syn. disheartened, dejected, dispirited, depressed
From Emily Prager’s “Our Barbies, Ourselves”:
How do they think I felt, knowing that no matter how many water beds they slept in, or hot tubs they romped in, or swimming pools they lounged by under the stars, Barbie and Ken could never make love? No matter how much sexuality Barbie possessed, she would never turn Ken on. He would be forever withholding, forever detached. There was a loneliness about Barbie’s situation that was always disturbing. And twenty-five years later, movies and videos are still filled with topless women and covered men. As if we’re all trapped in Barbie’s world and can never escape.
Emily Prager discusses the depressing flaws of Barbie relating to her boyfriend Ken. Prager is obviously unhappy about the inability of Barbie to please Ken, who possesses no genitals. Referring to the inescapable world of Barbie aids in heightening the sense of disillusionment Prager feels. Her use of disaffirming statements also illustrates her dejection. The repetition of the word “never” surely makes Barbie appear hopeless. And how could a woman not feel hopeless when she is incapable of getting intimate with her life-long love? The reason Prager feels discouraged is because she feels empathy for Barbie and the “loneliness [of her] situation.” Her initial rhetorical question implies that she feels a connection of some sort with the doll, and a longing to visualize the romance which can never take place.
Prager, Emily. “Our Barbies, Ourselves.” The Bedford Reader. Ed. X. J. Kennedy,
Dorothy M. Kennedy, and Jane E. Aaron. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,
2002. 336.