Barbie Doll

If I were to rewrite this I would rename it “Ken Doll” just because it would go with the Barbie doll theme and be quite similar to this poem but just about the males rather than females. I never really thought about the pressures a boy might have because I am not a boy, but when I did think about it they have just as much pressure put on them. The pressure isn’t so much about looks as it is with girls I’d say but with strength. They are supposed to like outdoorsy type things and not be sensitive like girls are. They are expected to play with trucks and get dirty. The images I would like to present to the reader would be how men are supposed to be strong and muscular, and that not every man in the world is strong and muscular or likes going outside and doing things.

Ozymandias

The poem “Ozymandias” develops the theme that nothing lasts because it gives more of a depressing tone. It has a sort of sadness about it. The imagery used in this poem that reinforces this theme is when “Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, who’s frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things ( lines 4-7). Those lines give the reader an image of an old statue that has been broken for a long time. The various speakers in this poem give the reader more of a sense as to what is going on, when the poem says “My name is Ozymandieas, king of kings!”( line 10) , you see who the statue is and why it is there. I do believe in this poem the author is saying that stone outlasts life, as stone can be broken and or sink into the ground but it will most likely always be there where as life must come to an end at some point.

"Barbie Doll"

I wouldn’t have thought that males have the same pressures to look good as females do. However, the Ken Barbie doll has some abs and nice looking biceps, representing the ideal man—strong and handsome. From day one, boys are expected to be boys. They are given Tonka trucks, get to play in mud, and are given guns and ATV’s when they are old enough. However, what if this boy did not want to play in the mud or go hunting? Now he is challenging society, his parent’s expectations, and all social norms. This is much like the peer pressure females face with their appearance. However, males could have more peer pressure haunting them because females are not very often frowned upon if they would rather go hunting than shopping.

If I had to rewrite this poem to reflect the experience of a young man, the title would be “So I don’t like to go hunting?” or something like that. It would be more based on the expectations presented to a young man that happens to be gay. The peer pressure to be masculine would eat him apart and have a bad ending, much like in “Barbie Doll”. I would use informal diction to make the poem be read like a story, just as it is in the female version. This would force the reader to give the poem a dramatic outline and be thought about in all seriousness.