The term ‘golden girl’ is used to describe a popular, successful and all round ‘perfect’ girl according to standards of society. Everyone loves and admires Daisy Buchanan so you could say she gives the illusion of being the perfect ‘it’ girl. Although we learn this may not be a completely true and honest term, she has an aura on others of wealth, grace and sophistication.

Explain how Daisy could be considered clever. Use at least one quote from the text to support your answer.

Daisy is quite a cunning and clever character in the novel. She uses her extraordinary manipulative abilities and social stance as ‘golden girl’ to ensure she gets her way and what she wants. One example of this how she manipulates both Tom and Gatsby to love her and to give her attention yet will lie to both to keep them for herself.
“Don’t bring Tom.’ 
‘Who is ‘Tom’?’ she asked innocently.”

The notes above talk about how Gatsby views Daisy as a possession to be collected. Explain this further. Find a quote from the text to support your answer and explain how the quote supports your ideas.

Gatsby’s main goal in life was the ultimate America Dream. He had acclaimed the popularity, wealth and respect, love (Daisy) was the missing puzzle piece to be completely content. Gatsby becomes so strongly fixated on obtaining her love again as if she’s just another object or possession. He sees Daisy as a perfect symbol of wealth and aristocracy that Gatsby has strived for since he was a child. Jay Gatsby doesn’t truly love Daisy but the idea of her, this ideal illusion he has painted of her in his mind since they were young has stuck with him and caused him to have unrealistic expectations from her.

Describe what life was like in the 1920’s for women. After you have done so, explain why you think Daisy wants her daughter to be a ‘fool’ in this world.

The 1920’s was a large monument of change for American women in history after their work in WW1. They were given the right to vote, many wore more risqué clothes and ‘flappers’ became considered the first generation of independent women. Although most women were still struggling for freedom and were definitely not equal to men. When Daisy exclaims that she hopes her daughter is a ‘beautiful fool’, implying how society viewed woman at that time only for their appearance and not intelligence. She wants her daughter to be attractive and foolish so that she doesn’t realise this sad reality of women. Daisy doesn’t challenge this idea and simply accepts it for what it is in this society and abides.

Towards the end of the novel, Nick says that Daisy and Tom were “careless people…they smashed up things and creatures, and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…”. Explain what Daisy ‘smashes up’ (figuratively speaking) in this story.

Tom and Daisy believe they are so superior to most others that whatever wrong actions or behaviour the commit will come at the expense of others and that they never get any consequences. In this story Daisy smashed up and destroyed Gatsby’s life and heart while resulted in his death, she also killed Myrtle Wilson and smashed up Gatsby’s car. None of the actions affected her in the end and she was left to her own superficial false life with Tom. She is so selfish only thinking of herself, perhaps due to being born into unconditional attention, care and money.

Explain how Daisy could be considered ‘amoral’. Use at least two quotes from the text to support your answer.

Daisy is a completely amoral character, meaning she has no morals or ideas of right and wrong in her life and actions. She has an affair with Gatsby and plays with his feelings, and kills Myrtle Wilson which Gatsby receives full blame for and eventually outcomes to his own death. In which his funeral that she doesn’t even attend, shows she never really cared for Jay.
“Oh, you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love you now—isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” She began to sob helplessly. “I did love him once—but I loved you too.”
“They’re such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before.”