Barbie Doll Case

The theme of social pressure on women is developed in the poem through the protagonist's subduing to the demands of society of what her body should look like. She is devoured by society and her individuality is taken away as the false perfection of a Barbie doll is expected of her. The poem shows how young girls are forced to conform to traditional social roles that culture has laid out for them. As a young girl she is presented with lipstick, dolls and toy kitchen appliances as a representation of the work women are "supposed" to do in order to satisfy the roles of the patriarchal society. The young girl struggles with her body image throughout her life and her inner qualities are regarded as worthless in comparison to what she should look like physically. She loses her identity throughout the poem and changes her physical flaws to attain acceptance from our rampantly consumerist society. The girl loses her true beautiful identity consisting of her positive traits in her quest to achieve acceptance from society. The Barbie doll is used as a symbol to exemplify the unrealistic ideal girls are supposed to strive to be. Initially, the young girl in this poem is "normal". She is healthy, strong and intelligent. She possesses individuality and self worth. As she reaches a stage of maturation, attention is brought upon her physical imperfections, resulting in her questioning herself and losing her identity as she gives up satisfying herself in order to satisfy what society wants from her. She is told to be submissive and behave a certain way to be accepted. There lacks room for independence and individuality. On her death bed, with a new nose and makeup she is finally viewed as pretty and accepted by society not as a human being but merely as a physical entity.