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,...