“Barbie Doll” Poetry Analysis

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upon the deep-seated ideas of gender bias that pervade our society. She also uses diction related to child speak (“pee-pee,” “miniature,” and “wee”) to illustrate their deceptive allure. These objects symbolize the supposed roles of woman as mother, housewife, and sex symbol, which is a sexist generalization of the female character. The girl is unknowingly provided with these symbols of oppression, which in turn unconsciously contribute to her strive to reach after these unreasonable expectations. The stanza ends with the recurring theme of scrutiny of the girl’s physical appearance by the outside world: “Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: / You have a great big nose and fat legs” (5-6). This line sets into play the self-consciousness of the girl, who tries to ‘live up’ to society’s idea of the ‘perfect woman.’ The line illustrates the struggle between inner conflict and outside influence, and provides insight into the psyche of the girl throughout the course ...

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