Central Theme in One Sentence

The central theme of Barbie Doll is to show the difference between inner and outer beauty and how society values the wrong one.

The girl that this poem discusses is presented in stanza two just as a simple ordinary girl, until the very last line. The last line clearly states that people simply see her outward appearance, which is not very attractive. She wants everyone to see who she really is and not judge her by her looks. Finally in the last stanza, it is said that "she cut off her nose and her legs and offer[s] them up." The nose and legs really represent all of the imperfections she saw in herself. I took this line to mean that she killed herself. The image of a coffin afterwards supports this. Society puts an unhealthy emphasis on outward beauty. The desire the fit is physically can drive people to desperate acts, even death.