Barbie


In the Barbie movie released in 2023, Greta Gerwig's movie challenges traditional gender roles and expectations, while also reinforcing them. The movie begins with the Barbies (women) in complete power over a place called Barbieland, and the Kens (men) exist primarily as assistants, or accessories to the Barbies. Highlighting the societal structure of the real world, the satirical view of patriarchy completely reverses traditional gender roles. In the movie, there is somewhat of a dramatic switch, or plot twist that occurs. Barbie lives in a world where she is successful in everything she does. She is confident, and she embodies the idea of femininity. As she transitions into the real world, she gets the rug pulled from under her as she begins to experience the opposite of the life she experienced in Barbieland. She battles sexism, the complex reality of human emotions, and pushing past the stereotypes attached to being a woman. On the other hand, the main male character, Ken experiences the exact opposite. He goes from a world where he lives as a mere secondary figure, where he is greeted with the real power dynamics of the outside world. The stories of both Ken and Barbies struggles in life outside of Barbieland prove one thing; neither extreme of Ken or Barbie's lives create a society that is balanced and fulfilling. We see how the two characters are met with two different extremes, and they learn that in order to understand their worths, they have to find a place in the middle.

Comments

  1. Ryan ChristensenFebruary 9, 2025 at 11:07 AM

    You provided a very analytical description of the events of the movie. I like your takeaway, that neither end of the spectrum of gender power can be beneficial for society, showing that a middle ground of equality is the best.

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