Sandra Cisneros Barbie-Q: A Literary Analysis

Literature is frequently comprehended by most people as a mass of writings. In particular, it refers to those reckoned to have the aptitude of being inventive and rational, or which deploy languages which departed from the common usage. Global literature, on the other hand, has two different definitions where the first one explains it as the summation of all literatures of the world, including personal and nationalized work. The second definition is, global literature consists of the world’s classics, or the most sought after works that are read across time, ethnic and language borders in which they were produced and become the intercontinental patrimony of civilization. (Gafrik, 2009, p. 28) Global literature penetrates deep into cultural

The story tells the reader about how two girls, each owns a Barbie doll with their one outfit piece and they made a dress out of worn socks for the dolls. One Sunday, they both went to the flea market on Maxwell Street, where the dolls of the other characters in Barbie were sold with lower price as a big toy warehouse was destroyed by fire. They did not mind to buy the dolls at the flea market even though the dolls were flawed, soaked with water and smelled like ashes. Barbie is widely pictured as a successful girl, who is perfect in every way; with her beautiful face, a slim body, nice house, secured job and a handsome boyfriend which is the fancy of every girl. The story tells the reader of the expectancy for women to have this immaculate figure, ignoring the fact that each person has different body fat percentage and body mass index which may affect their sizes and weights. In addition, the story also underlines the verity that it is not a crime for women to have flaws as depicted by Cisneros (1991), “Barbie’s MOD’ern cousin Francie with real eyelashes, eyelash brush included, has a left foot that’s melted a little-so? If you dress her in new ‘Prom Pink’ outfit, satin splendor with matching coat, gold belt, clutch, and hair bow included, so long as you don’t lift her dress right?-who’s to know”(p. 15). Even though

As the world is now developing by day, resulting in changes of culture, it is wise to take note that despite of one’s own cultural background, everyone may have their own interpretations, practices and lifestyles that should be understood in order to respect their beliefs and achieve mutual consent. In Inem, an Indonesian story by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, it gives the readers some idea of what it is like for a small, poor girl to live in among the Indonesian culture. Inem, an eight year old girl, was a servant in Gus Muk’s house and described as a sweet, well-mannered, skillful and hardworking girl. It was stated in the story that she would make a good daughter-in-law which tells the readers of the standards that is sought after by the Indonesians in looking for their spouses. After that, Inem was forced to get married by her own mother at such a young age as her family lives in poverty, so, marrying the daughter can trim down the outlays of the family. When Gus Muk’s mother defies Inem’s mother’s plan in marrying Inem, her mother opposes by saying that all of her family members were married at a young age. This condition conveys that in Indonesia, child marriage is permissible and widely practiced; overlooking the repercussions that it may bring to the child. During