Teenagers are young, naive and impressionable. They are also insecure and sometimes unable to express themselves, which leads them to put others down. They are pressured daily to do things they really don't want to do. They often find themselves doing something they promised they would never do. Due to the influence of those around them, they try to cover up their insecurity by saying things that make others feel bad about themselves. The above traits describe the two main characters in the short story “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”. Bernice and Marjorie are both young teenagers facing pressure to be popular and fit in. Bernice, being the quieter and shyer girl, tries to fit in somewhere she doesn't feel like she belongs. Marjorie, the loudest and seemingly confident girl, shows who she is, deep down being an extremely jealous person. The characters in the story both face insecurities, each reacting in their own way. Bernice, from the short story "Bernice Bobs Her Hair", is no different from the average teenage girl in almost any society in the world. Bernice is under pressure and tries to fit into a society in which she feels uncomfortable. When she conforms and changes and starts to feel halfway comfortable, the situation turns around and people question her sincerity. No matter if she sticks to what she knows or conforms to those around her, someone is always unhappy with her. Bernice is not a social girl. She never really had any friends. The people she considered friends back home were only around her because she had money. When she goes to live with her cousin Marjorie, Bernice is unpopular and this makes her seem insecure. "Bernice felt a vague pain because she wasn't currently busy being... middle of paper ... Marjorie, I also tried to cover up my insecurities using confidence. I used my very loud voice to make me seem confident to those around me It didn't really work; everyone just thought I was loud. The two girls were two totally different people dealing with their insecurities. their way But they are both trying to fill a void, to silence self-doubt and to fit in. Bernice, the modest, nervous and quiet girl, insecure about not fitting in, changes herself and herself. ultimately finds Marjorie unhappy, the bold and intimidating girl, making others feel bad about themselves by putting them down. In doing so, she caused the person who admired her the most, Bernice, to cut her hair. , leaving Marjorie the laughing stock of her town. Due to their insecurity, teenagers are driven to lash out at others or try to change themselves to become what others want them to be...