Confectionary is used as a symbol for the eponymous women, highlighting their objectification and imprisonment. The speaker first establishes this when she observes, “They speak of us in the language of pastries” (Line 3). The women’s bodies are later compared to “white meringue” (Line 7), further heightening this parallel. There is a subtle irony in this image, as the speaker’s personality is implied to be a world away from the colourless sugary substance. Rather, the confectionary is a false front presented to filter the speaker’s true nature.