The overarching theme of “Pieces of Herself” is the concept that our identities are embodied by the items and places around us. This idea is communicated through the metaphor that by dragging the objects onto the doll, the player is building the protagonist. These items are, as the title implies, pieces of the girl’s self.

Also, more specifically, the piece illustrates issues that women face in public and in private. These issues are brought to light by the objects the player finds and the sounds that they trigger. For example, in the kitchen, the player can drag a splashing liquid to the doll which plays a clip of a woman saying, “She bought me some girdle underwear too so that I could look skinny again. She was obsessed with me getting skinny again, and this came from my mom!” Also, on main street, a cartoon girl’s head can be moved from the high school which plays another interview segment: “Most of them even do the homework, they just don’t turn it in… They’re too busy trying to deal with the social ramifications of every little step they take; you know, how they dress, how they wear their hair, and how they look…” Both of these quotes demonstrate the social pressures of visual perfection that women feel from a young age. Through the inclusion of this content, Juliet Davis makes arguments about society’s treatment of women without making any direct points herself. 

The central themes of “Pieces of Herself” are strongly related to the general theme of identity. The protagonist searches for her identity, and finds parts of herself everywhere she looks. Juliet Davis likely drew from her own identity and experiences as a woman in her creation of the work. The struggles that women face in modern society are part of the identity of all women, and “Pieces of Herself” brings this idea to life.

To see my take on the concept of embodiment, click "Embodiment Comic."



Colin Crago