Bernice Bobs Her Hair Essay

The novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about societal difference between men and women the 1920s. Throughout the novel this theme is played through our main characters: Tom, Myrtle, and Daisy. Fitzgerald uses the possessive relationships between these characters to enlighten the reader about women’s social ranking. He demonstrates how men were able to control women by making them feel inferior. The author describes the importance of social class for women in the 1920’s through the possessive and ultimately destructive relationship of Tom and Myrtle.

The relationship that Tom and Myrtle’s yield allows Fitzgerald to critique the life’s of the wealthy, old-money class in 1920s New York. By showing Tom’s affair with a working-class woman, Nick reveals Tom’s ugliest behavior as well as the brutality of class divisions during the roaring twenties. Critics Ian and Michelle McMechan in their article ‘Gatsby’s women’ identify how the tones in which Fitzgerald draws Myrtle are mainly grey and brown and she hails from a ‘valley of ashes’. Myrtle’s appeal, in contrast to Daisy’s, is raw and earthy: ‘She had changed her dress to a brown figured muslin, which stretched tight over her rather wide hips’ as Nick notes on first meeting her. Her ‘intense vitality’ expands in Tom’s presence until ‘she seemsto be revolving on a noisy creaking pivot through the smoky air.’ Myrtle appears as some form of marionette in fact a grotesque fairground attraction doll. This ‘doll’ who is used by Tom with a purpose of comfort, but such desires lead Tom to cheat on the mother of his child and react with brutality to the women who he carries out the

One of the biggest conflicts between Bernice and Marjorie is one over a boy named Warren. Warren grew up across the street from Marjorie, he was “crazy about her” since the beginning; however, the feelings were not reciprocated on Marjorie’s behalf. As the story progresses, Marjorie takes on the task to transform Bernice into a new woman. Bernice’s new appeal is soon taken into consideration when Warren gains an interest in the new Bernice. Even though Marjorie didn’t have feelings for Warren, she still became jealous. Marjorie’s new goal was to destroy the relationship between Bernice and Warren. Marjorie becomes successful in accomplishing her goals by putting Bernice’s reputation at risk.

Chris Rock’s documentary, Good Hair, investigates the notion of what good hair is. Dominant society views good hair as straight or essentially caucasian hair. This is not only problematic to the self-esteem and confidence of black women, but it can also cause black women to appropriate Asian culture. Black women unfortunately take advantage of Asian culture in search of what society believes is good hair. Many black women wear weaves in order to align to what society believes is good hair. However, when they buy this hair, they do not realize what Asians go through. Likewise, Asians who give up their hair do not know where or who this hair will be going to. Thus, this desire for good hair further perpetuates the lack of understanding that black

When it comes to social interactions in Bradbury’s world, people tend to avoid discussion and other normal contact with one another. This lack of communication can be evident in modern day as well. In a conversation at the beginning of the novel, Clarisse tells Montag, “‘I’m antisocial, they say. I don’t mix’” (29). However, Clarisse is truly gregarious as she converses with her family and Montag while other people avoid people.Society pegs her as different and strange. In today’s world, people are more absorbed with their own lives than the lives of the people that surround them. Even with social networking, there is less face-to-face contact. It has become normal to communicate over the internet and other networks instead of speaking in person. Clarisse is the oddity in her world. Montag explains to Mildred what Clarisse was like, “‘But Clarisse’s favorite subject wasn’t herself. It was

In the novel, Birdie, Bernice is on a journey to heal herself from her past. After, being raped by her uncle Larry, a lot of terrible events happened to her. Which lead her to live on the streets of Edmonton. While in Edmonton, she crossed paths with one of her cousin, who took her back to the rez so she could visit the rest of her family. While being at the rez she comes across uncle Larry who becomes aroused

Miss Brill and Sandra are both alienated by their community, but they do not seem to do much about it. Sandra seems to be isolating others instead of the other way around. During her own party, she “[refuses] to allow [people] into her kitchen”. She believes other people are strange and avoids them. Miss Brill also goes through a similar experience. She goes to a park because she “always looked forward to [listening] to [other] conversation”. She is lonely

