The Youngest Doll

Joan Templeton’s “The Doll House Backlash: Criticism, Feminism, and Ibsen” criticizes author, Henrik Ibsen and his feminist societal drama, A Doll House. Templeton’s article discusses multiple criticisms of A Doll House theme and one of its’ main characters, Nora

Children’s child play has become a form of an unrealistic world. Although, it is considered for children to begin creating a creative imagination, the mind fascinates children into toys. Some child’s play toys are not ideal for young children, like the one and only “Barbie”. Barbie has become a worldwide toy product for children all over the world, from the North Pole to the South Pole. These dolls have emerged from one ethnicity to another. In Ann DuCille, “Dyes and Dolls: Multicultural Barbie and the Merchandising of Differences” the author talks about the race and gender differences; found in Barbie. She argues; “Is Barbie bad?” her response, was “Barbie is just a piece of plastic” (459). In contrast, this piece of plastic is not just a piece of plastic to young girls; it is much more than that. A piece of plastic that little girls all over the world wish they could be. Even though, it is only a piece of plastic to adults that Barbie significantly means nothing to them. Growing up, I owned a couple of Barbie dolls. The tall, long blond hair, blue-eyed doll was my best friend and my “role model”. I wanted to become exactly like Barbie. As a child, I thought only beautiful people who looked liked Barbie signified beauty. To my little to no knowledge, I soon came to find out no one really looks like Barbie, except people who want to become like Barbie. In my adolescent years, no one taught me Barbie was “unreal”; no one taught me it was just a figure in my imagination.

In the late ninetieth and early twentieth centuries women were thought of as dolls, puppets, or property. In many cases, they weren’t allowed to make decisions for themselves. Women were only good at worrying about frivolous housework and lighthearted pleasantries. In the two plays “A Doll House” by Heinrich Ibsen,

A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, portrays a young married woman, Nora, who plays a dramatic role of deception and self-indulgence. The author creates a good understanding of a woman’s role by assuming Nora is an average housewife who does not work; her only job is to maintain the

Sandra Cisneros’s short story, “Barbie-Q”, describes the life of a young girl never identified by name and the less-fortunate life she and her family lead. The child explains how new toys are a rare find, but she loves Barbies. While entailing the family’s trip to the local flea market, she and her sister find Barbie dolls with water and smoke damaged. The main girl states the flaws of the Barbie, but counters with the positivity of having any dolls to play with. Through this struggle, however, the girl learns to cope with the gender roles and standards set by her peers and neighbors, particularly for women. Cisneros writes with these ideas in relation to her own childhood, motivated by the social standards of gender roles and body image in relation to the Barbie.

Soil Erosion - When the top layer of soil is worn down due to too much water, ice, or wind.

Childhood Naivety The poem, “Barbie Doll, by Marge Piercy uses imagery to convey the innocence of prepubescent childhood and cruelty that women face after puberty due to imposed societal standards. Each stanza is chronological that transitions, her innocence before “becoming a woman”, struggles of puberty, and the measures she takes to be happy. Even though the events that take place in this poem are about the unrealistic standards that women have to cope with, her use of imagery makes it seemingly fairy-tale like. Piercy employs imagery of typical toys to introduce gender norms that are overlooked and a scenario of bullying that portrays unfair societal standards towards women.

As a child, I owe credit to Lisa Simpson for setting me on the path to social justice, activism, veganism and Jazz.Foremost, she was my gateway drug to feminist rebellion. Lisa came before the guerrilla Girls, Gloria Steinem, Angela Davis and Naomi Wolf. Why do we overlook this trailblazer and

A woman was considered by society to be a doll because she was expected to be subordinate to her husband’s whims. Referring to a ball that she

This goes on to show that the narrator (who expresses herself as young, poor girl) does not have any women in her family and Lucy is someone she can run to and be her female barrier through life, as a sister which she says, “And we look at each other, our arms gummy from Popsicle we split, we could be sisters right?(5)”.Relating to she wants so much to be close to this girl, and she imagines them as sisters. In addition to, there are no male presence around except for her brothers which makes her feel like she can not relate to “their”world. Another reference of identity is in the story “Barbie-Q”, the little girl is playing with Barbie dolls with her friend, and the barbie dolls are very basic with not much clothing. Moreover, there is no “Ken” Barbie dolls around either. This compares that there is no masculinity as well as how poor these two girls are since the dolls only have few clothing. As a result, these girls have to share . Before long, they have an opportunity to buy some barbie dolls when there is a sale on burnt dolls due to warehouse that caught on fire. “And if the prettiest doll, Barbie's MOD'ern cousin Francie with real eyelashes, eyelash brush included, has a left foot melted a little—so?”(16). The girls do not care or take notice to the damage, they are grateful for what they have.

The American Poet, novelist and social activist Marge Piercy, wrote the poem “Barbie Doll” in 1969, a year in which many women’s liberation groups were forming and feminism was rising around the world. “Barbie Doll” explores many themes to do with womanhood, and leaves a significant influence on the reader.

“I’ve been your doll-wife here, just as at home I was Papa’a doll-child” (Ibsen 1491). Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House tells a story of scandal and deceit set in the Victorian era. Nora Helmer is married to Torvald Helmer and she feels more like his toy than his wife. Nora had to have Torvald to be able to do anything, because of when she lived. Nora borrows money behind her husband’s back (which is illegal at this time) and tries to cover up everything she has done. Ibsen employs the use of many themes and symbols in his A Doll House to show the reader just how Nora was a doll-child who evolved into a doll-wife.

Katherine Mansfield's "The Dolls House" seems to be a simple story about children receiving a own ideas and opinions. Even though everyone is entitled to their own opinion it is often bizarre to see how our opinions are based on those of others. This essay will outline the events that occurred in the story which are a big part in regards to the two different worlds of adults and children, and how they are separated from each other.

One more female character in a Doll’s house that holds a sacrificial role is Anne-Marie, or the nanny. Although not much is said about her, she shares the same role as the other female characters in the play. Due to her not having a wealthy dad or husband, Anne-Marie was forced to leave her daughter to take care of the Helmer’s children. In this time period, leaving ones family and children was unheard of and frowned upon, so the decision to abandon her child in order to support herself, must have been really difficult.

In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, Nora Helmer is a traditional “angel in the house” she is a human being, but first and foremost a wife and a mother who is devoted to the care of her children, and the happiness of her husband. The play is influenced by the Victorian time period when the division of men and women was evident, and each gender had their own role to conform to. Ibsen’s views on these entrenched values is what lead to the A Doll’s House becoming so controversial as the main overarching theme of A Doll’s House is the fight for independence in an otherwise patriarchal society. This theme draws attention to how women are capable in their own rights, yet do not govern their own lives due to the lack of legal entitlement and