In society today, a child is born every five minutes. From that time on, the parents breing their children up with cretin values such as respect. Other values will be learned when the child grows older. Unfortunately, Society puts a big importance on beauty and that can create conflict. In Marge Piercy s poem, Barbie Doll, the protagonist faces conflict and deals with the external forces by conforming to others expectations of what defines in a woman; however, unable to confront with the internal forces from within and to accept herself as she is, she ends her life.
The protagonist faces conflict man vs. man for the first time when a classmate confronts her. Like any person, she grows up with one thought on her mind, toys. She has the basic toys, dolls, lipstick, and GE stoves and irons. She does not even think about the way she looks. Then puberty set in, and people start to notice all the little things that do not matter. She learns that some people can be mean when a classmate tells her, You have a great big nose and fat legs. The woman faces society when she asks forgiveness for being her.
She is an intelligent and healthy person with firm arms and strong back. She also possesses an abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity. Despite her intelligence, she is not a very smart person if she can not understand that all she needs to learn to accept herself. So she goes to and fro apologizing because everyone sees a fat nose on fat legs. She faces man vs. nature when she tries to alter her appearance. She is shy and somewhat flirty. She always exercises, diets, and tries to come off hearty. Her good attitude does not last very long and finds it hard to be happy.
In desperation, she tries to change her physical appearance. She uses plastic surgery to reshape her nose and liposuction to slim down her legs. She cuts off her nose and legs. Then she offers up her nose and legs in order for people to except her. She ends up killing herself in making this transformation to be a better looking person. She is finally facing herself. In the casket, she lays, showing off her cosmetic paint and putty nose. Everyone thinks she looks pretty in her pink and white nightie. She lies on satin and looks beautiful in the casket. She gets what she wants, Consummation at last. She finally got everyone to praise her, to look at her, and see her as a beautiful woman. To her, it is a dream, to every woman a happy ending.
A parent rears his child with certain values. As will, these values do not always seem to be right with society. Society plays major role in the life of a person. With society s importance on beauty, one can hardly fight the desire to alter ones appearance. The pressure is there, and it can be hard to handle. It becomes twice as hard to deal with when no one excepts a person in the society in which he lives. This is why the girlchild chooses to end her life in the poem.
