Body Image Issues In Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll

The 1960s and 70s were a pivotal time for women in the United States. A feminist movement had erupted, as women sought to achieve equal rights. “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy, written in 1971, follows a girl who, although was born completely normal, is seriously affected by body image issues that were brought to her attention after hitting puberty. Although one could argue that the poem is simply a story about a specific person, it shows the negative effects that societal expectations and pressures have on not only women but young girls. The poem is also, in some ways, a warning that these standards may be detrimental to the health of many women. Piercy achieves this message through the use of repetition, symbolism and an overall allusion

Piercy describes a girl who, after hitting puberty, goes through a series of body changes that affect the way she views herself. After being made fun of by a classmate for her “big nose and fat legs” (6) the girl attempts to change who she is in hopes of pleasing those around her. Piercy goes on to repeatedly mention the girl’s nose and legs. This use of repetition symbolizes the constant flow of negative thoughts that go through a girl’s mind when dealing with self image issues, and the negative effects they could potentially have. In stanzas one, two and three Piercy writes three variations of this comment. In the first stanza, the classmate is the one addressing the girl’s nose and legs. In the second stanza, it states that “everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs” (11). Finally, the third stanza, states that the girl decides to “cut off her nose and her legs” (17). The minute changes in this phrase show how the girl starts to believe what others say about her. This causes her to conform to what they believe to be beautiful, which eventually leads to her

In the first stanza, she describes the dolls the girl had and the accessories they came with. The dolls symbolize a perfect woman. She goes on to mention “miniature GE stoves and irons” (3) and the “wee lipsticks the color of cherry chandy” (4). The stoves and irons represent the domestication of women throughout history and the pressure put on women to be a perfect housewife, while the lipsticks symbolize the pressure put on women to look perfect. The final stanza shows that the girl is now dead and lying in her casket. She has makeup on her face and a pretty nightie on. After everyone comments on how beautiful the girl looks, Piercy writes, “Consummation at last. To every woman a happy ending.” (24-25) The last two lines show that the girl’s longing to please those around her has led to her death. Although she is no longer living, she has reached her “happy” ending and is a perfect girl. She has finally met the beauty standards she had been bullied into reaching. The death of the girl alludes to the need for male companionship. Once she has died, everyone around her begins to notice her beauty. All she wanted in life was to be beautiful, and with her death she achieved