Why Gloria is an important character in “Barbie”
In the whimsical yet trenchantly reflective film "Barbie," Gloria is a character who personifies the quintessential dilemma faced by many women today: navigating the corporate landscape while simultaneously managing personal crises. As a Mattel employee, Gloria is ensconced in the heart of the corporate machinery that manufactures and markets the very symbol of femininity - Barbie. However, her interaction with Barbie, particularly during her own midlife crisis, offers a unique perspective on women’s struggle in corporate settings, while raising questions about the intricacies of femininity, motherhood, and power dynamics.
Gloria is positioned uniquely within the corporate hierarchy of Mattel, being an employee who is involved with the creation and marketing of a cultural icon that has a profound impact on perceptions of femininity. Her job is intrinsically tied to the dissemination of specific gender norms and expectations. This predicament closely resembles Peggy Olson's journey in the critically acclaimed series "Mad Men," where Peggy grapples with her role as a copywriter in an advertising agency that routinely objectifies women.
However, unlike Peggy, Gloria's midlife crisis leads to an intriguingly bizarre transfer of her existential worries to an inanimate object, a Barbie doll. This unsettling phenomenon is symbolic of the pressures women in the corporate world often face. It subtly echoes the narrative of “The Devil Wears Prada,” where Miranda Priestly, an intimidating fashion editor, manages her professional life with an iron fist while her personal life crumbles. Gloria, similarly, is the master puppeteer of Barbie's life but fails to manage her own anxieties.
The interaction between Gloria and Barbie toys highlights another issue that corporate women confront: the challenge of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Gloria's stress spills over into her daughter Sasha's playtime, affecting the very innocence and enjoyment associated with toys. This relationship dynamic could be compared to the movie “I Don't Know How She Does It,” in which the protagonist, a finance executive and mother, struggles to juggle her professional responsibilities with her personal life, often leading to hilarious yet poignant consequences.
Moreover, the movie subtly poses a thought-provoking question: are corporate women, in some form, playing with 'dolls'? The trope of controlling a doll's life echoes the predicament of many corporate women who micromanage their professional lives while their personal lives may not be within their control. Gloria's attempts to meddle with Sasha's Barbie dolls could be an effort to regain control over her life, much like Nina Sayers in Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror film “Black Swan.” Nina is a ballet dancer who exerts strict control over her career but gradually loses grip on her sanity.
Moreover, Gloria's interaction with Barbie toys underscores the paradox of power dynamics in the corporate world. She has a direct influence over the narrative of the dolls, but this power is illusionary in the context of her own life. It’s a fascinating parallel to the character of Selina Meyer in the TV series "Veep," who, despite being the Vice President of the United States, often finds herself embroiled in political schemes and personal dilemmas over which she has little control.
In conclusion, Gloria's character in the "Barbie" movie serves as a nuanced metaphor for women’s struggles within the corporate world. The film expertly uses the narrative of Barbie dolls, a classic childhood icon, to weave a commentary on the challenges of being a woman in a corporate setting. Her interactions with Barbie toys offer a fresh perspective on the implications of power dynamics, gender expectations, and work-life balance in a woman's life. Through the lens of Gloria, "Barbie" illuminates the often glossed-over struggles of women in the corporate world, urging us to rethink our perceptions of femininity, motherhood, and power.
