Barbie Essay

One thing that I never knew about Barbie, was that there are SO many different types and that there are a multitude of collectors. Before this essay I honestly didn't have any feelings for Barbie. The only thing I can remember about Barbie before this essay is that a lot of girls when I was younger loved playing with Barbie and getting all of the new ones and accessories for her. I thought one of the most important parts of this essay was the point that "It's about reliving good memories and helping people get back a bit of their childhood." There are many reasons people collect Barbie dolls but this really stuck out to me. Im not the biggest fan of Barbie but reading this essay made me open up and realize that to some people Barbie collecting is a hobby that they enjoying doing. I believe this essay will help me become a better thinker and writer because it goes into great detail about a simple concept a doll. And if someone can write about Barbie and how she is so important than I can write about something small and make it interesting.

Befriending Barbie

I had strong feelings against Barbie before and even after reading this essay, I still feel the same way. I do not feel Barbie is a good influence on young girls. It gives them a false sense of what beauty and perfection is. I did not learn anything that caught my eye, however, I did learn elsewhere that if Barbie were a real woman with all her proportions, she would be a horror story. Opposite of me, the author found something important and interesting about Barbie after going to the convention and getting exposed to the other people and their ideas about Barbie. She was able to have a wonderful experience with the people and develop a new found love for Barbie and her convention. The essay however, was written very nicely and was easy to read, it helped reinforce how my writing style should be.

Befriending Barbie

Of course I grew up with a Barbie doll or two to play with, but I never knew how popular and extreme the collecting world could be. I love how the writer writes in a fun, real way. It is as if you are standing next to her at the convention. We are able to see exactly what she sees because of how descriptive she is. She also includes her own opinion about Barbie dolls and the collectors, which, in my opinion, helps me to create my own opinion about the world of Barbie doll collecting. My favorite part of the story was the juxtaposition of Debbie, the women who keeps her dolls in boxes, and Sandi, the women who takes hers out of the boxes. Debbie loves the perfection of each and every Barbie: from the perfect hair to the manicured nails. Sandi, on the other hand, loves how Barbies bring joy to peoples lives. Regardless of how I or the writer feels about Barbies, it is interesting to see why Barbie collectors actually collect.

Barbie Dolls

I have long known that people are infatuated with Barbie, but I could have cared less. My mom is somewhat a collector of Barbie dolls. There are several still in their boxes in a chest upstairs that nobody every goes in. I have always wondered why my mom kept them. Realizing that those dolls could be worth a lot of money one day, I no longer have a problem with them just sitting in the chest.  I did not know that doll collecting is the second most popular collecting hobby in America. I figured at least coins would have been higher than dolls.

One of the most important parts of this essay was the story Judy shared about her son and how her Barbies and the Barbie family helped her move on from this tragic loss.  It is sad that her “friends” left her because they did not know what to say, yet people that she probably had never met before did so much for her. This story really grips you and makes you want to keep reading the essay as well as ties you in emotionally.

As a writer this essay will help because it shows that you can really write about anything. Not only write about anything, but also with some investigation you can see why people do what they do. I had no clue that there was such a larger group of people dedicated to the Barbie.  The personal stories for why each individual chose to be apart of the Barbie family are really interesting.  There is also more than what meets the eye. 

Befriending Barbie

I loved Barbie when I was younger (in a way I still do!). I loved playing with them, getting new outfits and other "friends" for my Barbies. I had to have had dozens of Barbie dolls. I had almost everything Barbie, from my Mom’s old “vintage” Barbies to the newest Malibu Barbie, the Barbie dream house to My Size Barbie, everything. I was no doubt a “de-boxer” I could barely wait to get to the car from Toys R Us to open my new Barbie and start playing with her.

