There are so many things that can be said for and against Lorelei and her behavior in the novel Gentleman Prefer Blondes. One of the discussions in class was determining whether or not she personifies the stereotypes that characterize women with blonde hair, or if she is in fact much smarter than she leads us to believe.
Personally, I would like to think that, yes, she is in fact not too bright, and many passages within the novel would suggest just that. With her many grammar and language errors all throughout the story, you can definitely make the assumption that she is not book smart. She even goes as far as to admit her shortcomings in certain aspects of her own personal education, despite saying that she wants to be an educated woman. I don't think that she is 100%, full-fledged blonde status, but she doesn't do much of anything to help change your opinion.
However, it can be argued that she is people, or street, smart. In contrast to her lack of education in terms of books and grammar, she knows how to manipulate the situation so that she gets the desired result. Lorelei, with her many male companions, is able to convince these men, through her charm and personal wit, to give her items, of material worth, to maintain a mutual relationship between them. In this regard, she is able to read and manipulate people and has educated herself in knowing just what to say and how to say it to ultimately get what she wants.
There are all types of being smart out there. Even though someone may be blonde, if they are in fact a bit short in traditional education and "smarts", they are more than capable of compensating that for "smarts" in another category. But what do you guys think? Let's discuss this in the comments.
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