Poetry_Comparison

Poetry Comparison Project In poetry, people display the themes of their poems through certain techniques. This gives the reader a better visualization of the point the poet is trying to portray. Poems can also be compared to show a similarity of either theme or techniques. The poems “Barbie Doll” and “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen'” both by Marge Piercy, are compared through literary techniques. Almost any poet use metaphors in their poems to make comparison between a real life connection and a person, place, or thing. This not only gives a the reader a clear understanding of what the poet tries to make, but it also gives the reader a vast imagination. In “Barbie Doll” Marge does so by saying “She was advised to play coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercise, diet, and smile and wheedle. Her good nature wore out like a fan belt.” The poet makes a reference on the dolls positive attitude towards what she was advised and compares it to a fan belt, helping the reader understand how fed up the doll was. In “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen'” Marge also does so by saying, “Anger sputters in her brainpan, confined but spewing out missiles of hot fat. Carbonized despair presses like a clinker from a barbecue against the back of her eyes.” Marge makes two comparisons here to portray wives emotions to the readers. She first compares the anger of the wives to confined, spewing hot fat, which gives detail on how much anger and rage is built up inside the women. The poet also makes a comparison between the despair of these women and a clinker from a barbecue when pressing against her eyes. This gives the audience insight on the unhappiness of these women. Metaphors give the reader a better sense to what the poet is trying to direct. Imagery involves lines that gives the audience visual images towards what the poet is try to tell the audience. In “Barbie Doll” Imagery is used when the author says “She was healthy, tested intelligent, possessed strong arms and back, abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity” Marge Piercy describes the girl’s physique, along with few additional details, to give readers a good idea on the development of the child. In “what’s that smell in the kitchen'” Marge uses imagery to describe the wives conditions when she says, “once I was roast duck on your platter with parsley but now I am Spam.” Marge Piercy uses imagery to depict to the readers how the conditions had changed from being highly valuable towards their husbands to becoming trash and something less valuable. Both the poems contain sufficient imagery that gives the readers knowledge on the author’s morale of the story. Imagery is necessary to help the audience understand what you are trying to communicate to them. In both poems, symbolism is also used. This gives readers insight on what the author also refers to in any poet’s piece of work. Marge Piercy uses symbolism in “Barbie Doll” by saying, “In the casket displayed on satin she lay with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on, a turned-up putty nose, dressed in a pink and white nightie. Doesn't she look pretty' everyone said. Consummation at last.” The author makes the reference on how cosmetics are the perfection, in the eyes of standard civilians. In “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen'” Marge uses symbolism that makes reference to how American women were supposed o function by saying, “Burning dinner is not incompetence but war” The poet refers to burning dinner as war for all women across America that have to deal with the issues of their husbands. Symbolism is a necessary literary technique that depicts the hidden meaning the poet conveys in his/her poem. With my evidence, I have concluded that both poems do not contain the same theme. The poem “Barbie Doll” focuses on how women in society try their best to fit in, but the world only focuses on their appearance and shuns whatever positive features they inhabit. These women then resort to ways of society by undergoing drastic measures to please people. In “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen'” the morale of the story involves women being mistreated all over America. When looking past the façade of the American household, women are fed up with being mistreated by their husbands. Their roles are mainly revolved around cooking, but they used this to their advantage to get vengeance. Both poems say how women are fed up with what they deal with in their lives, but the themes are not identical. However, the theme of each poem is depicted in the same way. Marge Piercy uses the same literary techniques in each poem to convey the morale of the story. Both poems contain the same techniques because the themes are conveyed in the same way.