Society Versus Adolescents

Throughout history young girls have been held to society’s impossible standards time and time again. In Sandra Cisneros’ short story Barbie-Q, the narrator illustrates the effects this can have on the life of a female adolescent. The story depicts the perspective that a little girl has on her society through parallels to her and her sister’s Barbie dolls. In the passage, the protagonist is shown that you do not have to have everything to be considered rich. Through materialism and gender role, the narrator proves the impact that society places on young adolescents and their perspective on life.

The short story begins with a young female pointing out the differences in her and her sister’s Barbies. The narrator states, “ Yours is the one with the mean eyes and a ponytail. Striped swimsuit, stilettos, sunglasses, and gold hoop earrings. Mine is the one with bubble hair, Red swimsuit, stilettos, pearl earrings, and a wire stand”(183). in order to point out that society has encouraged young adolescents to compare themselves to others. People want things that they don’t have, and they are in a constant competition to get what they think they need, thus influencing society to become materialistic. Cisneros seeks to illustrates that instead of encouraging children to become independent and altruistic, society urges adolescents to strive to obtain every tangible, name brand, and popular thing that is available. Further, this provides young adolescents with reasoning that one is more important than the other. Cisneros exemplifies that it would be race in this case as she goes into further detail about how one Barbie is more in style than the other with illustrating the environment the characters are surrounded by along with the background information we are given.

Throughout the story, the Cisneros describes that the narrator’s family is not an average American family. They frequently struggle finically and are known as lower class. As the little girl and her sister are walking through the flea market they see Barbie dolls that are not in the best of care. Towards the end of the story the girls realize that the Barbie’s have burns, a scent, and were a little melted. Through this illustration, Cisneros provides readers with a perspective that society does categorize people and things based upon race. In an article written about Barbie-Q, Leticia Romo writes, “it should be noted that Barbie dolls, with all their paraphernalia, are relatively expensive,’ which makes them an object not easily accessible to the lower class, thus bringing into play the friction between the rich and the poor”(Romo). This quote is similar to the essay because of how Cisneros illustrates un-equality and economical status with Barbie dolls. The title of the article “ Barbie-Q” A Subversive or Hegemonic Popular Text?” by Leticia Romo, can be significant because it argues that the figure of a barbie doll can be viewed in a wide perspective. In this case, “Barbie-Q” is hegemonic because the essay illustrates how the dominant class or in the essay a Barbie doll are praised in society. Because of this, Cisneros creates a parallel structure between the girls and the Barbies as they realize that the Barbies are flawed just as they are. They aren’t the average pretty girls, but they are who they are meant to be. Cisneros’ writes “ 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 life her dress right? – Who’s to know”(184). In today’s society, people are quick to judge others based upon what they have or what they look like, but if society were to look deeper at those whom people idol, would they have scars, burns, or smells that they hide? Cisneros illustrates that since the girls are not the prominent race, society tends to ostracize them because they are not perfect.

In the short story, materialism and race play major roles in what the narrator is trying to imply. In the world today, society depicts each and every person depending upon if they are economically stable or if they are the ideal race. Instead of embracing the differences society teaches young adolescents to compete and pick out other peoples differences. Much like many people in today’s society must do, the little girls in the story overcome their differences by accepting that they do not have the money to become materialistic and embrace that they are apart of a race that matters to them.

Works Cited

Cisneros, Sandra, “ Barbie-Q.” The Story and Its Writer. Compact 9^th ed. Ed. Ann

Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 183-4.

Romo, Leticia I. “Sandra Cisneros’ “Barbie-Q”: A Subversive Or Hegemonic Popular Text?.” Studies In Latin American Popular Culture 24.(2005): 127-137. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Society Versus Adolescents

Throughout history young girls have been held to society’s impossible standards time and time again. In Sandra Cisneros’ short story Barbie-Q, the narrator illustrates the effects this can have on the life of a female adolescent. The story depicts the perspective that a little girl has on her society through parallels to her and her sister’s Barbie dolls. In the passage, the protagonist is shown that you do not have to have everything to be considered rich. Through materialism and gender role, the narrator proves the impact that society places on young adolescents and their perspective on life.

The short story begins with a young female pointing out the differences in her and her sister’s Barbies. The narrator states, “ Yours is the one with the mean eyes and a ponytail. Striped swimsuit, stilettos, sunglasses, and gold hoop earrings. Mine is the one with bubble hair, Red swimsuit, stilettos, pearl earrings, and a wire stand”(183). in order to point out that society has encouraged young adolescents to compare themselves to others. People want things that they don’t have, and they are in a constant competition to get what they think they need, thus influencing society to become materialistic. Cisneros seeks to illustrates that instead of encouraging children to become independent and altruistic, society urges adolescents to strive to obtain every tangible, name brand, and popular thing that is available. Further, this provides young adolescents with reasoning that one is more important than the other. Cisneros exemplifies that it would be race in this case as she goes into further detail about how one Barbie is more in style than the other with illustrating the environment the characters are surrounded by along with the background information we are given.

