Barbie Doll

"Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy  is a poem about a common issue in society today.This issue is that girls  have low self esteem because of the culture around them. Margie Percy makes her point in her poem by writing ironic statements that throw the reader off.  The first ironic statement that she writes is, "Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: You have a great big nose and fat legs," (Piercy line 6) This is ironic because "magic" is something that is positive. But then the good nature of the word is taken away when " you have a great big nose and fat legs" is said. Another use of irony is " Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said."(line 23) People are looking at her in her casket after she had cut off her nose and legs. Its ironic because these are the same people who saw a fat nose and thick legs. I believe Piercy uses irony to get her point across to viewers in a more blunt fashion. When she does this it throws the reader off and makes the them really think about what she is trying to portray.


Old barbie versus new barbie.