Interpretation.

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald,

I was once told in my AP Literature class that to close read is to perform an analysis of a passage. To look beyond the literal meaning and understand what the author really wants to convey. But how can I tell that what I am inferring is really what you wanted to imply? I really don't have the answer to the question, just as we never really have the answer to anything. Everything turns out to be subjective and true depending on one's perspective.

 However, with all due respect, I will attempt to close read a passage of the Great Gatsby to see if at least I understood what you were trying to convey. I am sorry if I disappoint, but let me remind you that I am only a student. 

"'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'".  (Pg 21).

A strong quote you got there Mr. Fitzergerald. Clearly you are depicting the stereotypical figure of a woman in the 20th century, with beauty as her main attribute. Not only that, the baby girl symbolizes Daisy's own character and weakness. She is telling her own baby to be a fool because that's what she has been all her life, a dependent woman, who has been living a lie. Her husband only sees her as a joke, only values her appearance, and takes her as a fool by being with another woman. Daisy is telling the little girl the truth of her existence. 

You wanted us to understand how we let ourselves be fooled by our own world. The facade of beauty and superficiality encloses us in a lie, that does not allow us to see beyond our own expectations. A conformist mentality of our conventional world. 

I hope I got the main Idea of what you were trying to say, even if that wasn't what you meant at least that is what I understood and It makes sense to me.

Hope I did not waste your time, 

A dedicated AP Literature Student and a fan of The Great Gatsby.