Barbie Doll

The first thing that popped into my mind when reading this poem was "that is so true!" The author captures the truly sensitive of psyche in today and even in the 1900's perception of themselves. For someone to trash on another appearance in such a awkward stage in puberty (although the author refers to that time as "magic puberty") is to damage their fragile confidence that is already small at this stage in life. When people spoke of her "big nose" and "thick legs" she "cut" them off. I took this figuratively. That in reality it was symbolic for plastic surgery for people at her funeral only talked of how she "pretty" "with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on". When she changed herself she also lost herself. The reader sees this in the diction used by the author of how "her good nature wore out like a fan belt." She tried to become the "coy" and over excitable girl that society today only accepts from women.