal about Daisy’s character?

a. .She values cynicism
b. She desires a beautiful, foolish daughter
c. She is indifferent towards her daughter's gender
d. She wept for having a girl

Answer 1

She values cynicism Daisy's statement, "Well, I’ve had a very bad time, Nick, and I’m pretty cynical about everything," conveys a deep sense of disillusionment and negativity. The use of the term "cynical" indicates a general distrust or skepticism towards life and its experiences.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the provided dialogue, Daisy opens up to Nick about her difficult experiences and her resulting cynicism. Her remark about her newborn daughter being "a beautiful little fool" reflects her perspective on the challenges of life. This does not necessarily convey a desire for a foolish daughter but rather exposes Daisy's cynical outlook, hinting at her wish for a certain innocence or naivety in navigating life's hardships.

Furthermore, her wish for her daughter to be "a beautiful little fool" adds another layer to her cynicism. This desire implies that Daisy sees innocence or ignorance as a form of beauty, perhaps as a shield against the harsh realities she has encountered. The phrase "beautiful little fool" suggests a preference for a simpler, less aware existence in the face of adversity.

Overall, Daisy's dialogue reflects a character who has become cynical as a response to life's difficulties, and her expressed hope for a "foolish" daughter underscores this perspective. This interpretation aligns with Option a, emphasizing Daisy's inclination towards cynicism as a defining trait in her character.

The passage does not provide evidence of Daisy being indifferent to her daughter's gender or weeping for having a girl. Instead, it primarily emphasizes her general cynicism. This interpretation aligns with Option a, as it accurately reflects Daisy's character based on the given dialogue.

Answer 2

Daisy's tearful reaction to having a girl reveals her disappointment, indicating a preference for a boy, and reflects societal gender biases of the time. Her desire for a "beautiful little fool" daughter hints at her perceptions of the world's challenges for women. Thus the correct option is d.

Step-by-step explanation:

Daisy's dialogue unveils her complex emotions regarding the birth of her daughter. She expresses a deep sense of disappointment and sorrow upon learning the baby's gender, weeping at the news of having a girl. Her immediate reaction, turning away and weeping, signifies her profound disappointment, suggesting that she had hoped for a boy. This emotional response reveals Daisy's attitude towards her daughter's gender, highlighting her preference for a son and her dissatisfaction with having a girl.

Daisy's words reflect a societal bias of the time, where having a son was often considered more favorable than having a daughter. Her reaction exposes her internalized beliefs about the advantages a son might have over a daughter in the world. Her wish for her daughter to be a "beautiful little fool" implies a desire for innocence and naivety, perhaps because she perceives that as advantageous or easier in a world she views as challenging or disillusioning.

This revelation about Daisy's character unveils the complexity of her emotions and the societal pressures she grapples with. Her reaction not only speaks to her personal desires but also hints at the broader gender biases and societal expectations prevalent during the time depicted in the novel. Thus the correct option is d.