The Barbie doll represents many things in American society, but at the end of the day she is just a doll.

The Barbie doll represents many things in American society, but at the end of the day she is just a doll. While Barbie is a strong positive figure, she was created to be a doll, not a social icon. Barbie is basically a three-dimensional portrait, supposedly an accurate representation of an average, modern, American woman. Of course the perceptions of "average", "modern", and "American" have all changed over the years since Barbie's conceived in 1959. The …

…doll by MattelÓ! All Barbie dolls are fundamentally the same. Different clothing, face paint, and hairstyles modify one core image. The changes are intended to make Barbie a more accurate portrait of an American woman. Whether the dolls are viewed as positive or negative images, Barbie has affected multiple generations of American women. She continues to make her impact as she gazes blindly at the world through her perfect plastic Barbie eyes.