Question

Considering all the narrative elements in "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," what is the theme of the story? Include details from the story to support your answer.

Answer 1

Your paragraphs might include the following points.

Bernice and Marjorie had very few things in common:

They belong to the same family and are close in age.

Both believe that it takes looks and charm to impress boys.

They both attracted Warren’s attention.

Bernice and Marjorie were also different in several ways:

Bernice is a prim, dull, and naïve girl, while Marjorie is adventurous, cruel, and easily jealous.

None of the boys want to hang out with Bernice. Marjorie, on the other hand, is very popular.

Despite being simple and traditional, Bernice isn’t jealous of Marjorie. Marjorie is angry and jealous when she realizes that Bernice is becoming popular.

Answer 2

In "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," we see a new issue emerge: what do women expect from women? This story asks us to evaluate and challenge traditional expectations of womanhood and femininity in comparison to a new kind of woman that exploded into life in the post-Victorian era. However, in the end, neither definition is totally satisfactory; Fitzgerald asks us to question whether or not we should create clear-cut models for femininity at all.