Here in America today, society places a multitude of absurd pressures upon women telling them how they must act, dress, and look. In the poem, one sees the negative effects these mounting pressures have on one young lady. In the poem, “Barbie Doll,” by Marge Piercy, the theme of the unreasonableness of the expectations placed on women is explored through the poems usage of symbolism, imagery and irony.
The first symbol is found in title “Barbie Doll.” The symbol of the doll comes to life as the “girlchild” (line 1) strives to fit into society’s ideas of perfection that are modeled in her toys. Even though the girl is “healthy” (line 7) with “strong arms and back” (line 8) she feels she must become as thin, tall, and beautiful as her dolls are depicted to be. The symbolism of the doll is carried on further with the accessories that come with the …show more content…
In the first line, the author calls the girl not by a name but by the title “girlchild” (line 1). By referring to the person in the poem as “girlchild” (line 1), and not by name, the main character is already being labeled by society. Due to being a girl, the main character is forced from day one to fit her gender role. She is given a doll along with “miniature GE stoves” (line 3), “irons” (line 3), and “lipsticks the color of cherry candy” (line 4), so that she can learn to carry out the duties of a model women. Meticulously chosen diction is also detected when Piercy points out that the nameless “girlchild” (line 1) was “born as usual” (line 1). Consequently, the reader recognizes that the pressures the girl has to be “hearty” (line 12), “coy” (line 11) and always smiling are universal. The nameless girl and average girl could easily be them, a sister, a mother, or another woman that the reader associates with. By deliberately selecting certain words and phrases, the author illustrates the theme that society places impractical standards on
The first symbol is found in title “Barbie Doll.” The symbol of the doll comes to life as the “girlchild” (line 1) strives to fit into society’s ideas of perfection that are modeled in her toys. Even though the girl is “healthy” (line 7) with “strong arms and back” (line 8) she feels she must become as thin, tall, and beautiful as her dolls are depicted to be. The symbolism of the doll is carried on further with the accessories that come with the …show more content…
In the first line, the author calls the girl not by a name but by the title “girlchild” (line 1). By referring to the person in the poem as “girlchild” (line 1), and not by name, the main character is already being labeled by society. Due to being a girl, the main character is forced from day one to fit her gender role. She is given a doll along with “miniature GE stoves” (line 3), “irons” (line 3), and “lipsticks the color of cherry candy” (line 4), so that she can learn to carry out the duties of a model women. Meticulously chosen diction is also detected when Piercy points out that the nameless “girlchild” (line 1) was “born as usual” (line 1). Consequently, the reader recognizes that the pressures the girl has to be “hearty” (line 12), “coy” (line 11) and always smiling are universal. The nameless girl and average girl could easily be them, a sister, a mother, or another woman that the reader associates with. By deliberately selecting certain words and phrases, the author illustrates the theme that society places impractical standards on