Helmer uses nicknames for his wife and calls her "lark", "squirrel", and "songbird". These names dehumanize Nora and make her an animal, showing that Helmer believes he can teach her to listen to him like a person would a pet. When she finally realizes the state of their relationship, Nora says, "I think, first and foremost, I'm a human being, just as much as you are." She's not the little doll Helmer thinks she is; one who moves exactly the way he wants. Society considers women as accessories to men and not as equal counterparts. A woman is no longer even considered a real human being when she is stuck in this type of situation.