Study Notes on Asih Sigit Padmanugraha's Analysis of Marge Piercy's "Barbie Doll"

WOMAN'S VALUES IN SOCIETY AS REFLECTED IN MARGE PIERCY'S “BARBIE DOLL”

Author Information

  • Asih Sigit Padmanugraha
  • Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Yogyakarta

Abstract

  • The Barbie doll symbolizes female beauty constructed by capitalism and media for profit.
  • Negative impacts on women include:
    • Health issues
    • Dumbing down
    • Excessive fantasies
    • Exploitation of women
  • Such concerns spurred critiques of the Barbie Doll.
  • Marge Piercy, an American poet, critiques Barbie in her poem “Barbie Doll.”
  • The poem reflects social and cultural influences shaped by the feminist movement of the 1960s.
  • Piercy employs comparisons, symbolism, and irony to illustrate that women’s beauty should not only depend on physical appearance but also on intellect, life experiences, traits, and wisdom.

Keywords

  • Marge Piercy, Barbie doll, women, society

A. INTRODUCTION

  • Creation History:

    • Inspired by the German doll, Lili, Barbie was launched on March 9, 1959, at the New York International American Toy Fair, created by Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel.
    • Dolls date back to ancient civilizations:**
    • Found in Egyptian graves from 3000-2000 BC.
    • Indicate religious significance across cultures.

  • Commercial Success:

    • Barbie has become a billion-dollar industry with over three dolls sold per second globally.

  • Definition of Dolls:

    • According to Hornby (1986):
    • (a) A model of a baby or person, commonly for play.
    • (b) (Slang) A term for a pretty but silly girl or woman.

  • Cultural Significance:

    • Barbie emerges as an icon of American popular culture, as highlighted in M. G. Lord's "Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll" (1994).
    • Rosenberg’s view indicates that popular culture sells images to the masses, presenting Barbie as both a toy and a model of womanhood.

B. BARBIE DOLL: AN ICON OF AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE AND CONFLICTING REALITIES

  • Debates on Barbie Doll:

    • Issues of physical characteristics vs. woman stereotypes are interconnected.
    • Barbie symbolizes an unrealistic standard of health, leading to conditions such as anorexia nervosa.

  • Cultural Critiques:

    • Criticism arises from feminist scholars and musicians regarding Barbie's impact on self-image and gender roles.
    • Pink’s lyrics in “Stupid Girl” capture critique against stereotypes like:
    • “Math is hard”
    • “I love shopping”
    • “Wanna have a pizza party?”

  • Irony of Representation:

    • Pink’s parody of Barbie reflects societal expectations on femininity, with Irony highlighting vapidness in pop-culture role models.

  • Societal Responsibility:

    • Issues are not solely the faults of children, as exemplified by a study revealing that doll play is seen as training for motherhood.

  • Cultural Environment:

    • The struggle against cultural representation encouraging women to conform to mundane roles lying behind domestic duties.

  • Barbie's Superficial World:

    • The lyrics of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” depict a false sense of reality, contrasting with the hard realities faced by women.

C. FEMINISM: WOMAN, LITERATURE AND SOCIETY

  • Complex Definition of Feminism:

    • Feminism encompasses the struggle against marginalization and the push for women's equality in a patriarchal society.

  • Feminist Literary Critique:

    • Elaine Showalter classifies feminist criticism into three phases, positioning Piercy in the female phase (1970s) focusing on women's experiences.

  • Marge Piercy's Background:

    • Born in Detroit, she was impacted by the Great Depression.
    • Education: Studied at the University of Michigan and completed her M.A. at Northwestern University.
    • Works often address feminist concerns and social issues.

  • Cultural Significance in "Barbie Doll":

    • The poem reflects the societal pressures on women and the “beauty myth”.
    • Piercy's work critiques how beauty standards are represented and the consequences of such ideals.

D. WOMAN AS DEPICTED IN MARGE PIERCY'S “BARBIE DOLL”

  • Barbie as a Cultural Model:

    • In contrast to reality, Barbie represents an unrealistic female ideal, which only a small percentage of women can attain.

  • First Stanza Analysis:

    • Begins with a fairy-tale tone depicting an ordinary girl’s healthy life interrupted by societal pressures at puberty.
    • Gifts of dolls and household items symbolize prescribed gender roles.

  • Puberty as a Turning Point:

    • Freud's notions of puberty highlight its significant psychological impact, shaping perceptions of beauty and femininity.

  • Third Stanza Analysis:

    • Conveys the tragic ending where societal approval of beauty comes only after the girl's death, highlighting the irony of norms defining worth.

E. CONCLUSION

  • Artistic Connection:
    • Piercy connects Barbie with societal values, showing unconscious pressures to conform can lead to a woman's destruction.
  • Probing Women's Experiences:
    • The poem illustrates a battle against societal values that define normalcy and beauty, pushing women towards despair.
  • Cultural Constructs:
    • Constructs of women’s values fueled by capitalism challenge women’s identities and rights, urging awareness against the beauty myth.
  • Final Reflection:
    • Beauty is rooted in character, wisdom, and experience instead of mere physical appearance, underscoring the need for an evolution in societal values regarding women.