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An essay about the history of barbie
From multicultural barbie and the merchandising of difference
BArbie as and agent of socialization
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Annotated Bibliography: Women and Culture: Then and Now
Cloer, L. (2009). Barbie Turns 50. Retrieved from http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/society-and-culture/barbie-dolls-barbie-turns-50/13166.aspx (Accessed on 1/17/2015)
This website article provides the history of Barbie and her newly inspiring images for young women. Barbie was the new popular doll during World War 2 because she provided something inspiring for young girls and something that mothers felt strong about, independence. Barbie helped with what was being told to women, that they didn’t have to settle for being just a housewife or a stay at home mother. Women around the country could have a variety, a choice to work and have a career. “Barbie’s early professions were limited
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By this time Barbie was a very popular doll that a lot of young girls wanted to have in their hands. Mothers and other parents were liking the doll because she provided a sense of what the “grown-up” world would be like. Plus, a lot of girl’s loved playing dress up and playing pretend house wife. But Barbie was more than just the house wife, Barbie has a career, many of them and she was a fashion icon. Than Barbie, the classic Caucasian, bond headed went even farther. “In the 80s, she joined the multicultural movement and was depicted as African-American, Latina, and Asian”, (Friedman, 2006). Now, not only could girl choose what profession and career they wanted their dolls to be, but now they could choose the race they were and maker Barbie more like their own. Yet still parents started to notice the Barbie’s measurements and how unrealistic they were. They started to worry about of this would have a negative impact on their children when they grew up to be adults. I can use this article because it explains that Barbie came in different race now but her measurements were so unrealistic. This causes concern and many people still today wonder if Barbie has a part in why women stress over their body …show more content…
It offers and understanding that women were held at a different standard then than they are now. This figurine shows that women had a larger mid-section but was because they either needed the body fat for long, cold winters or the better idea was because it showed they were fertile and they were able to produce babies and keep the legacy going on. It also provides a better image of what the men and women had to go through in order to survive, like the long hard winters, the needing to hunt for food and could mean sometimes not having food. Venus of Willendorf was not considered an obese women, “where features of fatness and fertility would have been highly desirable”, (PBS, 2006). I can use this article because it explains the whole point about a women’s image. Women were not looked at how skinny and “good looking” they were in a pair of jeans. Women, in this time, were looked at as if they can be fertile or not. Being able to have children was a huge thing in this time since it was one of the point of living, to have a
For starters the title, “Barbie Doll” holds a meaning. It symbolizes the ideal figure of a female body. Society creates this ideal that is embed into every century. It is never ending. It is intended that she must have the twig like arms and legs, the minuscule waist and nose,
I recommend the book “The Good, The Bad, And The Barbie” By Tanya Lee Stone because it exceeded my expectations for a non fiction book. This book explains in detail the evolution of the barbie doll, starting with how it was first created and ending with where the doll stands now. The book explains all the good, like showing the world that girls can be anything they want to be, the bad, how the doll was giving customers body image issues, and all about the barbie, like the different types of barbie dolls and how the barbie became a known name. I recommend this book because I think it is interesting to learn more about the doll that you played with growing up and how a piece of plastic became this popular.
90% of girls ages three through ten owned at least one Barbie doll. Ruth Handler’s idea for children to live there adult fantasies through a toy, came to life in a tall beautiful blonde doll. Barbra Millicent Roberts, or Barbie for short was named after Handlers daughter. Barbie was originally molded after the European Lilli doll that was made to be a gag gift, but Handler transformed this idea into so much more. The first Barbie doll was created in 1959, changing the toy making industry forever. This simple idea turned into a massive success. The sponsor of the phenomenon was Mattel Inc. founded by Ruth Handler and her Husband. Ruth Handler’s original idea of Barbie was revolutionary due to the many impacts on society this small doll created.
Barbie is a doll in which does not possess any human characteristics. Although this plastic doll is not real, it is causing a lot of controversy over the human race acquainted with Barbies. Some people say that Barbie is not an appropriate role model for young children... However, regardless of what adults say about Barbies, children love playing with them. There is no reason to believe that a piece of plastic with hair is not a good role model. Barbie teaches responsibility and ambition, teaches children to be what they want to be, and also brings joy to children and friends in her Barbie world.
The Venus of Willendorf is one of the earliest sculptures of the body made by humans during the Paleolithic era. She was made from limestone native to her location and covered with red orche. Despite standing only 4.4 inches, the purpose of the Venus of Willendorf is widely debated. Some will say the exaggerated breasts, navel, and vulva connects her to fertility as a representation of a mother goddess. Others, such as those in my class, believe her to be a figure of body image. The stumpy female figure features hanging breasts, an obese middle and belly, and distinct buttocks in all, represents a realistic form of a severely overweight woman. Due to the hash ice-age environment of where she’s from leads one to believe fatness and fertility would have been highly desirable. Whether the sculpture was based on a fantasy or a real life model the infatuations with the idea of self-acceptance through body
Barbie changed the lives of any young girl who she played with, she gives them the chance to play out their own destiny. Barbie was not the first doll to be invented for young girls. For years, young girls have been playing with dolls, mimicking their mothers and preparing for the time in their lives when they are mothers. Young girls play with flimsy two dimensional paper dolls or baby dolls. Changing the outfits on a paper doll was near impossible to do without ripping the paper, and baby dolls seemed a little childish when girls got to a certain age.
