Please help correct my poetry paper?

Question

Self-worth Defined by Society
“Barbie Doll” is a poem by Marge Piercy that tells readers that society has an effect on people’s self esteem, particularly that of women. “Barbie Doll” shows how girls are seen and treated from the time they are born. The main character is a young girl who, like most girls, is given typical toys that babies grow up to play with such as “dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy.”
Once the girl hits puberty, society and people around her pick on her not just because she is growing up, but picked on her because she possesses strong arms and back, abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.” Society is not used to seeing that, in females.
The image conjured of a typical young girl who liked to play with Barbie dolls and kitchen sets is someone who is dainty, fragile, pretty, not someone with strong arms and legs, not someone with an abundant sex drive or good with their hands. Due to the fact that the young woman in this poem did not fit the typical role of how a girl is suppose to act, she was made to feel out of place.
Throughout the majority of the poem the young woman is criticized in many ways, she is told to “play coy”, “exercise”, “smile”, among many other things. It is not till the end of the poem she is accepted but only because she had cut off her ugly parts and died as a result.
At first when I read the poem, I was confused. The poem says “She cut off her nose and legs to offer them up.” and “Doesn’t she look pretty? everyone said.” If parts of her body are dismembered, had make up that covered up her natural beauty, and she is dead, how would that be pretty?
I personally think that, girls who are different are interesting because you’re not expecting the same old boring traits of a typical girl. I personally have had girl-friends that were into cars, sports and video games and I thought it was an attractive trait that she possessed because I was able to have a deep conversation with her.
After re-reading the poem, annotating, in-class discussions and note taking, I learned that society is strict and overrides people’s self esteem, society makes up an expectation and anything but that is not good enough.
When looking back, I’ve noticed that giving into something is easier than being accepted as someone different than society’s expectations. The reason why that is, is because you immediately change yourself so you’re not an outcast in society’s eyes. Society will always look upon you. Society and it’s expectations is always varied and based on something, someone, or someplace. I feel that society is cruel because it comes down to criticism and gossip which is unhealthy.
Even after death, society is forcing her to look a certain way by dressing her up with make-up which shows that society can make someone feel pressured to do something so dramatic that death may be an option to escape the pressure.
At the end of the poem, I’ve realized the author shows how peer pressure is so powerful and society’s expectations can influence an individual’s well being such as using drugs, having surgery, and control over weight, which usually leads to depression or death.
In conclusion, after reading this poem, I now understand how society can take a toll on one’s life because there is always some type of expectation.

Answer 1

lol ty u did my homework

Sign in to vote!