"Life in Plastic, It's Fantastic"

Allusions are contained throughout the entire poem "Barbie Doll," starting with the title itself. The title sets the tone for the poem-the idea that little girls (or women) are supposed to conform to society and the expectations it places on individuals. One of the best examples of this is in fact a barbie dolls. Little girls see these dolls as what they are supposed to look like & dress like. As they mature, this idea is stressed even more. Girls are supposed to look a certain type of pretty, act a certain type of pretty, and well, just be pretty. The speaker is clearly stating that society can ruin a child's (or an adult's) self-confidence, self-satisfaction, and self-esteem by "wear[ing] [their] good nature out." Giving us the image of a well-known, famous toy before the poem even begins allows us the mindset of such a society. Immediately, we have an image of what society believes women should turn into, and this image sticks with us throughout the entire poem.