What is the significance of Bernice Bobs Her Hair?
The central symbol of the story, Bernice’s hair represents her femininity and selfhood as they waver between two different sets of values: those of her mother’s generation, represented by her long hair, and those of her own generation, represented by the bob haircut.
How does Bernice feel when she bobs her hair?
Bernice learns to finally stand up for herself and be her own woman, but at the cost of her own happiness; when she bobs her hair, she apparently loses both her physical beauty and her sense of pride in her self.
What does Marjorie get jealous of?
Marjorie’s jealousy of Bernice leads to the latter’s downfall. In turn, Bernice is envious of what Marjorie took from her – her beauty, her popularity, everything.
Why did Bernice cut off Marjorie’s braids at the end of the story?
Bernice feels as “ugly as sin,” and regrets getting her hair bobs. Marjorie happy that she won Warren and all her friends back. How dose Bernice get her sweet revenge at the end of the story? Bernice gets her revenge by cutting off Marjorie’s braids as she sleeps.
What does the hair symbolize to Marjorie?
It sounds silly, but hair (both Bernice’s and Marjorie’s) has great symbolic weight here. Long hair represented both a woman’s beauty and her virtue – and bobbing one’s hair simply wasn’t seen as something a respectable, well-bred girl would do.
What is the symbolic significance of Marjorie’s braids?
Fitzgerald describes the luxury of Marjorie’s braids as “like restive snakes,” a simile that gives Marjorie Gorgon-like qualities. Bernice realizes that Marjorie’s hair symbolizes power.
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.
How does Bernice change throughout the story?
Bernice’s resentment towards Marjorie is eventually replaced by admiration, as Marjorie teaches her how to be popular and trendy. Gradually, through Marjorie’s advice, Bernice gains self-confidence and social savvy, though she still falters occasionally.
How does Bernice get revenge?
Bernice takes revenge on Marjorie by chopping off her hair. That’s part of what makes this story so enjoyable, though – the uncertainty is exciting and strange, and we hope that Bernice goes out with her new-found determination and will and becomes strong woman she has the potential to be.
What theme is explored in Bernice Bobs Her Hair?
In Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F. Scott Fitzgerald we have the theme of identity, acceptance, popularity, betrayal, jealousy and rejection.
How is Bernice Bobs Her hair ironic?
The irony occurs with the sudden reversals in the character’s behaviors. With the story being set in the summer, with young people flirting and dancing, one might expect a happy ending with people pairing off successfully. That is not what we get. The comedy aspect is depicted by the furor over the length of hair.
What is Marjorie’s relationship to Bernice and what advice does she give her?
What advice does Marjorie give Bernice and does it work? She was jealous of Bernice and she wants her to be unpopular and ugly again.