F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Spokesman of the Jazz Age,” explores the social history of that period in his literature- particularly the radical shift in gender roles that this period saw (Wanlass). The 1920s saw the birth of the New Woman, a radical shift away from the women of the Victorian era. Fitzgerald explores this new feminine identity in his stories “Winter Dreams” and “Bernice Bobs Her Hair.” The three central female characters in these stories all explore this identity in different ways. “Winter Dreams” is a Gatsby cluster story in which Dexter lusts after the young Judy Jones. In “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” Marjorie takes the role of the New Woman, who pushes the Victorian Bernice to modernize herself. Analyzing these two stories allows
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For Marjorie and Bernice, beauty is the only way to be taken seriously. When Marjorie is coaching Bernice through her grand make-over, she states: “’I hate dainty minds,’ answered Marjorie. ‘But a girl has to be dainty in person. If she looks like a million dollars she can talk about Russia, ping pong, or the League of Nations and get away with it’” (Fitzgerald 35). Before her make-over, Marjorie’s friends hardly give Bernice a second thought. After slipping into her new identity and becoming someone that the younger generation would perceive as beautiful and charming, Bernice found herself in a position of popularity and respect. Her attractiveness is central to who she is and how likeable she is. Likewise, Judy Jones’ beauty turns out to be the driving force behind Dexter’s attraction to her. Years after Dexter knew her, his friend Devlin says to him of Judy, “’Lots of women fade just like that,’ Devlin snapped his fingers. ‘You must have seen it happen. Perhaps I’ve forgotten how pretty she was at her wedding’” (Fitzgerald 235). Dexter responds with deep mourning, “For the first time in years the tears were streaming down his face. But they were for himself now. He did not care about mouth and eyes and moving hands. He wanted to care, and he could not care. The gates were closed, the sun was gone down, and there was no beauty but the gray beauty of steel that withstands …show more content…
In “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” Bernice is unable to maintain the identity of “The New Woman” that Marjorie creates for her. When she angers Marjorie and no longer has her support, she finds herself unable to continue fitting herself into this limited identity- she can’t keep up the wit and charm expected of her: “Bernice’s ears burned as she tried to think up an effectual come-back. In the face of this direct attack her imagination was paralyzed” (Fitzgerald 41). After losing her wit, it is implied several pages later that Bernice even loses her beauty when she bobs her hair. She quickly loses the interest of Warren and the rest of the group. Likewise, despite her independence and unattainable beauty, Dexter still regards Judy as an object, a prize to be won. In the beginning of “Winter Dreams,” Fitzgerald writes: “He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people- he wanted the glittering things themselves” (Fitzgerald 221). He continues five pages later, stating: “It did not take him many hours to decide that he had wanted Judy Jones ever since he was a proud, desirous little boy” (Fitzgerald 226). Far from being liberated, in “Winter Dreams” The New Woman is a possession. She is the
For Marjorie and Bernice, beauty is the only way to be taken seriously. When Marjorie is coaching Bernice through her grand make-over, she states: “’I hate dainty minds,’ answered Marjorie. ‘But a girl has to be dainty in person. If she looks like a million dollars she can talk about Russia, ping pong, or the League of Nations and get away with it’” (Fitzgerald 35). Before her make-over, Marjorie’s friends hardly give Bernice a second thought. After slipping into her new identity and becoming someone that the younger generation would perceive as beautiful and charming, Bernice found herself in a position of popularity and respect. Her attractiveness is central to who she is and how likeable she is. Likewise, Judy Jones’ beauty turns out to be the driving force behind Dexter’s attraction to her. Years after Dexter knew her, his friend Devlin says to him of Judy, “’Lots of women fade just like that,’ Devlin snapped his fingers. ‘You must have seen it happen. Perhaps I’ve forgotten how pretty she was at her wedding’” (Fitzgerald 235). Dexter responds with deep mourning, “For the first time in years the tears were streaming down his face. But they were for himself now. He did not care about mouth and eyes and moving hands. He wanted to care, and he could not care. The gates were closed, the sun was gone down, and there was no beauty but the gray beauty of steel that withstands …show more content…
In “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” Bernice is unable to maintain the identity of “The New Woman” that Marjorie creates for her. When she angers Marjorie and no longer has her support, she finds herself unable to continue fitting herself into this limited identity- she can’t keep up the wit and charm expected of her: “Bernice’s ears burned as she tried to think up an effectual come-back. In the face of this direct attack her imagination was paralyzed” (Fitzgerald 41). After losing her wit, it is implied several pages later that Bernice even loses her beauty when she bobs her hair. She quickly loses the interest of Warren and the rest of the group. Likewise, despite her independence and unattainable beauty, Dexter still regards Judy as an object, a prize to be won. In the beginning of “Winter Dreams,” Fitzgerald writes: “He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people- he wanted the glittering things themselves” (Fitzgerald 221). He continues five pages later, stating: “It did not take him many hours to decide that he had wanted Judy Jones ever since he was a proud, desirous little boy” (Fitzgerald 226). Far from being liberated, in “Winter Dreams” The New Woman is a possession. She is the