Barbie: cultural impact and representation

Sex and Beauty Image of Barbie: A Social Critique of Barbie and its Influence in Shaping Children's Concepts of Sex and Beauty

Yona Zeldis McDonough's analysis in "Sex and the Single Doll" offers a 'critique of criticisms' concerning issues about the negative influence that the Barbie doll has on children's (specifically girls) concepts of sex and beauty.

Adopting a personalistic tone, McDonough seeks to argue her point that the critique of Barbie as a strong psychological influence to young girls is baseless. She goes on to point out that more than Barbie, it is the women in the girls' lives that ultimately shape her concepts, attitudes, and behavior concerning sex and beauty. Through a narrative of her personal history and attachment with the famous doll, McDonough relates to her audience how Barbie dolls are loved not because of their appearance, but because of the aspirations of girls that these dolls represent: beauty and happiness in the purest sense. Indeed, the author shares her own wisdom of her 'experience' as a girl happily playing with her Barbie doll by saying that despite the criticisms thrown regarding the overt 'sexuality' the doll exudes and how it is a "poor model" for girls -- McDonough declares, "[n]one of this matters one iota. Girls will still know the real reason they love her -- and it has nothing to do with new professions or a subtly amended figure...it is the heart and mind of my little girl as she picks them up and begins to play I can hardly wait."

Indeed, McDonough is able to achieve effectiveness in arguing her point in the article, primarily because her own experience as a girl who used to play with Barbie dolls illustrate an understanding and empathy of the issue at hand and the various perspectives concerning it. The tone is personalistic and is parallel with the narrative style used by the author in her analysis. Furthermore, McDonough's choice of words is simplistic, primarily because she aims to give understanding to her audience the main arguments she presented. All throughout the article, there is a conscious effort to sensitively discuss the issue for the sake of its audience, which are primarily, women, and secondarily, parents of female children.

Contrasting McDonough's essay with that of the editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled, "Beauty and the Barbie Doll," it is evident that the arguments presented are oversimplified. A reader may get the idea that what the editorial points out is the argument, "Barbie is the only factor that strongly influences female children's concept of beauty and sex." It does not take into account other factors that may influence children's attitudes and behavior, such as what McDonough centers on in her essay. Furthermore, the editorial assumes a more formal and perhaps 'politicized' version of a critique of Barbie dolls.