Summary and Analysis of Breaking Out by Marge Piercy
Marge Piercy who was born in Detroit, is known as a feminist writer. Her poem, ‘Breaking Out’ was first published in the Harbor Review in 1984. The poem portrays the double oppression faced by a girl, for being a girl child and a child, at the same time. The poem depicts how the girl wants to ‘break out’ from the conventional norms of the society which is responsible for the oppression.
SUMMARY:
Lines 1-7: These lines describe the first political act led by a girl who is subjected to endless humiliation and domestic chores. She asks the readers if they want her to tell them about her first political act. There she describes the circumstances that led her to take her first act that is to break free from the conventional norms of a patriarchal society. She mentions about two doors which are usually open and leaning against each other in a way that seems like they are gossiping and whispering secrets into each other’s ears. The two doors are of two opinions for her- one to maintain the status quo and endure all the humiliation and exploitation; two, to break away from the traditional rules of a biased society where a woman is ill-treated and is put through limitless mortifications and thankless domestic chores.
She looks on the different household objects used for carrying out different chores. First, there is a laundry machine used to wring out or iron damp clothes. It is used to iron even those clothes which require no ironing like bed sheets, towels and her father’s undergarments.
Lines 8-14: She looks at an old style vacuum cleaner standing vertical on the ground with its filter bag stuffed with dust. She recalls the roaring and loud sound made by the vacuum cleaner when its bag is deflated. She compares her life to that of the cleaner, she says the sound made by the cleaner shows as if it is tired of dust-suction as she is. This makes her swear that she would not dust or sweep when she would grow up. She despicably watches her mother remove the filth each
SUMMARY:
Lines 1-7: These lines describe the first political act led by a girl who is subjected to endless humiliation and domestic chores. She asks the readers if they want her to tell them about her first political act. There she describes the circumstances that led her to take her first act that is to break free from the conventional norms of a patriarchal society. She mentions about two doors which are usually open and leaning against each other in a way that seems like they are gossiping and whispering secrets into each other’s ears. The two doors are of two opinions for her- one to maintain the status quo and endure all the humiliation and exploitation; two, to break away from the traditional rules of a biased society where a woman is ill-treated and is put through limitless mortifications and thankless domestic chores.
She looks on the different household objects used for carrying out different chores. First, there is a laundry machine used to wring out or iron damp clothes. It is used to iron even those clothes which require no ironing like bed sheets, towels and her father’s undergarments.
Lines 8-14: She looks at an old style vacuum cleaner standing vertical on the ground with its filter bag stuffed with dust. She recalls the roaring and loud sound made by the vacuum cleaner when its bag is deflated. She compares her life to that of the cleaner, she says the sound made by the cleaner shows as if it is tired of dust-suction as she is. This makes her swear that she would not dust or sweep when she would grow up. She despicably watches her mother remove the filth each