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