Gender Identity In Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll

The differences in behavior between men and women are not distinctive or entirely natural; some are imposed by society. From the moment your gender is revealed, society determined how your physical nature, emotions, and your character should take place in the world. I think gender is socially constructed in ways and gender identification comes from the way the general public treats one another. However, I do not accept the notation that if gender roles weren’t identified, men and women would be indistinguishable. Men and women are born with entirely different behavioral predispositions and genetic material. The brains of men differ from the brains of women in several ways. Men have larger brains with more neurons and women have a higher

percentage of gray matter. This difference may account for variances in how men and women think. According to an study completed by Harvard researchers, “The study found that parts of the frontal lobe, responsible for problem-solving and decision-making, and the limbic cortex, responsible for regulating emotions, were larger in women [source: Hoag]. In men, the parietal cortex, which is involved in space perception, and the amygdala, which regulates sexual and social behavior, were larger [source: Hoag]. Even though some physical characteristics of how we identify gender roles were created by propaganda, it also has a lot to do with our DNA.
Love, acceptance, respect, to be desired, and refuge, are all things any human being would desire in a relationship. A loved one’s unconditional acceptance of who you are symbolizes that there is no judgment or condemnation. This exchange would make a person feel emotionally safe. There are also physical and financial factors that can appeal to a sense of security. But it’s the emotional safety that is essential. It is something that creates a great deal of confusion, hurt, or pain if the receiver does not obtain this basic human need. Sometimes, we desire to be safe from the potential pain of a broken heart. This is especially true with adolescences and young adults. People want to avoid the emotions associated with being alone or rejected. This kind of safety is really about protecting themselves from the agonizing feelings that come from fears of rejection. When a loved one is distant emotionally or physically, it may bring up feelings of loneliness or disapproval. Seeking this type of emotional safety can lead to an emotional catastrophe.
The poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, expresses a silent voice on emotional abuse and acceptance . The poem reveals how a young boy handles an all too familiar interaction with an alcoholic parent. Roethke writes, “The whiskey on your breath .Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy.” This cries out for approval, love and acceptance from a father figure. The young boy didn’t get emotional or weep at the situation; he could barely aid his father as he “waltz” around the home. He was a young boy trying to assistance his drunken father by showing him that he was good enough to help. This is a sensitive event to witness but to play a role in it must have been devastating. The father should have been ashamed by his actions. Roethke finishes the poem saying, “You beat time on my head .With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed .Still clinging to your shirt”. This appears to be a situation that occurs frequently based on the notation that the author was not shocked or dismayed at sight of his drunken father. The poet doesn’t express any emotions in this poem. He verbally doesn’t express how helpless he is as he comes to the aid of his father. Roethke seems to just deal with the event while he walks his father to his room while maintain the dance ritual. Would Roethke be labeled as less of man if he expressed his self to his father? Would his father belittle him for being “emotional like a woman”? Men seem to be less emotional even at times where it would be suitable to cry out for help.
The poem, “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy” is about a woman’s ordeal handling rejections which ultimately lead to her demise.

Have you ever been told you weren’t pretty enough or you were too tall, your feet and butt were too big, or you were ugly? Marge Piercy’s poem sheds a bright light on how differently women handle criticism and rejection. The poem really sadden me and it stroke me to my core. As a woman, I’ve been through puberty, acne, and poverty. While in grade school, my fellow class mates were so jaded and mean spirited with their words toward me. The same people who were calling me name where in the same situation as I. Piercy writes, “She was healthy, tested intelligent, possessed strong arms and back, abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity. She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs.” It appears the young lady was happy with herself. She saw no flaws and was confident in her looks and intelligence. But it only takes one negative comment to override years of self-love. The young lady in the poem even apologized for being herself! How emotional crippling that must have been. She let a few nay sayers wreak havoc on her life and form that point on, she did whatever she thought would make the nay sayers approve of her. She sought their endorsement and no longer possessed any power within. Tragically, this did not end with a waltz to her bedroom. The lack of recognition and need to be desired ended up killing her. “In the casket displayed on satin she lay with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on, a turned-up putty nose, dressed in a pink and white nightie. Doesn’t she look pretty? Everyone said” (Piercy). She changed her nose and fat legs and only in death did they see her beauty. This poem was few in words but spoke volumes about a woman’s mental state. Women are very in tune with their feelings and are willing to appease others, even if it means killing ourselves in the

process.
The young man when to his room and dealt with his sentiments by himself. The young woman’s life was cut short because she tried her best to gain acceptance but was still denied. Does our gender matter? Does it affect the outcome of a situation? My answer is simply yes. It is imperative that today’s society realizes that it puts too much pressure on men and women to succumb to the challenges of acceptance by looking like a Barbie or waltzing with someone you’d rather walk next to. We should learn to accept that although some situations should not be gender related such a payroll, the emotional wellbeing of everyone should be the equivalent.