Question

You may as well stop making a fool of yourself over Warren McIntyre. He doesn't care a snap of his fingers about you. For a tense moment they regarded each other—Marjorie scornful, aloof; Bernice astounded, half-angry, half-afraid. Then two cars drove up in front of the house and there was a riotous honking. Both of them gasped faintly, turned, and side by side hurried out. All through the bridge party Bernice strove in vain to master arising uneasiness. She had offended Marjorie, the sphinx of sphinxes. With the most wholesome and innocent intentions in the world she had stolen Marjorie's property. She felt suddenly and horribly guilty. After the bridge game, when they sat in an informal circle and the conversation became general, the storm gradually broke. Little Otis Ormonde inadvertently precipitated it.

When you going back to kindergarten, Otis? some one had asked. Me? Day Bernice gets her hair bobbed.

Then your education's over, said Marjorie quickly. That's only a bluff of hers. I should think you'd have realized.

That a fact? demanded Otis, giving Bernice a reproachful glance. There's a lot of bluffs in the world, continued Marjorie quite pleasantly. I should think you'd be young enough to know that, Otis.

Well, said Otis, maybe so. But gee! With a line like Bernice's—

Really? yawned Marjorie. What's her latest bon mot? No one seemed to know. In fact, Bernice, having trifled with her muse's beau, had said nothing memorable of late.

Was that really all a line? asked Roberta curiously.

Bernice hesitated. She felt that wit in some form was demanded of her, but under her cousin's suddenly frigid eyes she was completely incapacitated.

a) protagonist
b) antagonist
c) secondary character
d) tertiary character

Answer 1

Option (b), This story revolves around Bernice's challenges in navigating social pressures and her cousin Marjorie's antagonistic behavior towards her. It emphasizes on themes such as self-discovery, societal expectations, and the complexities of personal transformation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage provided comes from a story where Bernice, the protagonist, finds herself in a socially awkward situation with her cousin Marjorie, who serves as the antagonist. Bernice is depicted as a character who is navigating the complexities of social acceptance and interpersonal dynamics. She is initially regarded as uninspiring and dull, but through a series of events, including the public promise to cut her hair and changing dynamics with Warren, she becomes the center of attention.

This shift challenges Marjorie's social standing, leading to a confrontation that reveals underlying tensions. The passage highlights themes of self-discovery, peer pressure, and social manipulation. Bernice's evolution from a passive character to a more assertive one is crucial to the plot, and the exchange with Marjorie illustrates her gradual assertion of independence.