Throughout the story, the Cisneros describes that the narrator’s family is not an average American family. They frequently struggle finically and are known as lower class. As the little girl and her sister are walking through the flea market they see Barbie dolls that are not in the best of care. Towards the end of the story the girls realize that the Barbie’s have burns, a scent, and were a little melted. Through this illustration, Cisneros provides readers with a perspective that society does categorize people and things based upon race. In an article written about Barbie-Q, Leticia Romo writes, “it should be noted that Barbie dolls, with all their paraphernalia, are relatively expensive,’ which makes them an object not easily accessible to the lower class, thus bringing into play the friction between the rich and the poor”(Romo). This quote is similar to the essay because of how Cisneros illustrates un-equality and economical status with Barbie dolls. The title of the article “ Barbie-Q” A Subversive or Hegemonic Popular Text?” by Leticia Romo, can be significant because it argues that the figure of a barbie doll can be viewed in a wide perspective. In this case, “Barbie-Q” is hegemonic because the essay illustrates how the dominant class or in the essay a Barbie doll are praised in society. Because of this, Cisneros creates a parallel structure between the girls and the Barbies as they realize that the Barbies are flawed just as they are. They aren’t the average pretty girls, but they are who they are meant to be. Cisneros’ writes “ 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 life her dress right? – Who’s to know”(184). In today’s society, people are quick to judge others based upon what they have or what they look like, but if society were to look deeper at those whom people idol, would they have scars, burns, or smells that they hide? Cisneros illustrates that since the girls are not the prominent race, society tends to ostracize them because they are not perfect.

In the short story, materialism and race play major roles in what the narrator is trying to imply. In the world today, society depicts each and every person depending upon if they are economically stable or if they are the ideal race. Instead of embracing the differences society teaches young adolescents to compete and pick out other peoples differences. Much like many people in today’s society must do, the little girls in the story overcome their differences by accepting that they do not have the money to become materialistic and embrace that they are apart of a race that matters to them.

Works Cited

Cisneros, Sandra, “ Barbie-Q.” The Story and Its Writer. Compact 9^th ed. Ed. Ann

Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 183-4.

Romo, Leticia I. “Sandra Cisneros’ “Barbie-Q”: A Subversive Or Hegemonic Popular Text?.” Studies In Latin American Popular Culture 24.(2005): 127-137. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

An Internal Struggle Throughout War

Stories may have the same concepts from the outside, but it is the true meanings behind each story that is different. Although there are many that are completely opposite there are some that are very similar. In Tim O’Brien’s “ The Things They Carried” and Said Sayrafiezadeh’s “ A Brief Encounter with the Enemy” many similarities are concluded in the stories by illustrating internal battles and settings. Each of these stories depicts what true romantic relationships are about and who is the real victim at fault in war.

Tim O’Brien’s “ The Things They Carried” illustrates the struggles that soldiers face when they are in war. They each carry different tangible things with them and also burdens. O’Brien states, “ The things they carried were largely determined by necessity”(O’ Brien 665) in order to provide an understanding that people care and hold on the different things. In a different concept, Said Sayrafiezadeh’s “ A Brief Encounter with the Enemy”, the protagonist carries around the psychological question of if he is choosing the right future in his life. Both of these stories demonstrate that every person has various items or thoughts that they consider valuable through explaining how what they carried had an impact on them.

While in O’Brien’s story, each solider kept items that meant the most to them and in Sayrafiezadeh’s story the item that he carries with him is an internal struggle. These two valuables according to the author change the emotional concept for their tasks in the military. In “ The Things They Carried” there is a lot of action when O’Brien illustrates how Lieutenant Cross gets blindsided by the woman he believes he loves. Although there is no action in “ A Brief Encounter with the Enemy”, Luke, the solider, was fighting boredom and his reasoning on why he chose to join the military along with postponing responding back to Martha who wrote him emails frequently asking was he alright or what was the latest update. In both of these stories the protagonist is a solider in war. They are both fighting for something that they believe is a good cause. Both of them reflect on their lives prior to their service to the military by reminiscing on their past and loved ones. These men have epiphany about what they thought was a great destiny was only the realization of their true life. In “ A Brief Encounter with the Enemy” Said wants the audience to sympathize with Luke when he thinks something miraculous is going to happen and he realizes that is was all false hope. He quotes,

“In short, I was going to get out of the Army and be exactly the same person I was before I joined. I was going to go back to that same cubicle with those same spreadsheets..”(Sayrafiezadeh 802)

This illustrates that Luke has questions whether or not this was the right decision for him. Just like Luke, Lieutenant Cross contemplates the same thing. O’Brien writes,

“He had difficulty keeping his attention on the war. On occasion he would yell at his men to spread out of the column, to keep their eyes open, but then he would slip away into daydreams, just pretending, walking barefoot along the Jersey shore, with Martha, carrying nothing.”(O’Brien 668)

Throughout the stories each protagonist reaches a point to where they realize what really matters. Was war really what these two wanted or did they want something meaningful and fulfilling?

