—Veronica Chu
“A Real Doll” by A.M. Homes was quite an uncomfortable text to read but I think that the meaning behind the story is a lot deeper. The story is basically about the narrator having an intimate connection with a Barbie doll who he shares his thoughts with. He has a sexual connection with her too. I feel like I didn’t really understand what was going through the narrator’s head as I was reading the story and I was really confused to why he chooses the barbie out of all the things that he could possibly have. The relationship between this was honestly unrealistic which made it uncomfortable for me. The fact that it was not with a real person but with a doll just seemed so weird. This made it very fascinating for me, but I definitely had a hard time trying to understand the whole situation which was uncomfortable. After discussing this with my classmates I realized that there was way more to why he did what he did. I learned that it wasn’t just about his kinks but also the fact that he was building a friendship and a relationship with Barbie and this made it very interesting. The relationship he was building made him realized that he didn’t actually like women and it’s not what he truly desires which may seem to be out of the social norms. He was afraid of being rejected by the society because later in the story he realized that he likes men. This twist to the story made me realize that it is okay to be a little weird and out of the norm because at the end of the day what people think shouldn’t matter. It was definitely more enjoyable after discussing it with my classmates. Their point of view on the story made me open my eyes and enriched the story for me. I honestly think that this story would teach a very valuable lesson to many people and make them feel that it is okay for them to be who they are. The little things that may seem strange or weird to us is what makes them unique and this short really illumines that idea. But it definitely challenges the reader and makes one feel uncomfortable. I believe that being challenged and made uncomfortable helps me grow and connect to the story more. Being in a certain position allows me to understand the story more and I feel like it brings a deeper connection. Honestly being challenged in that way really opens my mind and it makes me think more in depth and not just look at what is going on at the surface. I find this really valuable and being uncomfortable is not such a bad thing after all because it enhances the mind. Therefore, I have chosen, “A Real Doll” by A.M. Homes which allowed me to feel uncomfortable and challenged.
