Analysis Of Gornald's Bernice Bobs Her Hair

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In Fitzgerald’s “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”, Bernice and Marjorie portray the social standing of tradition and modernity. Bernice, a traditional wealthy girl and the main character of the story, does not have a high social standing; however, because of certain events in the story, Bernice’s personality changes from a shy and obedient girl to a strong independent woman. Ultimately, Bernice’s action of asking Marjorie to teach her how to become popular in the modern world is what started her journey towards her realization of her need to be her own person because the action itself is the reason why important events, crucial to Bernice’s development, occur in the story. As the story begins, Bernice is completely content with being herself. She does not question why other girls who are not as pretty or as rich as she is are able to be more popular than she is. Despite being content with herself, she is saddened that she is not very popular among the boys she dances with at the party. Marjorie, on the other hand, is very popular among the boys. In the key scene with Marjorie, Bernice displays that she wishes to form a relationship with her. With this longing to get to know Marjorie, the audience learns that Bernice is envious of Marjorie and the popularity that she possesses. For example, Fitzgerald writes that Marjorie “never giggled, was never frightened, seldom embarrassed, and in fact had very few of the qualities which Bernice considered appropriately and blessedly female” (Fitzgerald, pg. 4). Although she does not understand how Marjorie could possess these qualities, she does understand that these are the qualities that make her popular; and she is envious that she does not have these qualities. As part two of the story ends, Be... ... middle of paper ... ...e to teach her how to become more popular, Bernice is able to acquire these masculine traits, but she is able to surpass Marjorie because she retains some of her feminine qualities that Marjorie does not have. Marjorie, becoming jealous of Bernice, then tricks her into bobbing her hair. By cutting her hair, Bernice is now more masculine than Marjorie is. Because bobbing hair is not yet popular, Bernice loses her popularity; but will be able to become more popular than Marjorie once the Flapper Movement occurs. Once Bernice does learn that Marjorie tricked her, she decides to cut off her hair. This action shows that Bernice is a much different person than when the story began: She is now an independent woman who is confident in being her own person. Therefore, Bernice in fact gets the last laugh because Marjorie ironically helped her to realize her own individuality.

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