Analysis of Barbie Doll Essay

The ravaging of Social Pressure One would think that growing up would be a fun, not a worry in the world, happy experience. Yes, that is the guidance it should be, but thats not al routes the case, especially for women. As girls lenify into women they realize they not only have to see the fact that theyre in a patriarchal society, but too the influences and wedge they face in the social aspect of things, such as their looks and body image. in that respect is so much competition amongst girls, especially when transitioning into a charr and with with(predicate) most of their adulthood.So instead of being able to enjoy sp counterbalanceliness and absorbing the true quality of it, we are side tracked with dilettante, stereotypical, turn thoughts and images of how we think life is supposed to be. Although, whos to say whats right and whats wrong with the air we interpret things? Marge Piercy, who wrote the poem Barbie shuttle, has a very strong view of how destructive socia l pressure rear end be to a girl through her transitioning stages into a woman. She expresses how the Barbie doll, the encounter figurine that woman idealize, is, in fact, a method of corruption to a vernal girl.First and for most we essential understand who the persona is in the poem, which is a woman, and much specifically Marge Piercy herself. She is observing a new girl going 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 body.The girl, presented dolls that micturate/and miniature GE range of mountainss and irons/ and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy (2-4). The words iron, stove, and lipstick are all play-things for the girl, but are similarly identity markers. Such that the doll represents the ideal body image, the iron and stove 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 seventies and that woman in the work force was still a very little percentage, thus women were still very domesticated) and the lipstick is to imply a versed innuendo.In the last line in the first stanza the girl goes through puberty and no time is wasted before a schoolfellow judges and criticizes her, You have a great big nose and plump d sufferten out legs (6). Going through puberty is a stage of growth. Adolescents become more aware of their social standing and intimate 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 foster stanza we see how the woman is dissatisfied with herself even though she is healthy and tried intelligent/possessed strong arms 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 brain swooshed about her looks and she doesnt think she is level-headed 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, grinning and wheedle (12-14).She had so much pressure from every direction, she felt get to try and conform her body into what society viewed as ide al, which we know of as the Barbie doll toy. This idea was short alive(p)d. Instead of standing her grounds and pass judgment the individual that she is, she dr avows. Society got the best of her, Her good nature wore out/ standardised a fan belt (15-16). She gave up and paid the ultimate expenditure to be reliable in society, she cut off her nose and her legs/ and offered them up (17-18). promptly 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 newspaper publisher 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 pop off in this specific culture, if were not perfect, is 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 values and morals within herself. Having our own opinions, life experiences and ethics make us who we are and if we were all the a bid 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 dialogue are amongst her, Doesnt she look pretty? everyone said/Consummation at last/To every woman a happy ending (23-25). perpetration complete, she achieved her goal she is pretty, unflawed, and looks like the ideal woman.