It is most often associated with pre-teenage and adolescent females but is applicable to any age group. A person with Barbie Syndrome attempts to emulate the doll’s physical appearance, even though the doll has attainable body proportions (Wall Street Journal). Self-esteem for girls is a sensitive topic, because odds are most girls want to change something about themselves. Whether it is her hair color, skin color, eye color, and even body shape. Some sources say that one culprit is the fictional person Barbie, this is due to her unrealistic body and the fact she’s tall, blonde, and blue eyed. "Girls exposed to Barbie reported lower body esteem and greater desire for a thinner body shape" than those who had been given dolls reflecting larger body types or no dolls at all” (CNN). Its been shown that girls who played with her as kids have this desire to look just like her because society has put this pressure on girls that in order to be pretty you have to be a tall size 2 blonde, this is believed to create an endemic of girls, teens and adolescents with anorexia. When Mattel decided to create these new dolls to help promote a healthy body image for young girls who can’t look like the original Barbie, its made society redefine what it means to be pretty. But, why have we as a society allowed for this toy to define our standards of beauty? One article from Time Magazine has said that this doll has lead girls to not only feeling bad about themselves, but has made eating disorders more prevalent. “The doll has led many girls toward eating disorders, body image issues, physical transformation, and lowered confidence” (Time
Barbie was named after Ruth’s daughter, Barbara. She wanted a doll that young girls could relate to. So she created a “Teenage Fashion Model.” With an impossibly hourglass figure, her wasp-waist, pointy breasts (which were in fashion in the 50’s), slim hips and never-ending legs, Barbie was an idol for most young girls. Although, the parents of these young girls disagreed with the appearance of the doll. Many parents said she looked more like a sex pot than a toy for young girls. (Teresa) Her black lined sultry eyes, pointy brows, and red lips were very adult like characteristics. Although her appearance worried parents, Barbie was a hit in the industry. Within the first year, over 300,000 Barbies were sold for $1-$3 a doll. With over 150 careers, Barbie has been an idol to many girls all over the world.
There is such a variety of collectible dolls on the market. Two of the most popular collectible dolls are Barbie dolls and porcelain dolls. These two categories offer dolls in a wide array of styles and types that it would be nearly impossible to complete a collection. For an avid collector, the way to go is to find something to focus his collection on.
Unlike Disney movies, Barbie goes beyond a movie or a little girl’s book series. Barbie has her own television series, movies series, kids’ books and any other possible merchandise item with Barbie’s face on it. Just as the popularity of Barbie merchandise among girls, Barbie strongly influence little girl’s life. However, Barbie is not a princess rather she is a doll with an adult body living on modern America. She doesn’t live on a faraway land and doesn’t have a happy ever after. She shops, eats, has parties and her friends are American girls not a crazy mouse or any other talking animal. Her description makes it sound like the perfect example to American girls, however, the television episode Barbie Life in the Dream House portrays an unrealistic life, a false idea of beauty, lifestyle and relationships.
Many young girls in the United States have played with a doll at least once in their life. Most of these were probably a Barbie doll. Ruth Handler created the barbie doll to inspire young girls. Barbie is a very important American Icon, and has no doubt, changed and inspired young girls lives.
Being a woman is already difficult enough for some of them. There are constant reminders everywhere of how they have to act and what they have to do. Sandra Cisneros’ short story collection Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories discusses the issues that most Chicana women go through in this country. Sandra Cisneros portrays the sense of otherness, fears, battles and worries Chicano women go through.
Those perfect days as a child when your countless days were filled with playtime. The time to set up those houses and dress the dolls up, and act out the future. “Through their play Barbara imagined their lives as adults. They used the dolls to reflect the adult world around them. They would sit and carry on conversations, making the dolls real people” (Ruth Handler). As a young child, it is all you look forward to in your future: being successful and confident, loved and cherished. Many dolls were used to project this. Specifically, the Barbie. Barbie is a positive role model girl should look up to for confidence and inspiration. She is a talented and educated career woman, self-sufficient in every aspect of her life, and a stunning example to young girls the body that is healthy and fit.
When I was very young, I owned very many Barbie dolls. To me, they were just so beautiful, and flawless, and I loved them very much. But the Barbie that said the most to me was the President Barbie. This spoke to me. It said that anyone, anywhere, of any gender, socioeconomic status, background, sexuality, ethnicity, race, or belief system could be anything they ever wanted to be, as long as they worked hard enough to achieve it. And this is a very important message, and it is a message that Barbie sends to people every day, all over the world.
Barbie was first launched in March 1959, after Ruth Handler, president of Mattel, Inc., went on a trip to Europe and discovered a unique German doll, “Bild Lilli.” The aforementioned doll was special in that she was an adult, whereas man...