Question

I'd like to understand what Daisy means in The Great Gatsby, when she says she is "sophisticated". "You see I think everything's terrible anyhow," she went on in a convinced way. "Everybody thinks so—the most advanced people. And I know. I've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything." Her eyes flashed around her in a defiant way, rather like Tom's, and she laughed with thrilling scorn. "Sophisticated—God, I'm sophisticated!" Does she mean she is "blasé", (she says she has been everywhere and seen everything and done everything")?

Answer 1

In this passage, Daisy describes herself as "sophisticated." However, when doing so, she also laughs with scorn, suggesting that she is speaking ironically.

The main implication in the passage is that Daisy is aware of the fact that others consider her "sophisticated." However, it seems like she does not believe she fits this epithet. A person who is sophisticated is one who is knowledgeable about the world, is up-to-date with cultural trends and has had a variety of experiences. This is also linked, to some extent, to people who are relatively wealthy. By showing disdain for the idea, Daisy is showing that she does not believe that most people who claim to be sophisticated (such as the upper class people who surround her) are actually sophisticated,  and that she is above them because she realizes she cannot truly claim to be so.