Beauty in American culture is stereotyped on certain physical attributes. Absence of these attributes on an individual condemns them as ugly. Marge Piercy in the poem “Barbie Doll” singles out a girl who in spite of possessing immense intelligence, health, strong arms and back, “abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity” was condemned as ugly because she had a “fat nose and thick legs”.
Height and specifically being tall is perceived as part of physical beauty and a lot of importance is attached to this. Marge Piercy in the poem “a work of Artifice” focuses on the diminutive bonsai tree. She terms it as “domestic and weak” and by extrapolation this is the same perception on short people. Physical beauty of which being tall is an integral part is exalted as enabling people to live independent lives.
Beauty is so important in America culture that it can be the difference between a happy fulfilling life and a sad, discriminated life full of ridicule. This is best exemplified in the poem “Barbie doll” where the girl opted to cut off her “fat nose” and “thick legs” in order to fit in her society. She died as a result and this event perfectly captures the importance of beauty in American culture.
Beauty in American culture is a gateway to one obtaining certain favors. In the story “When the Other Dance is the Self” by Alice Walker the little girl describes her attractive attire and appearance and then appeals to her father “Take me daddy, I am the prettiest”. Her father takes her with him and she states, “It does not surprise me” (to have been selected from her seven siblings). This scenario exemplifies the importance of beauty in accessing certain favors in not only children but also adults at the workplace, at home and in the general American society.
Physical beauty earns a person acceptance and appreciation from the society. Alice walker describes a moment when she was six and was presenting a speech in church; people admired her sassiness or womanishness and her attire. Though she does not stammer when saying her speech, much of the appreciation coming her way is apparently premised on how beautiful she looks.
Beauty is important in raising the self esteem of people in the American Society. When Alice was a young girl people stared at her because she was beautiful and she had high self-esteem; but when she had an accident and her eye developed a defect, her self-esteem dwindled. In one instance she confesses to hiding in her room when her relatives come to visit her family. When the little girl lost her beauty as a result of the defective eye, she is branded “one-eyed bitch”! She is taken to a school she hates and her grades drop. This girl perfectly captures the importance of physical beauty in American culture when she declares that, “I do not pray for sight. I pray for beauty”.
Physical beauty assures a person of peace. In her story, Alice Walker frequently states “you did not change” in reference to a little girl who had a defective eye and people kept bothering her with that question. It is obvious therefore that the people are obsessed with physical beauty and attach a person’s wellbeing and emotional wellness to how they look. When the girl has the glob removed she is considered as attractive again and consequently acquires new friends, her grades soar, she becomes a valedictorian and she is happy once more. All this is courtesy of her restored beauty!
The two poems by Marge Piercy and the short story by Alice Walker present the American society as being obsessed with physical beauty. So importance is physical beauty that it is the turning point of people. Having it means favors, good grades, friends, mates and satisfaction in life while its absence condemns one to a life of hopelessness and misery.
Works Cited
Piercy Marge “A work of Artifice”
Piercy Marge “Barbie Doll”
Walker Alice “Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self”
