Analysis of Barbie Doll Essay

The Devastation of Social Pressure One would think that growing up would be a fun, non a worry in the world, happy experience. Yes, that is the mood it should be, but thats not always the case, especially for women. As girls season into women they realize they not totally have to face the fact that theyre in a patriarchal society, but also the influences and bosom they face in the tender aspect of things, such(prenominal) as their looks and automobile trunk image. There is so much competition amongst girls, especially when transitioning into a woman and through most of their adulthood.So instead of being togted to enjoy animateness and absorbing the true quality of it, we are side tracked with superficial, stereotypical, shallow thoughts and images of how we think life is supposed to be. Although, whos to say whats right and whats wrong with the way we interpret things? Marge Piercy, who wrote the poem Barbie Doll, has a very strong view of how destructive social pressure r ear end be to a girl through her transitioning stages into a woman. She expresses how the Barbie doll, the toy figurine that woman idealize, is, in fact, a method of corruption to a unfledged girl.First and for most we must understand who the persona is in the poem, which is a woman, and more specifically Marge Piercy herself. She is observing a young girl exhalation from Wolfe 2 childhood, adolescents, adulthood and then death in a roundabout way. Starting with the first stanza, of four, the persona explains of a young girl, and her playing with a doll, the Mattels Barbie doll to be precise. This doll is to be described as tall, blonde hair, blue eyes and it has the perfect frame.The girl, presented dolls that pee-pee/and miniature GE stoves and irons/ and make believe lipsticks the color of cherry candy (2-4). The words iron, stove, and lipstick are all play-things for the girl, but are also identity markers. Such that the doll represents the ideal body image, the iron and sto ve tells us what type of work is expected of the girl when she becomes an adult (keep in mind that this poem was written in the nineteen mid-seventies and that woman in the work force was still a very small percentage, thus women were still very domesticated) and the lipstick is to imply a inner innuendo.In the last line in the first stanza the girl goes through puberty and no time is wasted before a classmate decide and criticizes her, You have a great big nose and fat legs (6). Going through puberty is a stage of growth. Adolescents become more aware of their social standing and sexual being. As we read further, the doll, she once played with, will create a major impact on her in the aspect of her body image and the pressure she faces from her peers.In the second stanza we see how the woman is dissatisfied with herself even though she is healthy and tested intelligent/possessed strong weaponry and back/ abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity (7-9). The persona continues to say, She went to and fro apologizing/Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs (10-11). The traits that this woman possesses, is in every way correct however, she is so sure her physical traits are unacceptable to the culture.No matter what she sees in the mirror or what she hears, this wont change her opinion about herself image. She has been brainwashed about her looks and she doesnt think she is good enough. She goes around apologizing to everyone about the person she has become, believing there is no way she can change, at least in a healthy manner. In the third stanza we read how society is forcing the woman to change her healthy ways, physically, into something she isnt. She does what she can to fit into society by, playing coy/ exhorted to come on hearty/ exercise, diet, smile and wheedle (12-14).She had so much pressure from every direction, she felt obligated to try and accommodate her body into what society viewed as ideal, which we know of as the Barbie doll toy. This idea w as short lived. Instead of standing her grounds and accepting the individual that she is, she drowns. Society got the outmatch of her, Her good nature wore out/ like a fan belt (15-16). She gave up and paid the ultimate price to be accepted in society, she abbreviated off her nose and her legs/ and offered them up (17-18).Now that she has removed her flaws she temporarily relinquishes her depression, weakness, and anxiety. Now that she has met the, impossible, unrealistic, standard, she can permanently wash her existences away and leave her shell of beauty behind. In the final Stanza, Piercy highlights the theme of the poem. Simply put, women arent accepted into society unless they represent the ideal woman. Now that the woman is free of body flaws and has had a makeover, she can be accepted into her culture even though we know this isnt her true self.What must this say about the society she has been exposed to? In order to live on in this specific culture, if were not perfect, i s to become someone were not. So not only do we have to try to live up to a standard that is not comprehendible but we also have to be fake. In the middle of the last stanza Piercy explains, with the undertakers cosmetics painted on/a turned-up putty nose/dressed in a pink and white nightie (20-22). The woman now has the superficial , but perfect, looks. She is manipulated (physically) so she can finally be recognized.Letting a society make this woman frail and surrender to being her own individual shows a lack of value and morals within herself. Having our own opinions, life experiences and ethics make us who we are and if we were all the same or are held up to the same expectations what would life be like? Would we all act like robots? Clones? As the woman has been re-configured, shallow talks are amongst her, Doesnt she look pretty? everyone said/ exercise at last/To every woman a happy ending (23-25). Mission complete, she achieved her goal she is pretty, unflawed, and looks lik e the ideal woman.