Paragraph revision

          Although the Barbie doll is a symbol of what we think beauty is, Piercy also shows how the symbol has a negative effect. After the girl hits puberty, one of her classmates said, “You have a great big nose and fat legs.”(6) Because the idea of what beauty is, is so strong in today’s world, it allows girls to tear each other apart just by making fun of the way they look. Later in the poem Piercy writes, “She went to and fro apologizing.”(10) Because everyone had told her that she was not this perfect Barbie doll pretty, she became so self-conscious that she felt bad to be in people’s presence. At first glance the Barbie doll might seem like a harmless child’s toy, but really it has come to have more serious effects than just making girls self-conscious about their bodies.


          Although the Barbie doll portrays a symbol of what we think symbolizes beauty, Piercy also illustrates the negative effect of the symbol. After the girl hits puberty, one of her classmates says, “You have a great big nose and fat legs.”(6) Because the idea of what beauty is, is so strong in today’s world, it allows girls to tear each other apart just by making fun of the way they look. Later in the poem Piercy writes, “She went to and fro apologizing.”(10) Because many people including the girl from school had told her that she was not this perfect Barbie doll pretty, she became so self-conscious that she felt ashamed to be in other people’s presence. This simple comment also influences the girlchild's choices throughout the rest of the poem. At first glance the Barbie doll might seem like a harmless child’s toy, but really it has come to have more serious effects than just making girls self-conscious about their bodies.