Bernice Bobs Her Hair story
A girl from rural Eau Claire, Wisconsin, visits her beautiful and sophisticated cousin Marjorie Harvey for the summer. It is based on the 1920 F. Scott Fitzgerald short story of the same name.
22 total · 9 major · 13 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| character metamorphosis | major | Bernice went from being a socially awkward, rural young woman to being a savvy (also young) woman who knew how to comport herself in high social circles. |
| coming of age | major | Bernice went to stay at her aunt's house for the summer as a socially awkward rural young woman, and left knowing all the tricks of the trade it took to navigate the social morass of the time. |
| developing one's social skills | major | The socially awkward Bernice learned the set of social standards that were necessary to more easily navigate the social morass of the time. |
| femininity | major | Bernice learned how to play the role of a stereotypical young female socialite so as to more easily navigate the social morass of the time. Bernice created a false dichotomy of women when she told Margerie that she thought she was "hard and selfish" and did not have "a feminine quality in (her)" for laughing at her when they were discussing their mothers. Margerie also created a false dichotomy of women, namely those who liked to have a good time and those who did not, the latter of whom liked to criticize the former. |
| gender issue | major | Throughout the story, rigid demarcations of gender roles were referenced and reinforced. |
| love triangle | major | Margerie became vindictive toward Bernice, when Warren switched from liking Margerie to liking Bernice. |
| mentor and protégé | major | Margerie reluctantly took her rural cousin, Bernice, under her wing and taught her how to more easily navigate the social morass of the time. |
| the desire for vengeance | major | Margerie acted vindictively toward Bernice, after Warren's romantic attentions shifted from Margerie to Bernice. In particular, Margerite goaded Bernice into bobbing her hair, knowing full well that the act was ill-advised. Bernice, in turn, scissored off Margerie's two luxurious braids while Margerie slept. |
| youth rebellion | major | One gathers from the cultural backdrop of the story that Bernice bobbing her hair constituted an act of rebellion against prevailing social norms. |
| aunt and niece | minor | Aunt Josephine was hosting her niece Bernice for the summer. |