Compare And Contrast Bernice Bobs Her Hair And A White Heron

“Bernice Bobs Her Hair” and “A White Heron”

In Bernice Bobs Her Hair, Bernice has an ultimate goal to change her appearance as a way to fit into the modern world, while in A White Heron Sylvie wants to protect the natural world from the hands of men from the outside world. The contrast between these two characters shows how innocence can be easily influenced.

In Bernice Bobs Her Hair, Long hair symbolizes feminism and beauty, but bobbed hair represents is more of a wild and unmoral hairstyle. This hairstyle is meant for improper women and was considered masculine and was performed on a men’s barber shop, not a women’s salon. Even when Bernice is asked by G. Reece, “Do you

believe in bobbed hair?" (Fitzgerald ), Bernice replies with, "I think it's unmoral...But, of course, you've either got to amuse people or feed'em or shock'em. (Fitzelgerald …). However, in the end Bernice ends up getting tricked into getting this hair cut and is now considered a rebel and unmoral to the people around her. After getting her hair cut this shows different and more aggressive side to Bernice. Bernice saw this dare of getting a bobbed haircut from Marjorie as “the test supreme of her sportsmanship” (Fitzgerald ) and was determined not to let Marjorie get the best of her. But after realizing that the dare was an “outrageous trap” Bernice is able to develope a new immediate strategy for coping with her struggle with her identity and popularity, by this new profound anger that she has with her cousin and ends up cutting off her hair too.

In A White Heron, a Heron is a symbolism of Sylvies innocence and inner nature.

Her youth and innocence are emphasised by her relaxed nature- ‘Sylvia had all the time there was.’ ( ). However, when Sylvia sees a hunter walking in the woods, she is easily startled, but is also distracted by his handsome features as she takes him into her home. Sylvia is able to put aside her love for the natural world and is more focused on impressing the hunter. Even though Sylvia is too young for the hunter this is the first time that she's developed a crush. The passage states, “She had never seen anybody so charming and delightful; the woman's heart, asleep in the child, was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love.” (. ). Because this hunter loves the birds and can share interesting facts about how they live, Sylvia is able to enjoys being in his company and when he asks for Sylvia's help to find the white heron, She is more than eager to. For example the passage states, “What a spirit of adventure, what wild ambition! What fancied triumph and delight and glory for the later morning when she could make known the secret! It was almost too great for the childish heart to bear.” ( )

Sylvia is extremely excited that she will be able to impress the handsome handsome hunter with her navigation skills and knowledge of the woods that will help lead them to the Heron. She is proud of having such great knowledge to impart. However, later in the story Sylvia is able to show her loyalty in not revealing

the location of the Heron and choosing to protect this bird.

In Bernice Bobs Her Hair, Bernice finds it challenging to live in the modern world, as she finds a way to conform to the people around her.

The importance of popularity to Bernice is shown by her willingness to change her personality in order to fit in with Marjorie’s friends. During this time period, society becomes more materialistic and only cares about appearances. Marjorie considers that girls in the modern world should be, “....” (Fitzelgerald …) Bernice is pressured and is trying to fit into a society that she feels uncomfortable in. Eventually she does attempt to conform and change, but people are still challenging her seriousness to this change. During the dance Warren realizes a change in Bernice as the passage states, “Next time Bernice danced near, Warren regarded her intently. Yes, she was pretty, distinctly pretty; and to-night her face seemed really vivacious…He remembered that he had thought her pretty when she first came to town, before he had realized that she was dull. Too bad she was dull – dull girls unbearable – certainly pretty though” (Fitzlegerald...). For the first time, Warren is able to take a real good look at Bernice up close and notices a change in her. There is also a significant change with here she's actually having fun at this dance. But even if Bernice were to stay as her true self or conform to those around her, someone is still unhappy with her. The fact that Bernice follows Marjorie’s advice, without really

questioning anything, not only further suggests how important popularity is to Bernice, but it also implies that Bernice is unsure of who she is. Bernice ends up struggling with finding her true identity in this society that she tries to conform to.

In A White Heron, Sylvia's bond with nature is able to help her protect her innocence and protect all natural life from the outside world. Sylvia is able to protect the forest and what she loves, by standing up to the hunter and his bribes for wanting to find the Heron. Sylvia is first distracted by the hunters handsome features, that she wanted to help him catch the bird. When she is able to find the location of the Heron's nest all she keeps thinking is, “over and over again what the stranger would say to her, and what he would think when she told him how to find his way straight to the heron’s nest”(. ). However, even though Sylvia was more than eager to share the location of the Heron with the hunter, she can't. All she thinks about is the moment that she shared with the Heron, “and how they watched the sea and morning together, and Sylvia cannot speak, she cannot tell the heron’s secret and give its life away” (. ). Sylvia is able to not care about what the hunter would think and only cares about the safety of the bird.