Analysis “Hanging Fire” & “Barbie Doll”

thesis Statement & Introduction An analysis of the lit eonry elements imagery, symbolism, and scent/mood in Barbie dame, by Marge Piercy and, interruption grow by Audre Lorde reveals from each one char do melter and their struggle with their identity in company. analysis of Barbie Doll In the meter Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy, we read or so a one-year-old miss who has self image problems. Due to the expectations of society, she is not glad with her physical appearance. She had more good qualities but is unable to rec all(prenominal) over these for herself. quite she barg simply butt againsts is a a extensive big horn in and adipose tissuety legs(Piercy,1936).In order to correct to societys idea of beauty, the materialisation missy was advised to p unload coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercise, diet, smile and wheedle. (Piercy, 1936) The pressures became in addition much for her to handle. She could no longer live this itinerary so she castrate off h er snout and her legs/and offered them up. (Piercy, 1936) The author states that finally, the young woman has achieved acceptance, but not on the qualities of her character or her being rather, with with(p) the unwilling compromise to culture. Summary of pa enjoyment attemptThe verse intermission bam, by Audre Lorde is ab pop the hardships of a teenager who is possibly growing up during the tense polite rights movement era, and is afraid for her brio. She is scargond ab pop out growing up and has many insecurities. There are many things she wants to do such as, learn to bounce & be on the math team. The young lady friend has self office problems due to her appearance. For example she states, my skin has betrayed me, ( Lorde, 1978) meaning there are many things she feels she cannot do because her skin is not white. She also asks, how come my knees are continuously so ash-grey? (Lorde, 1978) She continues to refer to her mother end-to-end the poesy as being in the be droom with the door closed. Without her mothers way, she is struggling in society because she has no guidance. Lorde argues that anyone enduring these forces would feel the loneliness and loss of identity that the young girl had felt. literary portion-Imagery in Barbie Doll Imagery is apply in Barbie Doll in several areas of the poem. Piercy uses lots of imagery to describe the struggles the girl experiences during her teenage years and the effects that can happen.In the depression stanza, we see the beginning of an ideal image being stained in the girls mind. She was presented dolls that did wee and illuminance GE ovens and shackles and wee lipsticks the color of cherry edulcorate. (Piercy, 1936) By being presented these gifts the girls parents have already instil conduct a visualization of what the double-dyed(a)ive tense cleanup spot woman is like and the girl is already learning her place in society. Their place was in the kitchen and taking care of the kids. Piercy has painted an image to the ref of a wee girl playing with toy stoves and irons and have on red lipstick to make herself beauteous.Piercy writes, In the casket displayed on satin she lay with the undertakers cosmetics painted on, a turned-up putty wrap, dressed in a criticize and white nightie. (Piercy, 1936) The next line reads, Doesnt she look pretty? (Piercy, 1936) The derisive imagery criticizes gender discrimination of the modern society. The character has strugglight-emitting diode to feel pretty until the pressure of society has became too much for her and in response to this has misfortune off her nose & legs. literary share- Imagery in suspension system dispatchThe imagery of the mother plays a big get in the poem Hanging Fire by Audre Lorde. This line is recurrent all through and throughout the poem, and florists chrysanthemums in the bedroom with the door closed. (Lorde, 1978) I think it is representative of the incident that this speaker has to grow up a lone without the guidance of her mother. Another way to look at the imagery of the locked up mother is that her mother proficient wasnt there in the first place. Her mother could have been an absent infix in her behavior and that is a scary thing (to grow up without the guidance of a motherly figure).Audre Lorde was a African American noblewoman who went back and forth with her sexuality during ms of struggles with civil rights. Hanging Fire may have been her way of gestateing the guidance of her mother could have helped her through her confusion with her sexuality. I think this sincerely impacted her, so she reminds herself and the indorser of it at the end of every stanza. Compare/Contrast Authors Use of Literary Element Imagery Imagery is use to depict identity issues in Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy and in Hanging Fire by Audre Lorde.In both Barbie Doll and Hanging Fire, a young girl struggles with their appearance. In Barbie Doll the author Marge Piercy uses imagery to por tray a young girl who is unhappy with the way she looks. For instance, in the following lines She was healthy, tested intelligent, feature strong arms and back, abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity. She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs, (Piercy, 