Poem Analysis: Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll

From the time they are born, girls are influenced by society as to who they should be, how they should look, and how they should act. Americans believe that women should be to a certain standard; pretty, feminine, and especially, thin. The pressures derive from family, media, and friends. Marge Piercy’s poem, “Barbie Doll” depicts a girl who was never recognized for her character and spent her life trying to be accepted for who she was, rather than how she looked.

The poem is written in free verse, offers no type of rhyme scheme, and in one long stanza. This contributes to

Sandra Cisneros addresses poverty and unrealistic expectations of women through the lens of adolescent girls, using their youthful perception of a Barbie Doll. Through Barbie’s image of ideal beauty, Cisneros foregrounds the struggles that women, especially those in poverty, face in their attempts to amount to the unrealistic standards of female beauty. Cisneros’s main argument through her short story “Barbie-Q” is that it is impossible to expect women to meet this manifest of beauty, and somewhere along the way of escaping and covering their imperfections they become damaged.

The poem, "Barbie Doll," written by Marge Piercy tells the story of a young girl growing up through the adolescence stage characterized by appearances and barbarity. The author uses imagery and fluctuating tone to describe the struggles the girl is experiencing during her teenage years, and the affects that can happen. The title of this poem is a good description of how most societies expect others, especially girls to look. Constantly, people are mocked for their appearance and expected to represent a "barbie-doll"-like figure. Few are "blessed" with this description. The female gender is positioned into the stereotype that women should be thin and beautiful. With this girl, the effects were detrimental. The first stanza describes the

The Poem “Barbie Doll (1969)” by Marge Piercy describes the life of a young girl who fell victim to society’s idea of beauty. Marge Piercy was a known social activist and uses this poem to bring attention to serious issues facing young females in society. “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy is a narrative poem; the poem is written in free verse. The author selects a free form of poetry and other devices to help get her point across.

Both poems use names from iconic beauty icons. Barbies are seen by little girls and are the first things to influence how they should define beauty. Normally the dolls have skinny bodies and small noses and are able to have multiple careers and are admired by men. Thus, little girls grow up wanting to be like Barbie. Marilyn Monroe is a sex icon who looks other women began to copy. Unlike Barbie she was curvy and had an acting career, but she was also adored by men. Both icons influenced women on how to look and impress men, but the influence becomes problematic and difficult to maintain because only dolls and superstars to can survive that life. Even idols cannot survive that life, as proven by Monroe. Only Barbie, an object can be seen as the “perfect woman.” Both poems use these names to highlight how impossible it is for women to seen as normal or to be accepted as they are. Thus, an early death can happen when the pressure is too much to handle and each poem has a tone of sadness at both women’s death. However, the Death of Marilyn Monroe encourages women to live and not be like the icons they admire, while Barbie Doll see’s it fit to strive for beauty until the

Negative self-image among women has been a struggle in society for a long period of time. Social media, magazines, and the pressures of society has caused many young girls to feel bad about themselves because they do not look like the clothing model on the runway or the bathing suit model on the front of a magazine. Females grow up with the pressures of having to be in shape, wearing the best clothes, and putting on a full face of makeup for a male to find them attractive. Society has deemed that only "fit" women are beautiful, and that idea has caused women to harm themselves, develop anorexia, and feel insecure of themselves daily. Two works of literature that discuss the struggles women face from society is Marge Piercy's poem "Barbie Doll"

In Marge Piercy's "Barbie Doll" a young girl is troubled by the classification of what it takes to become a beautiful woman. "Barbie Doll" details the image that society projects upon women. From an early age young women struggle to conform to the standards that society has defined for them. Beautiful dolls such as Barbie are frequently the first source of association that young girls have with the image that society has placed upon them.

In Sandra Cisnero’s short story ‘’Barbie-Q,” a Barbie doll is used to portray the author’s inner struggle to achieve perfection, and how her young age and innocence clouds her identity. Throughout the text it is very clear that the author, a young girl, had come from an underprivileged family and faced the issues many families of lower socioeconomic background typically face. In the short story it is also evident that her gender plays a massive role in damaging her self-esteem and confidence, as both the media and the author’s social background have continuously portrayed women as weak, powerless figures. Similarly, in “The Story of an Hour” by Annie Chopin, the protagonist, once again a female figure represented the life of domesticity a woman is expected to hold by society. Although Chopin’s story was written in the late 1800s and “Barbie-Q” is a very modern story, both depict the protagonist females as very helpless, incapable figures that trail after the overpowering men.

“Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy is about a girl who is a normal child growing up; playing with dolls, miniature kitchen items and pretend make-up. It quickly takes an interesting turn when a pubescent child makes fun of her nose and legs and she was advised to exercise and diet despite the fact that she was intelligent and healthy. The poem continues on by the girl cutting her legs and nose and a bizarre visual of her laying in a casket with an ending that states “to every woman a happy ending”( Piercy 791). This poem was written by Piercy in 1969 a year in which many women liberation groups were forming and the breaking of womanly roles was taking place. The poem “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy,

Evans begins the essay stating that the doll, Barbie is being used as the image for the ideal woman and continues to mention it throughout the essay. Women believe the image of Barbie to be the ideal women and society convinces women that the aspects of Barbie are only accepted. The poem “Barbie Doll” is analyzed thoroughly, recognizing the comparison Piercy uses between the young girl and the actual Barbie doll with the use of poetry elements like symbols (Evans). The uses of symbols work with the other elements, but specifically represent a deeper and significant meaning than what is presented on the

Piercy uses symbolism to pull her poem together, by adding depth and meaning. The major symbol of this poem is presented in the title, a barbie doll. It is apparent that the author was not intending to write about a barbie doll but rather to present a materialistic image of perfection. Barbie is “a brand of doll representing a slim, shapely young woman, especially one with blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.” (“Barbie”“Barbie”)