Symbolism in Mirror by Sylvia Plath and Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy (Essay Sample)

“Why do you look like that?” “You’re fat.” “You look like your anorexic.” These are all common statements that are used to body shame people. Body image has become a very popular and controversial topic as social media and plastic surgery rise. Once someone has made negative remarks about someone's body image, they are more likely to have the same negative thoughts about themselves. People look in the mirror and see a reflection, then find negative things. They feel they find imperfections in what they see after being labeled as fat or anorexic. The poems “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath and “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy have symbolism and has brought conflict to the negative comments and images about body image.  

“I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions,” (Sylvia Plath, pg.697). This quote shows that a mirror has no ideas or reputations. Ideas and reputation are built by humans that look at themselves in a mirror. Mirrors become a symbol of self-hatred or negative body image. When thinking of a mirror, many thoughts consist of “How am I going to look” or “How can I change myself?” Mirrors have received a bad reputation because many thoughts that come with them are negative. But a mirror does not have a choice of what they reflect. They reflect what is put in front of them. The individuals that do not enjoy what they see try to forget and change what they see. So, the next time they will be happier with what they see. “Whatever I see I swallow immediately, Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike,” (Sylvia Plath, pg.697). This shows that people try to accept what they see, even if they like or dislike it.  

“Mirrors” by Sylvia Plath has brought conflict because it has shown what people really feel about seeing themselves in a mirror. It has brought attention to negative body image thoughts and now people have started to hear more comments. If people continue to hear comments, then they will continue to suffer with body image issues. People will continue to think negatively about themselves until they accept and start to think positively. Negative thoughts will consume their heads unless they start to see that they are enough. “Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness. In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman, Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish,” (Sylvia Plath, pg.697). Once you are able to replace the negative thoughts then the darkness you feel will go away. She was able to let go of the younger self and grow as a new older woman without feeling negativity. She now grows more every day and has learned that she is enough.  

“She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs,” (Marge Piercy, pg.777). She apologized for her looks and because everyone only saw her flaws. She felt it was her fault that she was receiving negative comments. She felt that she needed to apologize to everyone for looking like a human. People feel that they need to change to fit society's standards. They change themselves with plastic surgery to fit in. Plastic surgery symbolizes self-hatred because it has caused people to change themselves to fit in. It has caused people to wish they could have plastic surgery to fix a “flaw” that many humans have. Increasing the size of lips, reconstructing the nose, implantations in the chest and butt, removing fat from the stomach and chin have all become procedures that make people fit in. If people did not fit in, they receive negative comments and hatred.  

“Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy has brought conflict to society because it has brought light to people's plastic surgery habits. People completely change their appearance to fit society's norms. But once it is found that someone has received plastic surgery then receive negative comments as well. People then feel that they should not get plastic surgery because they should not want to change themselves. So, if people have a flaw and want to fix it, they get negative comments but if you fix the flaw they get hated as well. There is not a winning solution to end getting the negative comments. The only thing that will help would be to accept who you are. 

“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath and “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy have shown symbolism and conflict. They have shown that no one can be pleased with body image and the best thing to do is to accept yourself. Mirrors have caused people to think negatively about themselves. Then plastic surgery has caused people to want to change themselves. Negative thoughts and comments will always be said so blocking them out will be the most beneficial.