Prompt 3

This form seems appropriate because of the connections between the makers of Barbie and a god-like control over creation. In the Bible, the book of Genesis outlines God’s control over the creation of man. The makers of Barbie had this same type of control except on a smaller scale, over the creation of a doll. Although this is a smaller scale, the implications of its creation are far reaching. Thus, the rhetorical choice of outlining the cultural issues in the form of the book of Genesis helps highlight the fact that Barbie’s creation has major implications. Barbie’s creators can decide its race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, etc. They can then release Barbie on a mass market where millions of girls (and boys) can buy it. Young girls especially enjoy playing with these types of dolls, so the way they are designed can have an effect on a child’s development. Children can become convinced that the ideal woman is Barbie or that the ideal man is Ken. This includes physical features (perfect breasts, lips, eyebrows, etc.) and behavior (shopping, family values, etc.) Because Mattel is an American company, Barbie is made to operate within American cultural boundaries. Steinberg states, “She never questions American virtue and supports the erasure of the colonial genocide of America’s past.” Barbie’s unfettered support for Mattel’s image of America shows the perfect little level of creation that she was destined to live on.

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