1936) although she possessed several good qualities, the only thing that stood out to her was her nose and legs.In Hanging fire, the author Audre Lorde uses imagery to show a young woman struggling with her identity as well up, not only with the physical rive of her identity but the emotional side as well. After repeated use of the line, and mommas in the bedroom with the door closed, (Lorde, 1978) it is apparent the young girl struggles without the guidance of her mother. Literary Element- Symbolism in Barbie Doll The title Barbie Doll itself symbolizes a thin, curvy body, with symmetrical, perfect facial features.The beginning of the poem starts out with, This girlchild was born as usual and pres ented dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy. (Piercy, 1936) This line symbolizes societys expectations for a girls role in life. For example, introducing the mothering instinct, as well as cooking and cleaning while encouraging her to look pretty while doing all of that. The poem makes a reference to a fan belt, similar to a mortals good nature, will wear out from being over used and abused.With line twentys mention of an undertakers cosmetics painted on, (Piercy, 1936) the author paints an image of disguisesuppressing hurt and anguish suffered when a girl was forced to absorb into a materialistic society that functions only according to the standards set by its members. In the beginning of the last stanza of Barbie Doll, the contributor can achieve almost a genius of relinquishment as the subject symbolically cut off her nose and her legs and offered them up. (Piercy, 1936) The ratifier is led to believe hat the girl has come to realize that she must poster for the loneliness and emptiness that she has felt as a result of imitating a false person. In line 21, the putty nose symbolizes the perfect nose for a girl, even though it is very unrealistic. The pink and white vesture that the girl is wearing, symbolize colors that represent purity and femininity. The conclusion is her death, an act of her surrendering herself to the pain. Literary Element- Symbolism in Hanging Fire The title Hanging Fire symbolizes wanting to do something or, waiting on something to happen that you are expecting.In this poem, the girl is ready to mature although her body has not done so yet. She has insecurities about her skin color and appearance. Audre Lorde grew up during the civil rights era and much of her poetry represents these types of feelings. In the line, My skin has betrayed me (Lorde, 1978), is symbolism for transplant. Not only what she is going through at that peculiar(prenominal) time, but how sh e is the black girl in the neighborhood, the outrage in this racist society. At this age, she is going through changes which affect every possible way of life.She is going through changes in her body which may be related to puberty. Her ashy knees symbolize all the falls she has taken, representative of all the scars of her life. At the end of every stanza, Lorde writes and mommas in the bedroom with the door closed. (Lorde, 1978) This symbolizes the absence of her mother in her life. Without her mothers guidance the girl feels as though she must face the struggles of life alone. Compare/Contrast of Symbolism Symbolism in Barbie Doll is used by the author to represent the lack of self confidence of a girl who does not have societys idea of the perfect body.For example, You have a great big nose and fat legs (Piercy, 1936) gives a very good indication that the young girl is not part of the norm as far as beauty goes. Piercy uses symbolism to press out the false views society has tow ard women, while in Hanging Fire, symbolism is used to portray a young girl who is impatiently waiting to see changes within her body. Lorde uses symbolism to show insecurities the young girl in Hanging Fire has with her body. For instance, in the line and my skin has betrayed me (Lorde, 1978) Lorde uses symbolism to show the change that her body is going through.In both poems the characters are struggling with their appearance as well as other things. In difference, Hanging Fire was written in the civil rights era, leading me to believe Lorde used symbolism to show an African American girl struggling with race issues. date in Piercys Barbie Doll, symbolism is used to portray aspects of gender discrimination. Literary Element Tone in Barbie Doll The first four lines of Barbie Doll are written in simplistic bank bills which represent the normality and basic needs of infancy. The ironic spectre of the poem criticizes gender discrimination of the modern society.In the beginning of the poem, the tone is silent and simplistic at first, describing the norm for a child and what is expected from society, This girlchild was born as usual and presented dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy (Piercy, 1936) The tone of the introductory stanza changes quickly in line five when the author writes Then, in the magic of puberty, a classmate said You have a great big nose and fat legs. (Piercy, 1936) The last line of the second stanza again changes in tone from simple to straight-forward with the statement Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs. (Piercy, 1936) This line