Marge piercy poem-about ideals and feminisim- What do you think??

Question

obviously its about feminisim--


Barbie Doll

by Marge Piercy



This girlchild was born as usual
and presented dolls that did pee-pee
and miniature GE ovens 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 intellegent,
posessed strong arms and back,
abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.
She went to and fro apologizing.
Everyone saw a fat nose and thick legs.


She was advised to play coy,
exhorted to come on hearty,
exersize, diet, smile, and wheedle.
Her good nature wore out like a fan belt.
So she cut off her nose and 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.
Consumation at last.
To every woman a happy ending

Additional Details

But do you tihnk there is sugnificance as to why she repeats great big nose and fat legs? And her style of writing?

I'd like to see peoples interpretations of this poem, I really like it

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I would like to know how this is about feminism?

I see it as a theme of sorts. The poet repeats "a fat nose and thick legs." Because society nowdays is so focused on outer beauty it does not consider inner beauty. The girl in the poem was healthy and intelligent until she changed herself to comform into what society thinks of beauty.

At the end "Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said." Well I think that means that people think she is pretty because she has a fake nose and cosmetics on.
Also the line "consumation at last." I think that means that the girl in the poem has finally reached her goal, to be called pretty.

It's quite sad really. How the girl in the poem, her goal above all was to be called pretty.