A Discussion of Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy

A FAT NOSE ON THICK LEGS

A Discussion of "Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy

Marge Piercy's 'Barbie Doll' is a narrative, free-verse poem composed of four stanzas and twenty-five lines (six lines for the first stanza, five for the second and seven for the third and fourth). It roughly sketches out the life of a girl who was born 'normal', quite gifted in fact, but still cannot be accepted by the society she belongs in, and in turn also by herself, because her appearance did not match with that of the ideal female. The persona in the poem is a limited omniscient one, an observer of the events or perhaps the authoress herself, and is distinct from the subject of the poem which is the girl. Piercy used a simple style in writing, she didn't write any eloquent words but instead utilized childlike descriptions and symbols which helped her readers to not only understand the situation but also emphatize with it. The tone of the poem changes throughout the piece, reflecting with the general mood of the situation narrated.

The first four lines, which summarizes the girl's birth to late childhood, are seemingly cheerful and light-hearted. Here, we can see a beloved child starting her life at home with the readied ideals of what a woman 'should' be (hourglass-figured, good in the kitchen but perpetually in makeup to look pretty and delicate), whether unconsciously or intentionally, given to her. The GE stoves and the cherry red lipstick are specifically mentioned to stir the readers into a feeling of closeness. General Electronic is a famous brand for house appliances in America (it is also trusted here in Philippines, I think, though mostly for refrigerators only) and cherry red lipsticks are widely used by women around the world. Using these things, along with the worldwide known Barbie, helped the readers to somehow relate the experiences of this girl child with theirs. There was a sudden mood drop on the next two lines, however, because any fantasies of being as...