Blog post 5: Revised Intro and Outline

        Since 1959 10 million barbie dolls have been sold, 300,000 were sold in the first year. In Marge Piercy's "Barbie Doll" she uses symbolism throughout her poem. Apparent from the title, the main symbol Piercy uses in this poem is a barbie doll. As a symbol, the barbie doll is used mainly in the beginning but the idea of it is used heavily in the beginning and the end. Marge Piercy's use of the barbie doll is very effective because it takes a child hood toy that we all know of, and relates, and compares it to many issues girls struggle with in today's world.    

  

I.               In Marge Piercy's poem the symbol of a Barbie doll is used to the ideal beauty in today's world.

a.     “The girlchild was born as usual and presented dolls that did pee-pee”

b.     “In the casket displayed on satin she lay with the undertaker’s cosmetics painted on”

II.             Although the Barbie doll is a symbol of what we think beauty is, Piercy also shows how the symbol has a negative effect.

a.     “You have a great big nose and fat legs”

b.     “She went to and fro apologizing”

      

III.           By the end of the poem Piercy gets to the point of the consequences of what the symbol of the Barbie doll has on our society.

a.     “So she cut off her nose and legs and offered them up.”

b.     “Consummation at last. To every women a happy ending.”