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Opening Scene
The story opens with a summer dance on a Saturday night in a club ballroom. The narrator explains that the reader needs to be within the throng of the occasion to appreciate “the drama of the shifting, semi-cruel world of adolescence.” The reader is then led through the crowd. -
Warren McIntyre
The narrator draws the attention of the audience to the individuals present. They are described collectively: “a medley of faces and voices”. The narrator finally rests the attention on Warren McIntyre, describing him as “one of the unfortunate stags.” Seeing himself as superior to others as he had “gone East” to college, Warren was still captivated by the girls of his city, and was “crazy about” Marjorie Harvey. -
Majorie Harvey does not love Warren
Marjorie Harvey is introduced as a fairylike individual with a “bewildering tongue.” Marjorie has informed Warren that she does not love him, as “when she was away from him she forgot him and had affairs with other boys.” She pushes him into dancing with Bernice, her cousin. Bernice unintentionally shuts him down, then accidentally offends him by talking about his friends -
“Very few… blessedly feminine qualities”
The setting then transitions to Majorie and Bernice's home. Bernice sadly wonders why she is not popular. She goes down to talk to her aunt but overhears Majorie complaining about her being boring and blaming Bernice's "Indian blood" for her being socially awkward. -
The Next Day
The next day Bernice confronts Majorie about the things she was saying the night before. This causes multiple arguments between them and results in Bernice threatening to go home. The two eventually calm down and Bernice agrees to take a make-over from Majorie as she says Bernice's ideas of what it means to be a woman are wrong and outdated. -
Bernice's Big Debut
Bernice is a stunning success after her makeover. She manages to win over all of the town's bachelors by simply following Majorie's instructions. She then made the claim to bob her hair. This raises the interest in everyone in town including Warren McIntyre. -
Majorie confronts Bernice
The idea of Bernice stealing the attention of Warren away from Majorie upsets her. Bernice tries to explain to Majorie that she never intended on hurting her and wants to make it up to her. Majorie does not accept Bernice's apology and proceeds to sabotage her cousin at the Bridge party by telling everyone that Bernice was lying and does not intend on bobbing her hair. Bernice is now faced with a tough decision and decides to go through with cutting her hair. -
Bob? Pass or Fail?
Bernice's haircut turned out to be a complete disaster. It is simply unflattering and "ugly as sin". She now looks “frightfully mediocre" and now has no confidence in herself and her look, so the crowd is unimpressed and dismissive, including Warren. -
Bernice Seeks Revenge
After the haircut, Majorie half-heartedly apologizes to Bernice for egging the haircut on. Bernice claims to forgive her but she knows that she doesn't. Later that night, Bernice packs a bag to sneak out and leave when all of a sudden something in her snapped. She found Majorie laying in her bed asleep before the party that night when she decided to cut off Majorie's two long braids. She then leaves the Harvey household and throws the braids onto Warren’s front porch before running out of town,