Happy Being Me

J Band Not So Happy Being Me      
“People often warn me that the fame ain’t for the vain if heart”. That quote statement was made by Jay-Z in his rap song “Hollywood”. The quote means that ones who are very self- centered shouldn’t become famous, because it can really mess you up. In the poem Richard Cory, written by Edwin Robinson, the man is extremely affected by too much fame, which resulted in his demise. Marge Piercy author of the poem “Barbie Doll”, a woman was trying to fit in and be considered as perfect in everyone else eyes, and end up selling herself short. Both “Richard Cory” and “Barbie Doll” express how society has a negative affect one one’s identity.
In the poem “Richard Cory”, the man is looked upon as someone great and mighty. He seemed flawless and that nothing else but the finest could be compared to him. The author, Edwin Robinson used characterization to describe how the people saw Richard Cory. He was considered to be a “gentleman”, “clean-favored”, and even “richer than a king”. By describing the man like this it seems no one actually took the time out to get to know him. They all just wanted to envy and try to meet his standards. However Richard seems to be the one with any friends to talk to, or to even console him. Not at one point did the author say how Richard felt until the very end when he kills himself. If one someone were actually there to come to Richard Cory’s aid he would have not killed himself. Males however aren’t the only ones who feel a strain to be perfect in this society.  
In the poem “Barbie Doll”, a woman is fed up with being herself in a society that is telling her that she isn’t beautiful. From a child of playing with plastic dolls she was taught how to be the ideal woman and how the ideal woman should look. Throughout the majority of the poem as she develops into a woman all she could see was her biggest flaws of having a “fat nose and thick legs.” Until the very end the author Marge Piercy, gives... [continues]

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