Saturday, August 10, 2013

In Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, what request does Nick make of Daisy when he asks her to tea?

In Chapter V, Nick relates that he called Daisy from his office the next morning at the behest of Jordan Baker and invited her to come to tea. The following dialogue reveals the request Nick makes of Daisy over the telephone.



"Don't bring Tom," I warned her.


"What?"


"Don't bring Tom."


"Who is 'Tom'?" she asked innocently.



Nick felt he had to warn her not to bring her husband Tom because that would be extremely awkward and would make Nick look guilty. Daisy may have asked "Who is 'Tom'?" "innocently," but it would only have been a pretense. She may have suspected that Nick wanted her to meet somebody--although she would have had no idea that it would have been Gatsby. When Daisy arrives at Nick's cottage she reveals only a part of what she was thinking when Nick asked her not to bring Tom.



"Are you in love with me," she said low in my ear, "or why did I have to come alone?"



She may be only half-joking. She may truly believe Nick might be in love with her, and she may find this exciting. 

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