Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy



| |Barbie Doll, by Marge Piercy |

| | |

| |This girlchild was born as usual |

| |and presented dolls that did pee-pee |

| |and miniature GE stoves and irons |

| |and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy. |

|5 |Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: |

| |You have a great big nose and fat legs. |

| | |

| |She was healthy, tested intelligent, |

| |possessed strong arms and back, |

| |abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity. |

|10 |She went to and fro apologizing. |

| |Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs. |

| | |

| |She was advised to play coy, |

| |exhorted to come on hearty, |

| |exercise, diet, smile and wheedle. |

|15 |Her good nature wore out |

| |like a fan belt. |

| |So she cut off her nose and her legs |

| |and offered them up. |

| | |

| |In the casket displayed on satin she lay |

|20 |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. |

| |Consummation at last. |

|25 |To every woman a happy ending. |

[pic]

GUIDING QUESTIONS:

1. In what ways is the girl described in this poem different from a Barbie doll?

Barbie Doll Living Girl

Discuss how the poem contrasts the living girl, who is a human being with intelligence and healthy appetites, and the doll, which is an object.

Explain what you think the author is trying to make you feel through this contrast.

2. The poem contains a surprising the simile: “Her good nature wore out / like a fan belt” (lines 15-16). Why do you think this particular image is used to explain what happened to her good nature? (fan belt = an important part of the car that helps to keep the engine cool)

3. Why does the speaker mention the girl’s “strong arms and back” (line 8) and her “manual dexterity” (line 9)? How do these qualities contribute to her fate?

4. Discuss the tone of the phrase “the magic of puberty” (line 5) and in the last three lines. Is the poet serious when she calls it “magic”? Why or why not? How do you think the author of this poem feels about being a teenage girl?

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