Lines 1-4:

The title of this poem refers to Mattel's Barbie Doll, a popular toy for young girls. The original Barbie - tall, shapely, with blonde hair and blue eyes - debuted in 1959 at the American Toy Fair in New York City. Mattel has manufactured a variety of "Barbies" since then - everything from Action Adventure Barbie, to "Mod" Barbie, to Francie, an African-American "Barbie." The poem begins in a fairy-tale vein, the archaic term "girl-child" being used to underscore the mythic quality of the story. The dolls, stove, iron and lipstick are all traditional playthings for young girls, but they are also markers of an identity in the making, the things that young girls grow to identify with their own social roles. The doll presents an idealized image of the body, and stove and irons tell them what kind of work is expected of them as adults...