Poem Analysis: Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll

Barbie Doll Today, society plays a big role in our lives. Girls of all ages are expected to stop being themselves and try and please everyone else. There is a standard of how we should dress and act in order to be accepted by society, but even then it’s hard to fit in. This poem was written in 1936 by Marge Piercy and now, eighty years later; it is very sad that this poem still has such an effect on people because these things still happen. Everything in this poem is powerful, even down to the title. Barbie has been an icon in society since its creation. Although Barbie dolls are children’s toys they still exemplify a woman with a perfect body and endless beauty, which creates the image of what women should look like to society. This poem walks you through the life of a woman from birth to death, the main character never had a chance to enjoy her life because of the standards of society and her constant attempts to try and please everyone. The first stanza starts with the little girl’s childhood. It tells us that she plays with, “miniature GE stoves and irons,” these toys represent the things women are supposed to do. This symbolizes the impression society has had that women should learn to cook and do laundry in order to fit everyday standards. Also, she …show more content…
The second stanza starts with the girl’s good qualities, but in the third stanza the reader is shown the effects of society’s picture of a perfect woman. “She was advised to play coy,/ exhorted to come on hearty,/ exercise, diet, smile and wheedle.“ Barbie is a small waisted beautiful toy for little girls, but has had such a strong effect on people today that girls will exercise and diet until the point of illness. This is a very sad but true fact. The last paragraph follows the girl to her funeral. The author describes her “turned up putty nose” and the casket with a satin lining that might even symbolize a Barbie doll

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