History 271 Show Devine Spring 2013 Study Questions: F. Scott Fitzgerald, �Bernice Bobs Her Hair�
A sphinx is a mythological creature that had the head of a human and the body of a lion. In Greek mythology, sphinxes were treacherous and merciless. They posed riddles to anyone who came across their path and ate or killed anyone who could not solve the riddle. They are depicted as ravenous, crafty, and manipulative monsters. This characterization of Marjorie, as the beast of all beasts, suggests to the reader that Marjorie’s retaliation will be severe. 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.The story opens in a ballroom in a club on a Saturday night. It is summertime and the crowd consists of middle-aged women and those referred to as “dangerous youth.” The narrator points out the people in the crowd to the readers. He calls the attendees “a medley of faces and voices” and then singles out Warren McIntyre. Warren looks down upon the others around him, feeling superior because he had attended college in the East. He still, however, has affection for the local girls, in particular Marjorie Harvey. Marjorie is said to have a “bewildering tongue” and is remembered for once having done five cartwheels at a party. She has told Warren that she is not in love with him and that she did not give him a second thought while they were apart, during that time having relationships with other men. Marjorie convinces Warren to dance with her cousin Bernice who is nervous and seems lacking in social graces. Bernice knows she is not like Marjorie who possesses feminine qualities. When back home, Mrs. Harvey tells Marjorie that there are things that are more important than being popular, but to no avail. Bernice overhears Marjorie telling her mother that Bernice has Indian blood and that is what retards her social development. Bernice threatens to leave, and Marjorie tells her that she is a weak coward. Once the heat of the moment subsides, Marjorie tells Bernice she will teach her how to fit in when in social situations. She begins by telling her to pay attention to the less popular men, or “sad birds,” as she calls them in order to get more desirable people to notice her. Bernice is not concerned with being popular like her cousin. Bernice mentions “common kindness” at which point Marjorie recognizes the quote from Little Women and chastises Bernice for quoting a book about what she considers “inane females”. A week later at a dinner dance, Bernice announces that she might get her hair bobbed. This is an exciting proposition and gets the attention of the crowd, including the much-desired G. Reece Stoddard. Bernice dances with many men that evening, among them Warren McIntyre, about whom she is still thinking when she retires for the night. The evening is successful in raising Bernice’s confidence along with her new-found popularity. When Warren and Bernice begin spending time together, Marjorie pretends that she does not care. She calls Bernice’s bluff about planning to cut her hair, which makes Bernice realize that she has to actually go through with it. When she does so, it does not have the desired results. The hairstyle does not look attractive on her. Her confidence plummets, and the crowd, including Warren, no longer pays any attention to her. Marjorie knows that the next party she and Bernice are scheduled to attend will be the source of further humiliation and discomfort for her cousin. Marjorie spends the evening preparing her own long hair for the party. Bernice can no longer control herself. While Marjorie is sleeping, Bernice packs to leave the house but before exiting, cuts off Marjorie’s braids, takes them with her, and deposits them on the front porch of Warren’s home. Remembering Marjorie’s cutting remark about her Indian lineage, Bernice says, “Scalp the selfish thing!” Although her final act in the story is one of revenge, Bernice is a more nuanced character than that implies. She may be unable to navigate the social scene with the grace of the other young men and women, but she has a sensitivity and a vulnerability that they lack. She has a willingness to get to know Marjorie and shows gratitude when Marjorie gives her advice. Marjorie has no inclination to accept anything from Bernice. Bernice has an individuality that brings her strength. F. Scott Fitzgerald is revered as the preeminent voice of the Jazz Age and is counted among the upper echelon of American fiction writers of the twentieth century. A member of the Lost Generation of the 1920s whose work has seen more success posthumously that it did in his lifetime, Fitzgerald produced five novels and four collections of stories encompassing some, but not all, of his 164 stories that appeared in periodicals. What does Marjorie do to Bernice and why?Marjorie seeks to call Bernice's bluff. In front of everyone she accuses her of having no intention of bobbing her hair. Bernice can feel everyone watching her so she says she will get it bobbed right away, so she rushes to the barber's with them and gets her hair cut short.
Why is Marjorie jealous of Bernice?Marjorie's jealousy of Bernice stems from the fact that Bernice ultimately becomes more successful at being Marjorie than Marjorie is.
What does Bernice do to Marjorie?That night, Bernice flees – but, before she goes, she gets her revenge by cutting off Marjorie's long, beautiful braids of hair as she sleeps.
What is the relationship between Marjorie and Bernice?The set-up to this story is simple – Marjorie is a ten, but her cousin Bernice is a zero. We see evidence of this at the country club dance, where Marjorie basically has to flirtatiously blackmail people into dancing with the boring Bernice. The difference between the two cousins couldn't be more obvious.
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Is Marjorie a villain in Bernice Bobs Her Hair?
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