Full Description
Paper dolls might seem the height of simplicity--quaint but simple toys, nothing more. But through the centuries paper figures have reflected religious and political beliefs, notions of womanhood, motherhood and family, the dictates of fashion, approaches to education, individual self-image and self-esteem, and ideas about death. This book examines paper dolls and their symbolism--from icons made by priests in ancient China to printable Kim Kardashians on the Internet--to show how these ephemeral objects have an enduring and sometimes surprising presence in history and culture.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Paper Power Begins
2. Political Satire and Change
3. Paper Characters and the Creativity of Toy Theatres
4. Paper-Doll Books: The Movable Voyage of Education
5. The Myth of the American Family
6. Fashion Paper Dolls: The True Woman's "Evil Twin"
7. Transformation and the Celebrity Paper Doll
Between pages 128 and 129 are 12 color plates containing 22 photographs
8. Paper Doll as Symbol: Vulnerability and Medical Care
9. Paper Doll as Symbol: The Male Desire for the Not Real
10. Paper Doll as Symbol in Feminist Films and Novels
11. Paper Doll as Symbol: For the Young Adult Audience
12. Paper Doll as Symbol: LGBTQ Culture
13. The Paper Figure in the Twenty-First Century
Conclusion
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
