Jerz: Am Lit II (EL 267) (Draft): Fitzgerald, ''Bernice Bobs Her Hair''
After watching the movie, I was definitely expecting less than I got from the story. The story was so much more in depth. There was more detail. We got to know the characters better. We also got to know Bernice better, we had a look inside her head.
In the movie, we just saw Bernice as a helpless and pathetic girl. She was quite ugly, and actually cam off as not having very much confidence and self-esteem. However, in the story, she was supposed to be a very pretty girl (with brown hair not red and slightly crooked teeth not a mouth like Jaws). The only problem Bernice had in the story was that she was not much of a conversationalist. I didn't take that as she had no confidence or esteem as her demeanor in the movie portrayed. Instead, I just took it as she wasn't very talkative because she was surrounded by different people with whom she had nothing in common.
The same goes for Warren, in the movie I thought he was a cocky and pompous character who was disgustingly infatuated with a girl who could care less about anyone's feelings but her own (Marjorie). But in the story, I almost felt bad for him. He didn't have very much character to himself, he was never really given a chance.
There was so much detail to the story that I actually saw it better in my head than I did watching the movie.
Also, I must make note of the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that they followed through with the indian comment. In the movie I wondered what the point of Bernice having part Indian in her was. But after reading the last line of the story, about "scalping" a selfish person, I have to admit I laughed. It was the subtle amusement in this very last line that changed my opinion of the story. At first I thought it was just a well written and easily visualized story but definitely not something I would read otherwise. But after the scalping comment, I changed my mind, this story was quite amusing. I am a big fan of writers leaving subtle lines and then following through with them when a reader least expects.
Posted by LesleyTodoric at January 31, 2005 09:22 PM | TrackBackOooh! I didn't even pick up on the scalping comment tho the indian blood reference stuck out to me tho I didn't know why! Good connection! I did thoroughly enjoy the fact that Bernice lopped off Marjorie's hair... how many girls have you known who you wished you could do that to??? :c)
Posted by: moira at February 1, 2005 01:50 PM