The poem "Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy has a profound meaning to it. After reading it a couple of times, I found the theme by analyzing multiple things. I figured out the theme because of the author's use of figurative language and the outcome of her plot. The theme that I discovered was; people change people for the better or for, the worse, but it is upon them how they take it in.
The poem Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy is a short poem that talks about a little girl who is born just like any other little girl. She plays with dolls and little ovens and messes around with makeup. She is fine and unbothered with her life till she hits puberty. Around that age she has a classmate tell her “you have a big nose and fat legs.” She was a girl who was healthy, strong, and intelligent but, she was apologizing to everyone for what they saw.
Barbie: The Plastic Insecurity In Marge Piercy’s Barbie Doll, the author tries to bring awareness to an issue because of the overwhelming social pressures and insecurities, one girl has that causes her to commit suicide. The classic Barbie doll came out in 1959 and this poem was published in 1971 giving only 12 years for the Barbie doll to be out on the market and have an impact on little girls. In Piercy’s poem, as the girlchild is growing up, she is given all the toys girls today get, toy dolls, GE stoves, irons, and lipsticks (Piercy). All the things she will need to be “successful” as a woman.
With the constant fear of ridicule and discrimination, we still try and define ourselves, though we are always under the society’s scope. Marge Piercy, in her poem “Barbie Doll”, gives us a look at the influence of our surroundings and how something as innocent as a doll can trigger these insecurities. Our strive for acceptance and “perfection” can cause major emotional damage on anyone who identifies as a woman. Young girls look at these depictions of “perfect” bodies, such as a barbie doll for example, and compare themselves. In the poem “Barbie Doll”, Piercy talks about a young girl who she described as “...healthy, tested and intelligent...” (247) but, she was picked on by peers who said she had “a great big nose and fat legs.”
The poem Barbie doll by Marge Piercy is about a little girl who grows up only to kill herself for not living up to society’s standards. The speaker shows how she had a normal childhood and was happy playing with here baby dolls and toy stove. However, during puberty, her body changed and everyone noticed. She was criticized for her “fat nose and thick legs”. She tried to change by dieting and exercising, but soon tired of doing so.
After reading Marge Piercy’s poem Barbie Doll, I was suddenly blown away. The poem thoroughly navigates through all the obstacles a young women between the ages of 13-18 go through in this society. I fell in love with this poem after reading it because it reminded me of my childhood and the obstacles I faced growing up. The emotions expressed in this poem are ones I’ve experienced on my own. Puberty is something we all dread, but secretly long for.
Society controls the minds of the youth. In society, you’re always expected to act a certain way and look a certain way. The poem “Barbie Doll” was published in 1973. This poem was written by Marge Piercy during the midst of a feminist movement in America that redefined the lives of many women. The poem was written in the point-of-view of a third person narrative.
The freedom of being able to change Barbie’s clothes into her various wardrobes sold gives the young children playing with her the sense of individuality. Although Barbie has brought a lot of controversy to the table within the years it has been on the shelf, her portrayal has not changed because after all she is just a doll,
Barbie dolls extend girls an invitation to a ‘‘plastic society’’ that doesn't accept the genuineness each of us possesses. They present a role model impossible to accomplish. The characters didn't have names, they could hold a symbolic representation of society’s judgment. The girls had the first dolls just like they wanted, but they desired to cover all of the imperfections on the dolls damaged in the fire with new clothes such as the ‘‘Prom Pink outfit’’ (Cisneros). Thereupon, no one would notice the
Barbie is not an Appropriate Role Model What comes to mind when you think of Barbie? The thoughts perfect, thin, and has everything come to mind. This is what Barbie encourages girls to be. At a young age most girls have Barbies; they play with the dolls look up to them. But, what role does Barbie play in young girls lives?
The poem “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy suggests that girls are fatally and ultimately entrapped by society's definition of what feminine beauty and behavior is. In our society we believe that women should be perfect. We want women to be as flawless as a Barbie doll and in doing so we create many struggles for women because no one can ever achieve that goal. The poem gives off a sense of irony when “society” compares a young girl to a Barbie doll. Our society has an ideal that was created by the influences of popular media and culture that is impossible for anyone to reach.
But where did it all start and how did you get to this position? You’re five years old when you receive your first Barbie doll. Your innocent mind looks at the plastic figure as just a symbol of inspiration or a relatable toy used on the playground
Barbie was first sold in 1959, and she was meant to be the ideal role model for young girls. Almost every little girl in America had a Barbie doll. Your brain is highly adaptable when you are a young child. This causes Barbie to have a giant impact on little kids impressions on themselves.(LOGOS) Barbie is not a good role model because of her unrealistic body, morals, and personality standards.
The idea of the Barbie Doll has been debated or many years. Released in 1959 during the largest feminist movement in America, it was labeled as an icon for women. However, the physical appearance of Barbie has caused many feminists to argue its intentions. It portrays unrealistic body standards for women, accentuated by tight, skimpy outfits. At a very young age, girls are taught to be perfect and perky.
As we know every young girl in her childhood had a barbie doll. Barbie dolls were used to play with and to make children feel like they had a friend. The first barbie doll was made in the 50s and the way it looked like was the dream of how every girl wanted to be once they get older. Over the years’ barbie dolls have changed their fashion as it has changed on the reality. Today barbie dolls are not as famous as they used to be, because now technology is taking over.