After reading this essay I realize how special these Barbie dolls are to some people. I still have all the Barbie dolls from when my sisters and I were little in a giant box in our basement. I had a few limited edition Barbies and Collector’s Barbies. I knew people collected them, but never knew to that extent. This essay made me see that you can write a descriptive essay on pretty much anything. In my opinion the most important part was the authors perspective and thoughts on the subject\, I felt that it gave the reader an “inside look from an outsider’s perspective” to the Barbie Collectors convention world. This essay will help me write my upcoming essay by noting different things the author does; her thoughts worked into the essay, different descriptions and details, the noting of different observations, etc. 

Barbie and stuff.

I didn't know that collecting barbies was so popular. I find collecting things kind of strange, the idea of gathering things that you are not going to use just seems so dull. After reading this I made me realize that collecting barbies actually can make peoples life better, or at least help them get through difficult times. The author found meaning in something that she didn't really like or care about. I hope to do the same with my next paper, doing something that you would not usually do, and embracing it.

Barbie

Barbie was never really anything to me but something to destroy to make my sister mad. To know that people collect all the different kinds of Barbie is very interesting. I did not know that keeping a Barbie in it's original box could have so much value. It was kinda hard for me to finish reading this passage, maybe cause i'm a guy, but I learned something very interesting about our culture.

Barbie

I always remember pulling out a huge blue tub when I wanted to play with my barbies. The tub was massive; it was full of clothes, shoes, and even my dolls. I could definitely be classified as a "de-boxer". One thing that I did not know about Barbie is that, today, they went for so much money. The amounts described in the story were outrageous. Barbie was my favorite toy when I was not outside playing. I had so much Barbie stuff, but I was also one of those little girls that chopped all of their hair off when I grew out of my Barbie dolls. This essay showed me that you might be surprised at what you can find. That you should always be willing to try new things, and that you should always stay open minded. My favorite part of the story was that there were even men at the convention; that, to me, was really surprising. The most important part to me was when the writer got their own Barbie, and they were pretty excited about it.

Barbie

I had no strong feelings in support of or against Barbie before or after reading this essay. Everyone has their hobbies and barbies are just one of them. People use hobbies to cope with things, like the woman whose son died, and some people just do it to meet other like-minded people, like the veterinarian. This essay was important for the author because she tried to do something that she had never done before (go to a barbie convention) and found some sort of meaning in it. That sort of thing really opened her eyes towards things "out of her comfort zone", because she now has a respect to something she wouldn't have been "caught dead at" before.

"Befriending Barbie"

I never knew how long Barbie had actually been around. I have a sister so I ,of course, know who Barbie is, but I never thought much of her. All Barbies that ever meant to me was something to throw around the room to make my sister mad. I learned that almost anything, even Barbies, can be meticulously collected by people. The most interesting part to me was that they actually hold value... I never imagined a cheap plastic doll could be worth so much money.
Honestly, I didn't much like the story. Sure, it was interesting to see that people care that much about dolls, but the point of the story seems to have eluded me. I didn't even read the whole thing because I couldn't concentrate on the subject matter. I think this story will help me to understand that as a writer, you really can write about anything...

Befriending Barbie

I would have never thought that there was a convention for Barbie but now we have conventions for everything imaginable. Throughout the story, the author describes people she meets at the convention. One person she met was Judy from Forth Worth, Texas. The people she met online in a chat group helped her through her tragedy. It was amazing that a childhood toy could connect people and make friendships. This story helped realize that our perspective can be affected by our prejudices.

Barbie Story

First off, I had no idea that there was even a convention for Barbies, and secondly, I would love to sell a toy that I never opened for over $15,000. I had no clue that people found those dolls that valuable. Before I read this novel, I thought of Barbie as just a doll that girls liked to play with and as a boy, just didn’t care, we had much cooler Transformers. Now I realize that it is a collectable and people value it more then I could ever imagine. I have a new respect for the power of connection that people with such a simple object, that my mom threw away at the first possible chance when my sister stopped playing with them. The most important part of the story was definitely when she was talking to Judy because it really made everyone realize that Barbies aren’t just toys. They connect people in ways that you couldn’t image. This will help me write better by making me be more aware and understanding of all situations and to not let my personal opinions get in the way of everything around me. 

