Critical Essay on Befriending Barbie by Shari Caudron

Introduction

In the short story, Befriending Barbie, Caudron explains her transformations after interacting with a group of Barbie doll collectors. Before the interaction, Caudron held wrong and unfounded preconceptions and prejudices that caused her not to appreciate the significance of Barbie collection. More specifically, she thought that the practice of collecting Barbie dolls was in vain and that it did not result in any intrinsic value to the collectors. However, after meeting the members of the Barbie collection community, Caudron realized that the collection was not a passion in vain, because it enabled collectors to develop a strong and supportive community and to relive memories.

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At the beginning of the essay, Caudron admits that she does not comprehend how the habit of collecting the dolls could make individuals happy and bring people together. However, her perception of the dolls and the collectors suddenly change as she engages the collectors. During the interaction, she learns that the community is not necessarily about the dolls themselves but more about having fun and building friendships. One of the people that Caudron interviews to learn about the importance of doll collection is Debbie Barker. Caudron learns that Debbie is a passionate doll collector and has been in the business for a very long time. Having collected thousands of dolls, Debbie has developed a profound love for the dolls such that they have become part of her life.

According to Debbie, the Barbie dolls are admirable because of their versatility. In other words, the dolls can take up any role such as being a stewardess, veterinarian or a secretary. She also confides that the Barbie dolls are very beautiful besides having an amazing ability to keep up with latest fashion trends. Debbie is fascinated most by the aspect of fashion, which makes sense especially because women, in general, tend to be sensitive to fashion trends. Debbie is so obsessed with the business of collecting Barbie dolls she describes people based on how they associate with the dolls. As a matter of detail, she has a great love for people who are very passionate about the Barbie dolls and rarely associates with other people. In one occasion, Debbie mistakes an old woman who inquires about dinner for one of the Barbie collectors. The woman does not find this to be funny and feels utterly offended.

Caudron learns from Debbie that people love the Barbie dolls because they are excited at the mere sight of them. On her part, Debbie is proud of the fact that she owns a wide collection of the latest Barbie dolls and is looking forward to acquiring new dolls. She loves the beautiful clothes that Barbie wears and also the pink color associated with them. The color is one of the factors that make the collectors identify with the dolls. For instance, Debbie's nails are colored bright pink. So, bright is the pink color on Debbie's nails that Caudron finds herself gazing at them with intense admiration.

Another person that Caudron interviews and who stands out as a perfect example of how the collection of Barbie dolls creates a strong community are a woman named Judy Steger. Judy was introduced to dolls collection by her son. The son enrolled her into an online chat room where she could interact with other passionate Barbie collectors (Caudron 144). Unfortunately, the son died a year later during a shootout incident. Most of Judy's friends did not know what to do, so they lost contacts with her. However, her Barbie doll friends did everything they could to make sure that she is well comforted. They chatted with her every day and sent donations and gifts. They also contacted the manufacturer of Barbie dolls and asked them to make a special doll for Judy.

Essentially, the Barbie doll collection community was there for the bereaved mother when she needed them most. Were it not for this community; it could have been extremely difficult for her to move on following the death of her son. Through Judy's experience, Caudron learned that people collect Barbie dolls because of the good memories that they bring. For this reason, the Barbie collectors ensure that the dolls remain in safe boxes and that they are protected from any harm (Caudron 143). Debbie tells Caudron, keeping the dolls in boxes ensures that they do not lose their values and that they maintain their aesthetic appeal for as long as possible.

For some Barbie collectors, the dolls have such a great sentimental value that they are insured. Other collectors like Sandy have turned the hobby of collecting Barbie dolls into a money-making business. Sandy's diverse collection brings her close to million dollars each year. For Sandy, the dolls help in reliving good memories. They also help people to get a few of their childhood experiences. This explains why there are so many people attending the National Barbie doll convention. The fact that one of the attendants is a 96-year old woman shows that childhood memories are indeed important for Barbie doll collectors (Caudron 145).

Perhaps, the most important lesson that Caudron learned from her interaction with the Barbie doll collectors is that the hobby helps people to deal with the daily stresses and frustrations of life. The dolls allow time for play and make life to be full of fun, both of which are therapeutic. Playing with dolls every day of the week ensures that the collectors are not stressed and that they can reciprocate by giving back to the society. As Caudron realized, the majority of the Barbie collectors are involved in charities such as helping the children. For example, the Barbie collectors have formed an organization that provides support for children living with HIV/AIDS in Colorado (Caudron 144). They use their experience as a community to solicit funds and other resources to make the world a better place for children.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Cauldron's interactions with Barbie collectors changed her perception and enabled her to realize that not all forms of hoarding are a destructive experience. Dolls collection is a favorite pastime for people in the United States. From Cauldron's experience, it is clear that the collectors do not just buy the dolls in vain. Rather, the dolls make them feel excited and also enable them to relieve stress. The dolls also help the collectors to make friends and provide an avenue for making money. However, it is clear from Cauldron's shocking realizations that majority of the people who are not Barbie collectors fail to understand the essence of the dolls in people's lives. It is thus common for the non-collectors to have prejudices and preconceptions about the dolls and the hobby of doll collections.

Work Cited

Caudron, Shari. "Befriending Barbie." Remix: Reading & Composing Culture, 3rd ed., edited by Catherine G. Latterell. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2017, pp. 138-146