Bernice Bobs Her Hair

The short story “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the story of how a socially awkward girl is tricked into cutting off her hair. The story is about Bernice, who is visiting her cousin Marjorie, who is more outgoing but is a stereotypical “mean girl”, and Marjorie finds that having such an anti social person around with her during parties and other social activities during this summer is a burden on her fun. Bernice over hears Marjorie complaining to her mother and decides it’s time to leave, but Marjorie calls her bluff and offers to teach Bernice how to be more social, though not with the best intentions.

In the beginning Bernice’s hair is long and beautiful like any other girl’s during the “roaring twenties”. Long Hair is the symbol of femininity, and if girl expects to be popular, she must have long hair. When Marjorie teaches Bernice how to be more social and suggests that she tell all of the boys that she might bob her hair. The rich boys become more interested with her because the idea of cutting her hair seems almost scandalous, despite the fact that she has no true intention of cutting her hair. Bernice becomes much more popular, and actually begins to enjoy herself.

The crisis point of the story occurs when Marjorie reveals to Bernice’s male friends that Bernice was only teasing them when she talked about bobbing her hair. Bernice, willing to prove herself, goes into a barber shop and bobs her hair. When she arrives home that night her Aunt Josephine is in shock and awe. Bernice was not aware of the fact that the nest day she was supposed to be at a party hosted by a Mrs. Deyo, a woman who is against females with bobbed hair.

During the “roaring twenties” women were assuming greater roles in society. The line:”But a girl has to be dainty in person. If she looks like a million dollars she can talk about Russia, ping pong, or the League of Nations and get away with it”, Suggests two things. One; that women are expected to be “dainty, and behave a certain way, such as to have long hair. Two this line mentions the League of Nations, an organization created after World War One to prevent another war form ever happening. This is important because, the First World War was crucial for women to gain rights such a voting, and it was around this time that women, in a show of their independence began to bob their hair.

When Bernice bobbed her own hair, according to society she became less of a woman. Her so called friends abandoned her and her aunt explained how cutting her hair is now a burden because she will only cause chaos at Mrs. Deyo’s party. Contrarily, Bernice cutting her hair could symbolize being a stronger woman. The whole point of women cutting their hair at that time was to show they are stronger than once thought. This can be shown when Bernice gets her own revenge against Marjorie and is brave enough to go back to her own home. The night after she cuts her hair she cuts Marjorie’s hair as well.