Big Blonde by Dorothy Parker
"Big Blonde" is a short story by Dorothy Parker that delves into themes of illusion, reality, and the consequences of social facades. The narrative follows Hazel Morse, an aging party girl epitomizing the archetype of the "big blonde." Initially embracing a life filled with parties and relationships, Hazel crafts an identity centered around being the cheerful and accommodating companion. However, as she attempts to marry and escape her constructed persona, she discovers that her husband desires the very facade she sought to abandon. When her marriage crumbles, Hazel's reliance on her appealing exterior leads to a lonely existence, where she grapples with the expectations of various men who demand constant cheerfulness in exchange for their support.
As Hazel struggles with the emotional toll of her choices, she increasingly turns to alcohol to numb her pain, ultimately facing the harsh truths of her reality. Parker's poignant writing captures the depth of Hazel's despair, illustrating a profound commentary on the societal pressures faced by women and the often tragic outcomes of living a life built on appearances. Recognized for its incisive characterization and emotional complexity, "Big Blonde" won the O. Henry Memorial Prize in 1929, solidifying Parker's reputation as a master of short fiction. The story's exploration of loneliness and the pursuit of identity resonates with readers, inviting reflection on the masks individuals wear in society.
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Big Blonde by Dorothy Parker
First published: 1929
The Work
“Big Blonde,” a story of illusion and reality, avoidance and consequence, tells the tale of an aging party girl who makes a failed attempt at evading the truths of her life. Dorothy Parker’s incisive characterization and witty narration explore the social facades that mask loneliness and desperation. The story won the O. Henry Memorial Prize for best short story of 1929.
Hazel Morse is a big blonde. Like the other big blondes in her company, her life is an unremarkable stream of parties and men. Accepting unquestioningly that popularity is important, she strives to endear herself to many men. Hazel builds her external identity around an image—that of the good sport. At first it is easy, but gradually it becomes a matter of practice, for her to be cheerful and bubbly, carefree and gay. She begins to tire of the game and decides to marry, believing that this will enable her to discard the facade she had so carefully constructed. She soon learns, however, that the Hazel she presented at parties is the Hazel her husband wants her to be. When she ceases to be that Hazel, her husband grows disenchanted and leaves. Alone and without financial support, she falls into relationships with a variety of men, each expecting the jolly, compliant Hazel in exchange for their patronage.
Hazel cannot escape the consequences of the life she has chosen, nor can she escape recognizing the mistakes upon which those consequences are built. Her understanding of her circumstances is at first subverted by her own confusion: “Her days were a blurred and flickering sequence, an imperfect film, dealing with the actions of strangers. . . . She never pondered if she might be better occupied doing something else.” She falls deeper into the trap of posturings and pretensions, but certain realities nevertheless grow harder to deny; she wearies of always being accommodating and cheerful and begins to dwell on the things she must say and do to maintain her appeal. She hurries to banish these worries with alcohol. After a while, even the alcohol cannot blur the face of truth; she begins “to feel toward alcohol a little puzzled distrust, as toward an old friend who has refused a simple favor.” Hazel turns to suicide. When she is unsuccessful at permanently blotting out her painful existence, and can no longer retreat into a blissful alcoholic stupor, she realizes that truth is immutable and is compelled to face the dismal future wrought by her own hands.
Parker’s presentation of the conflict is drawn with bold strokes. Her economy with words brings a depth of understated emotion to the work and her trenchant commentary on Hazel’s world is sardonic and tragic.
Bibliography
Calhoun, Randall. Dorothy Parker: A Bio-Bibliography. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1993.
Gill, Brendan. Introduction to The Portable Dorothy Parker, by Dorothy Parker. New York: Viking Press, 1973.
Kinney, Arthur. Dorothy Parker. Boston: Twayne, 1978.
Meade, Marion. Dorothy Parker: What Fresh Hell Is This? New York: Villard Books, 1988.