"Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy: Satire

        In Marge Piercy's poem "Barbie Doll" she aims the satire of the poem not at the young girl but at the society.  The poem describes how girls are treated once they begin puberty.  At this time girls become more curvy and are told by their peers sometimes that they are fat as depicted by this poem.  Piercy is chiding the society for making girls get nose jobs and plastic surgery.  She is also scolding society for putting such pressure on young girls.  The irony of the phrase "the magic of puberty" is that magic is usually seen as a good thing, where here it is shown as bring on the bad things, such as " a fat nose on thick legs," (Piercy, 835).  There is also meaning in the title of the poem, "Barbie Doll".  The type of body the young girl wants resembles a barbie doll.  She wants a smaller nose, small waist, small legs, and perfectly shaped.  Piercy depicts the type of body society thinks every girl should have and what some girls will do to get that body.