Befriending Barbie

As I read through this story, I got about halfway and finally realized this story was from someone who did something they have never done before. I never knew that there were so many barbie collectors out there and that there was a convention every year for barbie collectors. I played with barbies when I was younger, and I never thought they were still a big deal. I still feel like barbies are the fun doll that all types of people enjoy.I think the most important part would have to be this person going out into the world and doing something they have never done before. They learned about barbies, types of people who collect barbies, and so many more new interesting facts. The narrator definitely did a great job explaining how this event changed their perspective on like and it gave me an idea of different things I can go out and experience for myself.

SuperGirl that i dont care about

Before reading this essay, i didn't care about Barbie.  After seeing that the essay is eleven pages, I really didn't care about Barbie.  After reading this essay, Barbie is kind of cooler.  Now she is something more then just a Barbie.   But what does that say about our society?  That we are paying this much attention to a doll.  Because of my 'y' chromosome it is still hard for me to care about Barbie and it is still somewhat foreign to me to think of her as anything else as a doll, but the article did put her into perspective for me.  And that's all i really have to say about this one. 

barbie

Before reading this essay i knew that young girls liked barbie and collected the dolls but I had no idea what a large following barbie had. Another thing that shocked me was the vast number of barbies that there are i would not think there would be that many models. I find peoples' obsession with barbie that are over the age of seven to be a little creepy.

Barbie

I always knew that Barbie dolls played a role in little girls lives, but I would have never guest that they would play such a huge role in older women's lives.  I was shocked to find out that Barbies were the second most popular object to collect besides stamps.  Considering that I am a guy, I was obviously never a supporter of Barbies nor have I ever played with them, but after reading this essay I learned some things that I would have never known about Barbies and what I have learned about them is cool and now I realize why they are so popular.

More than a Doll

I didn't know that Barbie was such an iconic figure across the United States. I always thought it was just a doll that girls play with when they are little, and I found it interesting that men and women of all ages collect Barbie dolls. Before this essay I thought of Barbie as a symbol of what all girls want to be like; the pretty girl that is smart and has a career. I thought that Barbie was a toy that was made to make young girls shallow and materialistic. After reading this essay, I feel that it is something totally different. The doll can be used to bring people together of all ages, and can actually gain some serious monetary value over a period of time. I liked how the author of this essay described everyone that he talked to in detail. It made the story interesting and easy to follow. In my opinion the most important part of the story is near the end when he is talking to the woman whose son was murdered. It showed the close friend groups that Barbie creates and how people that have things in common take care of each other in times of need. This essay will help me as a writer because it showed me that if this guy can go out of his comfort zone and write about something like Barbie, it is possible for me to do the same.

Drew Sprinkle

Barbie

I thought the essay was surprisingly interesting.  Never before did I know that people took Barbie so serious.  This essay proves that just the smallest things to lead to a huge story.  Before I read this I knew of Barbie dolls as something that my older girl cousins used to play with when we were kids, but now I understand that people actually find comfort in Barbie dolls.  All this being said, no I do not plan on collecting Barbies.  I am happy with my Barbie count being at 0.

befriending barbie

I had no clue that Barbies or even dolls for that matter could be such a big deal. I know that there are conventions for things like super heroes, aliens, and I love Lucy, but i never would have thought they would have one for dolls.  It amazes me that there were barbie dolls back in the 60's. This article definitely filled me with information that i never knew. This would have definitely been out of my comfort zone considering i dont play with dolls.

