Toys

Roland Barthes sets up an interesting kaleidoscope for the reader to look through. He shows how the world has changed based on the toys children play with. Not only does he discuss how the different toy reflect each country, but also what materials the toys are made of. He focuses in on French toys in particular. He uses emotional appeals to draw in the read, targeting the senses and referring to the ways things 'use to be'. This makes the reader think back to their childhood and thus ties a link between Barthes' idea and the readers childhood emotions for toys. This essay's audience seems to be that of an older generation. A beckoning call or an appeal to stop the mass production of these emotionless plastic toys, and to revert back to the more creative wooden blocks and toys of old. With regards to this, I agree. The cheap toys made on grandiose scales seems to view children as financial gains rather than what they truly are, just children.