1.) Until the end of this story, I honestly thought that it was one of the worst stories that I have ever read. I was simply bored throughout this piece until Bernice finally cut her hair and their was some conflict introduced. It was pretty cool that Bernice cut Marjorie's hair; she finally stood up for herself. I was getting annoyed at the fact that she was becoming Marjorie's little experiement; her puppet. Marjorie got what she deserved and I hope that she is laughed at at the dance. I think that Bernice leaving the hair for Warren to find was a solid move. I kinda wish I were there to see Marjorie's reaction. I think Marjorie and Bernice would be a good fight; UFC style. I take Bernice.
2.) Bernice, a quiet girl, who is pretty but lacks striking features and the confidence to dance with multiple boys at a dance while her cousin Marjorie, craves for attention and does not understand why her cousin does not. Marjorie bases how she dresses, dances, and what she says on the response of others. Her entire identity and life is based on the desire to receive constant reassurance from peers. Marjorie proceeds to teach Bernice how she should act in a social setting. She criticizes her clothes, dance, speech, and hair. With Bernice’s quick transformation, Fitzgerald is showing that her identity, like Marjorie’s, is really not hers anymore, but rather a mold of what the people surrounding them deems an acceptable identity for her. The increased attention she receives supports the notion that in this story, identity is not something a person chooses on their own but is rather a clone of the identities’ of the surrounding members of society.
In this story, identity is an adjustable thing rather than a static one. Bernice’s identity changes throughout the story from a quiet nervous girl, to the center of attention, to a strong and defiant young woman. This all occurs during one vacation with Marjorie shaping Bernice’s identity the entire time. Although Marjorie parades her overconfidence in herself, when Warren begins to show Bernice more attention, Marjorie’s attitude changes from secure to troubled. Her shy cousin is taking her identity from her. How the characters identify themselves throughout the story is quite fickle.
After being coerced into having her hair bobbed, Bernice realizes that her cousin is extremely selfish and manipulative. In response to Marjorie’s boastful braiding of her own hair while displaying her satisfaction with Bernice’s inability to do the same, Bernice cuts the braids of Marjorie’s hair while she sleeps. Previous to her visit with her cousin, Bernice would have never thought about retaliation. However, Marjorie had the ability to change her once, giving her confidence and poise; and Bernice’s new found self-assurance enabled her to change her identity yet again and stand up for herself rather than for what others said she should.
2.) Bernice, a quiet girl, who is pretty but lacks striking features and the confidence to dance with multiple boys at a dance while her cousin Marjorie, craves for attention and does not understand why her cousin does not. Marjorie bases how she dresses, dances, and what she says on the response of others. Her entire identity and life is based on the desire to receive constant reassurance from peers. Marjorie proceeds to teach Bernice how she should act in a social setting. She criticizes her clothes, dance, speech, and hair. With Bernice’s quick transformation, Fitzgerald is showing that her identity, like Marjorie’s, is really not hers anymore, but rather a mold of what the people surrounding them deems an acceptable identity for her. The increased attention she receives supports the notion that in this story, identity is not something a person chooses on their own but is rather a clone of the identities’ of the surrounding members of society.
In this story, identity is an adjustable thing rather than a static one. Bernice’s identity changes throughout the story from a quiet nervous girl, to the center of attention, to a strong and defiant young woman. This all occurs during one vacation with Marjorie shaping Bernice’s identity the entire time. Although Marjorie parades her overconfidence in herself, when Warren begins to show Bernice more attention, Marjorie’s attitude changes from secure to troubled. Her shy cousin is taking her identity from her. How the characters identify themselves throughout the story is quite fickle.
After being coerced into having her hair bobbed, Bernice realizes that her cousin is extremely selfish and manipulative. In response to Marjorie’s boastful braiding of her own hair while displaying her satisfaction with Bernice’s inability to do the same, Bernice cuts the braids of Marjorie’s hair while she sleeps. Previous to her visit with her cousin, Bernice would have never thought about retaliation. However, Marjorie had the ability to change her once, giving her confidence and poise; and Bernice’s new found self-assurance enabled her to change her identity yet again and stand up for herself rather than for what others said she should.
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