Barbie

I have always known Barbie as just a plain doll that young girls like to play with and dress up. One thing I did not know before reading this essay was that Barbie was such a big part of peoples lives. I also did not know that the value of Barbie dropped if she was taken out of the box. Before I read this essay, I was not a big fan of Barbie. To me, she always seemed to make girls self-concious about themselves. I felt like girls would compare themselves to Barbie and think that they needed to look "perfect" like her. After reading, I feel a little different in the fact that Barbie did have an impact on many peoples lives. Many of the people that the author talked to in the essay lived for Barbie and learned from her (which I find a little odd). But what I got out of the essay was that, I still think that if people are that passionate about something, then they should go for it and do what they love. I especially liked in the essay that the author changed her opinion of  Barbies. She went from knowing nothing about them to buying one at the end of the convention. That just shows that anything can be interesting no matter what kind of person you are. I think the most important part of this story was the lady that talked about her Barbie friends being there for her when her son died. This story can definitely help me as a writer by showing that it is always best to go into something with an open mind, even if you do think you are going to not enjoy it.

BARBIE!

Barbie would definitely never get bored with a job or career, as she has had over 80 careers in her life! I never knew what a huge industry producing a plastic doll could become. Barbie was always the doll that little girls fantasized about becoming one day. I never was very interested in playing with Barbie's but I did love all the different outfits and accessories that you could collect. I can understand how someone would like to collect Barbie dolls because she is definitely a fashion minded girl!  After reading the essay, I did not realize how influential Barbie could be to some people’s lives. Any type of hobby, as shown in the essay can become a way to meet interesting people, relieve stress and loneliness. I was a little skeptical of the collectors in the essay but after reading the entire story, I am more understanding of how important collecting is to them not just as a hobby, but also an exciting and fascinating adventure.

As a writer, I will be more apt to write with description and details. I will also thing about the significance and the impact of the stories I tell in my writings. 

Befriending Barbie

I liked this essay about Barbie. I had no idea that she has “had” over 80 “careers”. This essay brought back a lot of memories from my childhood. While I was reading I was thinking about all the Barbie’s I had when I was younger. I think the most important part of the story is the reason why people collect these Barbie’s. They all had one specific reason. This essay will help me write because I had some ones perspective that doesn’t collect Barbie and really didn’t like Barbie.

Befriending Barbie

Every time I think of a Barbie doll I think of little girls playing with them in a doll house; I never would of thought that so many grown women and even some men would enjoy collecting and playing with these childish dolls. This story does not change my perspective on Barbie dolls completely. I understand the older women collecting the dolls and keeping them in their boxes to increase the value and maybe one day make money off of it but I do not understand the idea of forty- year old women playing and dressing up the dolls as if they were five -year old little girls with a new toy. I learned that people have many different and legitimate reasons for doing what they do. I said earlier, that the idea of older women with dolls kind of seems immature but some of the women’s reasons made sense of it all. The woman, whose son died, kept collecting dolls because the women of the Barbie world were the only ones who were there for her at the time of his death. This shows that the bond between these collectors is enormous. They do not even know each other all that well and yet they are still there for each other in moments of need. I also think that this is the most important part of the story. It is important because it is displaying the idea of a bond between girls. Having girl friends that understand and believe the same things that you believe is always a great resourse when there are hard times in life. As a writer, this essay has helped me look at trying new things as a good experience or a learning experience and like the girl in this essay you may enjoy the new things.

The Last Stop

One of Cable’s assumptions about a funeral home they would be located on the out skirts of town, but certainly not in the busy part of town. He also didn’t expect them to have a clock at the top of their building he didn’t think they were concern with time as well. He did expect the funeral director to look exactly how he appeared, which was creepy or “death on two legs”. My image of a funeral director is not the stereotypical image that most would think of just because one of the old friends of the family is actually a funeral director and he is a very nice, loud, and funny man. He is one of those people that would do anything for you and I know him outside the office but I’m sure he is the same way but probably a little bit more reeled in since he would be dealing with the passing of a loved one. I think he captured the funeral home very well, because I could actually picture the room with the hotel furniture that has a homey feeling to it.