Aisles Of Society Essay, Research Paper

Aisles of Society

Upon opening the door to Lane s Toyland and making my way past the two main desks, I found myself in the midst of cheerful music and elaborate displays of various toys. Colorful, full of life and enjoyment, the toys peered at me from their crowded shelves. I began on the first aisle and played my way to the last. The first few rows were cluttered with well armed, fighter figurines(GI *JOE, STAR WARS, Bat Man etc.), and progressed to sporting goods. Arranged by age groups The middle rows in the toy-store were consumed by games of all kinds. Miniature cars and trucks could be seen behind the games, along the back wall. The last few rows held many dolls and plastic horses, across from which a glass case protected the more expensive collector dolls. Throughout Lane s, many stands were setup between the aisles to display various toys.

After interviewing a Lane s Toyland employee I was quick to learn that Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends was the most popular, best selling line of toys recommended for children 4 years and older. Examining the toys through the plastic widows on their cardboard boxes, I noticed each were made strong of either die-caste steel, hard wood, or both. The Thomas the Tank Engine costs $10.50, and the complete set including 100 pieces costs $315. This old fashion looking train set is similar to train sets built generations earlier. It aids in teaching children about basic traffic signs associated with railroads, gives them a sense of control, and projects the image that hard work pays off by allowing the use of imagination and problem solving skills to construct new tracks.

I noticed next, a display of PlayMobile toys for children 4yrs. and older (because small parts constitute a choking hazard). Unlike the train set this line of toys were separated (though not so much as some other toys) by sex. There were blue boxes with pirate ships, space shuttles, and castles inside, targeted towards the boys, while pink boxes for the girls included doll houses, classrooms, and flower stands. In the display a power boat made of white durable plastic with red and blue pin-stripes holding four PlayMobile figures( 2 girls 2 boys)was priced at $18. Each person on the boat, while smiling appeared to be doing a different job. PlayMobile toys can teach children that life is an adventure, that each person has his/her role and identity in society. The idea that there are many opportunities for people to be whomever they please is born.

On a stand in the middle of the toy-store were endangered species toys (The Vanishing Wild ). Each animal toy was tagged with a small booklet telling about the animals eating habits, where it lives, and numerous other interesting facts. The safe, strong, plastic animals appeared to be priced by size. The small lion cub is $3.30 in contrast to the 18 dollars for the giant whale. Though the endangered animal toys may not seem as appealing to young children, the message it tells is equally important. Children can learn at an early age that it is immoral to harm animals, that animals do not live without the poss1ibility of becoming extinct, and that nature and all its creatures should be protected. A sense of humanity is given to society though these toys.

Have toys made us who we are? I do not feel that toys alone can create the morals and ethics common to humans, but; I feel that it is extremely possible that the things people played with when they where children produces feelings and inspires decisions accounting for part of who we are and what we do. The answer to [why we are who we are?] could vary well lie in the aisles of a toy-store.