re-emphasizes the offensiveness of not bill up to the standard of an ideal female, a standard set by society. Tone is used to show the severity of the pressures that society can produce. Literary Element Tone in Hanging Fire Audre Lorde-0 used her style to indicate the serious tone in Hanging Fire. Lorde used a serious tone to enforce that this poem was to be taken sincerely. My skin has betrayed me (Lorde, 1978) indicates not only that the skin appears displeasing, but that it is displeasing.This also reveals that the tone is confident. The use of and instead of if gives the speaker a sad tone. The teenager in the poem worries excessively about everything, which is not abnormal from what most teenagers do. There is a sense of worry throughout the self-colored poem. She is striveed and the tone really represents that. The diction sets this tone because the speaker makes generalizations such as, nobody even simoleons to think about my side of it, (Lorde, 1978) and how her skin has betrayed, her. She is very overdramatic which is characteristic of a teenager.The author also shows a sense of urgency such as in the lines I have to learn how to dance in time for the next party. (Lorde, 1978) There are things the girl wants to accomplish and coveys that she feels a sense of urgency to do so. The serious and stressed tone of the poem conveys to the reader how serious the effects of the civil rights era were on many wad and in particular young people. Compare/Contrast of Literary Element Tone The tone in Barbie Doll evolves and changes throughout the poem from a simplistic tone to a negative tone. While in Hanging Fire, the tone stays on serious side indicating signs of stress and worry.In both poems the tone indicates stress, in Barbie Doll, it is due to the fact that others have pointed out the flaws they believe the girl has based on societies standards. While in Hanging Fire the tone indicates the girl never had confidence in the first place. Her mother was not there to encourage or support her which led to stress and worry over her cosmetic issues such as her ashy knees. The beginning of Barbie Doll starts out with a simplistic tone thence changes to tone portraying low self esteem and cruelty. In particular in the line You have a great big nose and fat legs (Piercy, 1936) indicates cruelty the yo ung girl endures.The girl is described as smart and strong yet is still viewed negatively by others because of her nose and legs. The author uses tone to showcase that society as a whole is too obsessed with physical appearance and not focused on the qualities that really matter. In Hanging Fire, Lorde used a serious tone to enforce that this poem was to be taken sincerely. Tone is used to stress that the girl has many worries and that she needs to express them. Audre Lorde-1 used very little punctuation in this poem to emphasize the variation of the worries of teenagers.The use of how come, and why do, in the poem suggests frustration about her current situation as an African American girl struggling to find her way in life without the guidance of her mother. Authors participation with Culture and caller Marge Piercys Barbie Doll Barbie Doll is a poem that follows the life of a young girl growing up with modern expectations that she struggles to conform to. The young girl begins to suffer and she develops anxiety and depression. She loses her self confidence and becomes low-level and weak. Barbie Doll uses different aspects of a womans life to express the different pressures on women today.Marge Piercy grew up in a family greatly affected by the Great Depression. Due to the environment Piercy was raised in during the Great Depression, many of her works tend to be highly person-to-person and often address concerns with feminist and social issues. Piercys poetry is cognise for its highly personalised, often angry, and very emotional character. Authors Engagement with Culture and Society Audre Lorde Hanging Fire Hanging Fire reveals a young girl who is troubled by the changes her body is going through as well as self confidence issues. Her lack of guidance is continuously mentioned throughout the poem.Lorde expresses or explores racial and sexual oppression, urban neglect, and personal survival in many of her other writings as well as in Hanging Fire. Lor de grew up during the civil rights era where she experience first hand racism and prejudice. She addressed subjects concerning the complexity surrounding her life as an African American and as a woman. Fixed in her resentment of the racism and sexism that marked the history of the United States, Lorde dedicated her work to her ancestors, to the love and support of women, and to African Americans.In conclusion, my analysis of the literary elements imagery, symbolism, and tone/mood in Barbie Doll, by Marge Piercy and, Hanging Fire by Audre Lorde reveals each character and their struggle with their identity in society. References http//www. americanpoems. com/poets/Marge-Piercy http//www. margepiercy. com/Piercy%20Website/sample distribution/Barbie_Doll. htm Poem http//www. poetryfoundation. org/bio/audre-lorde http//famouspoetsandpoems. com/poets/audre_lorde/poems/19831 Poem -0 .. /essay_search/Audre_Lorde. html -1 .. /essay_search/Audre_Lorde. html