Society's Unrealistic View of Women

"And if the prettiest doll, Barbie's MOD'ern cousin Francie with real eyelashes, eyelash brush included, has a left foot that's melted a little---so? If you dress her in her new "Prom Pinks" outfit, satin splendor with matching coat, gold belt, clutch, and hair bow included, so long as you don't lift her dress, right?---who's to know" (Cisneros 2).

Sandra Cisneros' "Barbie-Q" is a tale of two young girls who adore these culturally iconic Barbie dolls but cannot afford them. As a result, when the two girls go to a flea market and find a bunch of Barbie dolls selling for cheap because they are damaged from a fire, the girls are delighted and are able to buy two new dolls. While reading "Barbie-Q", I felt especially moved by the closing lines of her short story.

With her story "Barbie-Q", Cisneros shows the idealistic way that society views women and the materialism of the world. Barbie dolls have long since been a cultural icon and have grown to represent the "ideal" woman of American society. In the chosen quote, Cisneros says, "dress her in her new 'Prom Pinks' outfit, satin splendor with matching coat, gold belt..." Here, Cisneros alludes to the materialistic view that society holds. Society prizes women who are put together, successful, and beautiful and believes that in order to meet those standards, you must appear that way on the outside through the help of things like expensive clothing. Even Barbie dolls are designed to meet those standards as they represent the "ideal", and thus, they are often dressed in expensive-looking stilettos and luxurious dresses. This represents the materialistic and shallow view of society because material possessions and outward shows of wealth are regarded as more important than what is underneath. 

Cisneros also describes the Barbie doll from the fire as having "a left foot that's melted a little." Here, Cisneros shows that although women have societal expectations of them, naturally, all of them have flaws. In a materialistic society, women who have flaws, whether that be an imperfect body, hair, clothing, etc., are valued less as represented by the cheaper price that even the Barbie who was once "the prettiest doll" is sold at because she has a melted left foot. Not only does society have these unrealistic expectations of women to be perfect, but it also encourages women to cover up their flaws. This can be seen when Cisneros says, "so long as you don't lift her dress, right?--who's to know." Cisneros refers to the idea that underneath all the fancy clothing, all women have flaws but as long as it is concealed to the public, they are seen valuable in society's eyes. 

Although Cisneros points this shallow side of society out, she suggests a more positive future through the young girls and the tone of the sentence. The closing sentence has a hopeful tone in the perspective of the young girls. The young girls in the story begin to understand that even if a Barbie doll has flaws,  it is something to be valued and excited for. The young girls suggest a new outlook of society in which a woman is not expected to be perfect.