Within both stories each of the protagonists face a challenging disappointment. Both are distracted with internal issues that they begin to lose themselves instead of finishing the tasks they set out to do. For example, each story asks who the real enemy is. Although each setting portrays that the enemy is the victim, the stories illustrate otherwise. When Lieutenant Cross is so caught up in his emotional romance problems, one of his men is killed. O’Brien quotes, “ He felt shame. He hated himself. He loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war.”(O’ Brien 672”) In this case, Cross is the victim because he set aside that there would be potential fighting in the war in order to compensate his love for Martha and determines what he was going to do. Just like Cross, Luke faced the same challenge. “ Then he turned in towards the plains, towards the high grass, just when he was about to disappear for good I put my finger in the proximity of the trigger. Poof. The gun vibrated gently with its message” (Sayrafiezadeh 804). When the gun fired, Luke then realized that he had not shot the enemy, but an innocent boy. These two protagonists prove that they are the true victims because they are undergoing an unstable conscience and life. Each shows that they are unable to make proper decisions because their mind is somewhere else. Both of these stories convey that soldiers may miss things while they are not in the routine of doing them but not all of their situations are the same. Some situations may be more severe while others are facile.

These stories prove that they are much of the same but differ in ways also. Ultimately, within each story there is a struggle of priorities in each characters life. This is faced everyday and with O’Brien and Sayrafiezadeh’s stories, this perspective is put into place. Not everyone deals with the same issues or carries around the same baggage, but it is how they deal with it and how to compensate their problems with their lives. Through these stories both O’Brien and Sayrafiezadeh establish the internal problems people face daily. Both authors illustrate that when distractions are placed in life it is up to the person to decide whether he or she will let them take place.

Works Cited

O’Brien, Tim.” The Things They Carried.” The Story and Its Writer. Ed. Ann Charters. Compact 9^th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2014.664-77. Print.

Sayrafiezadeh, Said. ” A Brief Encounter with the Enemy”. The Story and Its Writer. Ed. Ann Charters. Compact 9^th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 796-805.Print

Does the Battle Royal Govern Society?

In Ralph Ellison’s Battle Royal, the narrator illustrates his struggles to survive as a black American in society. Since the narrator descended from a slave heritage, he is categorized as unworthy in society. The battle royal is an interpretation of the fight in which people go through to conform to society.

When the narrator is placed into the ring, he is told by one of the men “ If you don’t get him, I’m going to get you. I don’t like his looks”(284). This statement shows that society depicts people from their outside appearance. If you are not like the rest you are unworthy to be apart of their society. The battle royal shows the struggles of race in society. When the narrator finally realizes this, he knows that he will never be able to fit into society.

During the battle royal, the white man don blindfolds on the fighters. “I wanted to see, to more desperately than ever. But the blindfold was as tight as a think-skin puckering scab and when I raised my gloved hands to push back the layers of white aside a voice yelled, “ Oh, no you don’t, black bastard! Leave that alone!”(284) When the narrator is blind folded by a white man it shows that the white men are in control. The black men are blinded by the white men and are forced to do what they say. If a person is blindfolded he or she is unable to decide for themselves and are helpless. They are unable to perform the tasks they want to. Just like the black Americans in society, they are not able to have freedom. The white men limit the freedom for the black men. When the narrator is blindfolded he then begins to see the truth that no matter how alike they are to a white man they will never be at the same social standards. Even though slavery has been abolished the society is still views the white male as royal and the black males as slaves. The narrator states, “ Blindfolded, I could no longer control my motions.”(285) This shows that the white males lead the way. The higher you are in society the more say so you have. If you are low on society’s standards you do what the upper class says.

Another way that the narrator shows that society excludes that of an unworthy race is the symbolizing the role of black Americans to brass. This shows the social inequality of the economic standards. With the blacks representing brass it stands for black Americans not being able to afford the things that the white American can. Also, metal brass is worthless just like they are classifying the black Americans as. “Get the money, the M.C. called. “That’s good hard American cash!”(288) In society today, Americans only focus on the paper currency rather than coins. This is because society views paper currency as being wealthy. When the white men compare the black men to coins it illustrates that the white are wealthier than the blacks. With the men emphasizing that the black American’s in the battle royal are nothing but brass coins, they are degrading their fellow citizens.

The battle royal is just another way to ostracize the black Americans from society. The white Americans are infuriated with the thought that the black Americans can be socially equal with them. The battle royal is a way to prove to the black Americans that they are not equal and they never will be. Society to this day places a barrier between different races today. For there to be a sense of equality society needs to break down the barrier and accept everyone.

References

Ellison, Ralph. “Battle Royal.” The Story and Its Writer. Compact Ninth Edition.

         Boston: Bedford’s / St. Martins, 1991. 281-291.Print