Contents
Chapter 1: Beatrice
Overview
Beatrice undergoes her household’s ritual haircut, the rare moment she’s allowed to look in a hidden mirror. Chafing against restraint and craving belonging, she asks to cut her own hair for the first time. Her decision signals a quiet rebellion and desire for transformation within strict norms.
Summary
Beatrice describes a strict household ritual: every three months, her mother reveals a hidden mirror to cut Beatrice’s hair. Beatrice uses the moment to study herself but averts her eyes, mindful that lingering would be vanity. She catalogs her appearance and feels unchanged, frustrated by her plainness.
As her mother unwinds her bun, Beatrice recalls Caleb already cutting his own hair. The memory and her mother’s gentle efficiency make Beatrice feel like a child, intensifying her restlessness. She asks to take the scissors, and after a brief hesitation, her mother agrees.
Holding the scissors, Beatrice contemplates a drastic cut that might make her different, then checks herself, doubting that hair can change who she is. Still yearning to become someone who fits her faction and home, she chooses action over passivity. She closes the blades on the first lock and begins cutting her own hair.
Who Appears
- BeatriceNarrator; chafes under strict household rituals and begins cutting her own hair, seeking change and belonging.
- Beatrice's motherSupervises the ritual haircut, reveals the hidden mirror, briefly relinquishes control by handing over the scissors.
- CalebBeatrice’s brother; mentioned as already cutting his own hair, prompting Beatrice’s decision.