As a result of the Ewell’s living behind the Maycomb county dump, Mayella is looked down on. “We’ll convict this Negro but get back to your dump (Doc A).” This quote shows that though Mayella had won the case against Tom Robinson, the Ewells were still thought of as nothing. “White people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes [the Ewell’s nearest neighbors] wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she was white (Doc E).” Powerful white people looked down on Mayella because she lived in filth; black people would not either because she was white. “Long as he keeps callin’ me Ma’am and sayin’ Miss Mayella, I don’t hafta take his sass (Doc C).” Mayella is not used to being respected as she is poor and is not treated fairly. This shows how Mayella’s class ties with her power.

Mayella is forced to stay in her house and do chores and take care of her siblings since her father was too drunk to ever take care of them and their mother is dead. ¨Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty five years¨ (256 Lee). The only person she ever comes in contact with is Tom Robinson because ¨white people wouldn't have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs: Negroes wouldn't have anything to do with her because she was white¨(256 Lee). The Ewells were the lowest class of whites, they lived in a black community and had no money or education. The only people they had power over where the colored people, such as Tom Robinson.

might the resulting contrasts suggest about the role of class in shaping social experience in The

. Bernice’s cousin, Marjorie, is the socialite of her town. The Queen Bee. All the girls want to be her; all the guys want to be with her. She has Warren, her unofficial boyfriend, wrapped around her finger. But everyone cannot see the real Marjorie, Her true insecure side. They don’t understand that she puts them down to make her feel better about herself, trying to make herself feel superior. Marjorie is putting on a front to give the idea that she is happy and perfect. Underneath, she is a cold and jealous person. She is the one pressuring Bernice, not knowing that it is the way she copes with her own insecurities. Marjorie, although more confident than Bernice, also shows

The great Gatsby gives us an accurate insight into the 1920s zeitgeist regarding the role of women in society. America was in a state of an economic boom and rapid change. Society had become less conservative after world war one. The role of women was revolutionary during this time and although women had a lot more freedom now; they were still confined to their sexist role within society; Men were still seen as the dominant gender. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates the extremities of gender and social class, and the lack of independence this brought upon women. This essay will discuss the three major female characters and the ideas that Fitzgerald confronts of female stereotypes of the 1920s.

Women were not equal to men during the era of the 1920’s. In “The Great Gatsby,” Fitzgerald represents a negative, misogynistic, stereotypical view of the various types of women during the era of the 1920’s. During the that time, women were not portrayed in a positive light., By writing a book centered around that time period, it causes one to wonder the message Fitzgerald was trying to illustrate about women and what he was saying about society as a whole. Fitzgerald represents the view of women within the 20’s by depicting each character as a representation of the many stereotypes occurring within that era. The main characters Daisy, Myrtle, and Jordan each display pertinent roles within the story representing how women’s roles were

In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, about half of the main characters present themselves as something they are not. Throughout the novel, the theme of passing is apparent in Nick, Jay Gatsby, Daisy, and Myrtle Wilson, although they are all passing, each does it for a very different reason. Many scholars have touched on the idea that these characters are not who they appear to be and that their passing is associated with social class issues of the 1920s. Fitzgerald’s characters are built around the idea of passing and social class restrictions.

     Picture a fragile glass merry-go-round, a menagerie, if you will, of adolescent social classes and structure. The animals revolve, always mindlessly following the one in front, each measuring his own height compared to his neighbors. If you fall short or fall behind, never fear, just throw a jagged rock and shatter Mr. Popularity in front, take his place, and the merry-go-round revolves still. There is no world outside, nothing matters more than this brittle status-seeking ambition and the taboos, requirements, and rewards that come with it. Every action is fair game, whatever it takes to achieve your supremacy is allowed and accepted. Fitzgerald's "Bernice Bobs Her Hair",