“Barbie Doll” Analysis

Directions

Read the background on the writer. Then, read and annotate “Barbie
Doll” and answer the questions under “Exploring the Text.” Provide
evidence from the text to support each answer.

Writer Marge Piercy

American poet, novelist, and activist Marge Piercy (b. 1936) grew up in
Michigan in a working-class family during the Depression. She
graduated from Northwestern University with an MA and went on to
write more than thirty books, including novels and volumes of poetry.
She is known for her highly personal free verse and her themes of
feminism and social protest. "Barbie Doll," from her 1973 collection To
Be of Use, comments on the popular icon - and children's toy - of the
same name. It was published during the second-wave of feminism.

Exploring the Text

1. Identify several stereotypes that Marge Piercy draws on in this poem. Why is
girlchild - one word - an appropriate term?

She tends to talk about the stereotypes of a woman being in the kitchen, or
changing diapers, all of the stuff that a “woman only should be doing”. The term
girlchild is appropriate because it specifies that the child in question is a female,
and not a male, because males shouldn’t be doing all these things, or whatever
the stereotypical belief is.

2. What images and colors does Piercy use to depict the girlchild?

The author uses colors like pink, white, and she mentions red lipstick. The red
lipstick could represent how it makes a girl look prettier when they have lots of
makeup on.

3. Who is the speaker in the poem?

The speaker in the poem is meant to be the girl child. She is telling her life story,
probably from the after life unless she is foreshadowing.
4. How does the way the girl is encouraged to behave run counter to her natural
inclinations?

I think that the girl just wants to be herself, and do what she pleases. However,
people in our society still think that women belong in the kitchen, or change
diapers, or iron, everything that a male “can’t do”.

5. How does the speaker entwine other commentaries into the poem? Why? Are
these voices in the mind of the girlchild real or imagined?

The speaker does this by taking us into her imagination. I understood it as a

classmate coming up to her and pointing at her nose and legs, and saying the
things they did. This really helped me to be part of the poem. I think that they
could be real and imagined. They could be imaginary because it is a constant
fear women have of being body shamed. They have to be able to live up to the
expectations of other women, such as celebrities. If they don’t do that, it is simply
unacceptable. They could be real because it could be a boy taking action on the
unacceptability of her body.

6. What is the speaker's tone in this poem? What specific lines and images lead
you to your understanding of tone?

I think that the tone of this poem is desperate. This girlchild just wants to be a
normal girl child. She doesn’t want to start learning as soon as she is able how to
care for a family or house. She wants to live her life the way she wants to. Some
things that led me to think this were the first and second to last stanzas. In the
first, when she is given all those things, I saw it as overwhelming, and she was
desperate for just a little more time as a child. In the second to last stanza, she
cut off her nose and legs because she was fed up with the hate, and was just
desperate for people to notice the good things about her and love her.

7. So what? What is the purpose of this poem and what can readers learn from it?

I think one of the main purposes of this poem is to show that there is more to
women (and people) than just the way they look, or how society has seen them in
the past. The girlchild cut off her nose and legs because they were the parts that
nobody liked, and she just wanted people to like her. In addition, women are not
just good for cooking, cleaning, etc. They are actual humans who deserve to be
treated like womens and have the same liberties as men. Readers can learn that
based on how you treat others, there will always be repercussions. They can be
good or bad.

Barbie Doll
This girlchild was born as usual
and presented dolls that did pee-pee
and miniature GE stoves and irons
and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy.
Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:
You have a great big nose and fat legs.

She was healthy, tested intelligent,

possessed strong arms and back,
abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.
She went to and fro apologizing.
Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs.

She was advised to play coy,

exhorted to come on hearty,
exercise, diet, smile and wheedle.
Her good nature wore out
like a fan belt.
So she cut off her nose and her legs
and offered them up.

In the casket displayed on satin she lay

with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on,
a turned-up putty nose,
dressed in a pink and white nightie.
Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said.
Consummation at last.
To every woman a happy ending.