Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research paper - Essay Example It assumes that the quality called ‘beauty’ objectively and universally exists. Women must want to embody it and men must want to possess women who embody it†. Her sentiments summarize how the society views women beauty and how it uses the perceived images to manipulate their lives. The sad truth as depicted in Barbie Doll poem is that women more than often fall victims. The stage is set from a normal birth through to a sad premature final journey at the funeral. This poem is a narrative of four stanzas written in a free verse style. Marge Piercy used different tones throughout the poem to pass the critical message of the impact of gender stereotyping on the women in the society. The tone of the poem depicts a depressed and sad life of a girl trying to fit into the expectations of the society but in vain. She uses a well known toy Barbie Doll to pass the message. She vividly describes real cultural and social pressures that young girls and women have to endure on a daily basis. Using culture studies approach, this paper provides a critical analysis of the poem using two different schools of literary criticism: feminist and psychoanalytic criticism to illustrate cultural and social gender stereotype on ideal women beauty and gender roles. Formation of Gender Stereotype According to Sharon Begley, stereotypes â€Å"make people painfully aware of how the society views them.† She argues that such awareness can extensively influence the intellectual ability of the holder as well as performance of other tasks (Begley, 2000 p66). In the poem Barbie Doll, Marge Piercy sets the stage by introducing the historical formative stage of the female beauty and gender role stereotypes. By using Barbie Doll an iconic beautiful toy manufactured by Mattel Toys, and widely adored by American girl children, she illustrates how the society form and transfer stereotypes from one generation to another. In this case, Mattel Toys represents the society and the t oy Barbie Doll bearing Mattel Toys expected characteristics of a beautiful girl or woman is the culture that is passed on to the next generation. The salient characteristics of Barbie Doll are; she has blonde hair, blue eyes, large breasts, a small waist, and large hips. According to Wald 1998, these are the symbol of beauty and are used as the standard to gauge girls’ beauty by society (Wald, 1998, pp. 585-610). The first line of the first stanza, â€Å"This girlchild was born as usual† shows an innocent being brought forth into the world free from any cultural influence. Line 2 – 4, â€Å"and presented dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy† shows clearly, the society’s involvement in introducing and propagating gender stereotypes and the perceived gender roles. The items presented to her are symbols of ideal woman. The innocent child is orientated into chauvinistic society – to be a beautiful woman who performs household chores and thus, cultured with expected ideal woman characteristics of beauty (Barbie Doll and lipsticks) and roles (GE stoves and irons). In line 5 – 6 â€Å"Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: You have a great big nose and fat legs†

Assignment3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assignment3 - Essay Example Further, the topic would be explored in the following ways: (1) relating the topic in terms of relating it to the course readings; (2) determining how does the article reflect an aspect of coupling as described in your course materials; (3) stipulating specific ways the article encouraged one to take a closer look at topics covered in the course; and (4) comparing and contrasting findings or points made in the article and readings. The author averred that the issue of cohabitation has drastically changed over a period of six decades. It was previously perceived as a deviant act during the 1950s and 1960s. Slowly, this practice was accepted as a practice prelude to marriage. Several factors contributed to the change in perception on cohabitation, to wit: (1) reduced pressure on cohabiting couples to eventually marry; (2) changing views on expectations to marry depending on age, status, and duration of relationship; (3) perceived problems in relationships; (4) ultimate marriage goals. Contemporary trends show a marked prevalence and increase in cohabitation rather than marriage. According to Qu, â€Å"while cohabitation was largely a stepping stone to marriage for earlier generations, more recent generations of cohabitors are less likely to marry and more likely to separate than cohabitors of earlier generations† (2003, 36). However, it is interesting to note that despite the prevalence of cohabitation in today’s generation; the basic premise for its proliferation remains the same: couples opting to cohabit eventually hope or expect to get married sometime in the future. The article confirmed the lessons relayed especially during the discussion of the topic on Sex and the Emergence of Sexual Identities. The lessons indicated that â€Å"changes in sexual activity and attitudes have weakened the role of marriage as the