For this assignment I chose to analyze the theme of Marge Piercy's poem “Barbie Doll” found on page 533 of the Norton textbook. In the poem, the speaker describes a child, a girl, who was born and raised "as usual" with "pee-pee dolls and miniature GE stoves and tire irons and little cotton candy-colored lipsticks." The speaker then goes on to describe the girl's fall into adolescence possessing "a big nose and fat legs" that overshadowed her best qualities and ostracized her. The girl then becomes bitter towards the world, with the speaker stating that "her good nature was worn away like a fan girdle" until the girl "cut off her nose and legs and offered them" mutilating if herself and ending her own life. The SpeakerFor example in lines five and six of the poem the speaker says, "So in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: You have a very big nose and fat legs.", where "magic" typically means something otherworldly and great, the reader may assume that the speaker is inferring the opposite of puberty, which is a cruel and discouraging time for the girl as she grows up awkwardly and is belittled by her peers. Through this sarcasm and teasing Piercy is telling the reader for the first time that although this "little girl" grew up "normally" like all little girls, played with the same toys and had the same experiences, she is now separated from her his peers. solely because of its appearance. Causing an initial fracture in social acceptance in this young girl's life. This sarcastic tone resurfaces once again in the last two lines of “Barbie Doll” when the speaker expresses of the girl's death “Consummation at last.” With “consummation” meaning conclusion, the speaker expresses that with the death of the girl, lying in her coffin with her fake nose and fat legs covered, she is finally “beautiful” and accepted by society. The speaker then concludes the poem by sarcastically stating "For every woman a happy ending", which the reader can interpret to mean that even if it means leading a woman to her death, society's portrayal of her and ultimately the title of the poem poetry that embodies the girl's suffering. The message however, which I personally took from the analysis of this poem, is to be happy with the body and the characteristics that are granted to you and to forget what society may think of you because while you can train, wear make-up and change your your characteristics you only have one body to live in. One of my favorite quotes is “What other people think of you is none of your business. If you start making that business your business, you will be offended for the rest of your life” by Deepak Chopra. Unfortunately for Marge Piercy's "Barbie Doll" girl this mentality was made impossible by society's standards, as it is for many young women today obsessed with the "thigh gap"”.