The Irony Behind "Barbie Doll"

After reading the poem “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy, the true irony of the title itself became apparent. Before reading the poem, I expected it to revolve around the perfect “Barbie Doll” image so many people strive for. However, that is where the true irony came out. Barbie Dolls are famous for their unrealistically thin bodies and perfect features, and because they are played with by young girls, that image becomes the image girls and teenagers seek out. Yet, in this poem, the girl in question does not share the Barbie Doll characteristics. While she was intelligent and ate healthily, the girl lacked the physical characteristics made popular by dolls. She had so many wonderful and beautiful characteristics and personality traits, yet all people could do was compare her to her dolls. They just “saw a fat nose on thick legs,” (Piercy, 835). This poem actually brings to attention a dilemma that has been going on for years. While many little girls grow up playing with Barbie Dolls, people have begun to wonder whether the “perfection” of the dolls encourages girls to strive for the same perfection or feel inferior towards others. Just as it negatively affected the girl in Piercy’s poem, causing her to lose faith in herself, people worry that toys that can be so much fun initially are really much more dangerous than they seem.